Do people take cars to mechanics when buying normally?(dont know the seller)?

Question

ive definitely heard people suggest this, but its mostly coming from my mother. its good advice i guess and would ensure that the car ran well, but ive never heard of any of my friends etc. actually doing this.

i looked at this car and i think id really not have a problem taking it to a mechanic, although it may be a little akward, but it has no plates.

is it a bad idea to just have my friend come look at it with me today?

he knows cars, im just confused.

is it a bad idea? i test drove it down the street.

Answer 1

Mom knows best. Take it to a reputable mechanic. An automobile is a big investment,don't get burned! ;-)=

Answer 2

its always a good idea to have car checked by mechanic out before buying he will find problem areas you won't know to look for. Not only does this potentially save you money it also gives you negotiation power in purchasing if problems aren't massive they say yeah this is good car no problems and your mechanic finds bad ball joints or whatever gives you room to say hey you said no problems but really it needs work so come down on price.  

Answer 3

Take it to a technician. Don't just take a "friend that knows cars" take it to a reputable technician. I am a Certified Used vehicle inspector for some major auto manufacturers. Certified Used vehicles go through a 117 point check list before being certified. I go to the dealerships and inspect certified used vehicles after they have been certified by the dealers technicians. I find things they missed all the time.  

Answer 4

cars are usually sold as is.  That means if you buy it and drive it to the end of the street and the engine blows, your'e out of luck.  

Take it to a mechanic and get it checked out.

Answer 5

I'm a car dealer and if you buy or think of buying a car without having your mechanic check it it, then you are foolish. First have a mechanic look at it , if he says it is ok then test ride it. And as far as boyfriends, well being a car dealer I have seen guys  who think they are mechanics. Everytime I have a girl come to my lot and says my boyfriend knows cars, the first thing I tell her is bring it to a real mechanic. Girls usually think their boyfriend is always smarter than dad and a lot smarter than a certfied mechanic. Now if you are seriously thinking of buying a car that doesn't have plates. Find out why when did the inspection run out. Look and see what other type of car they are driving. Hint: If a person is selling a car, it usually is worse than what they are driving now. If they are driving a piece of garbage now, trust me, the car they are probably selling is in worse condition. General rule of thumb, people for the most part don't keep bad cars and sell the good one.  Good Luck and Be Careful

Answer 6

First of all why does the car not have plates? That's curious. Does the seller have a title to the car in his name? If not it may be stolen. Is the seller a dealer? Or a private party who operates as a dealer without a license? This often happens and is illegal. I operate a used car lot and I encourage all my customers to have an independent inspection performed by a qualified mechanic of their choice before purchasing any car anywhere from anyone. I wouldn't buy a car myself without checking it out thoroughly and I know what to look for. If you don't you're insane if you don't have it inspected by a certified mechanic especially if the price is more than a few hundred dollars.

Answer 7

Yes, it's both common and a very good idea.

Make it a condition of the sale if you are very interested in a car.  Put down a deposit to show the buyer you're serious about buying the car and ask him or her to drive the car to a garage or mechanic of your choice.  They will check out the car for you and give you a report or recommendation regarded the vehicle's current shape and possible required fixes or issues within the near future.

This will either solidify your choice, give you some negotiation room if there are some minor things which do need fixing, or gives you a way out of the sale if it turns out to be something very wrong with the car.

Also, if the seller refuses to do this for you, chances are he or she is hiding something and that's a good indication for you to walk immediately.

Answer 8

A Car has thousands of moving parts. With age a human being develops aches and problems. So does a car. Just 'cause it drove fine round the block, does not tell you all the symptoms.

Look I or any one of the folks above me are not saying this car is bad. It could be a great car. You just need to make sure it is. Haven forbid, what happens if it breaks a Serpentine belt or the brake fails when you get on freeway ? You can't take it back as the car is sold AS IS. Meaning without a way to return or warranty.

I once bought a Camry from this dealer. It drove really great in the dealership. But after one week, the transmission broke. I literally lost all of my $ 5K.

All you are trying to do is to make sure you don't get that kind of Surprise. I am sure you are likely to have a great car like all your friends.