Buying 05 tomorrow with 95,000... what to look for
03-22-2011, 11:28 PM
#2
does it have black interior????? I LOVE that color combo!!!!!
honestly, at 95k miles there may be any number of things that need to be addressed...
it could need brakes, rotors, fluids flushed, etc etc etc.
it could also be great.
if I were in your shoes, I'd setup an appointment with a mechanic and arrange a pre purchase inspection. many mechanics will do a thorough inspection fo the car and charge you maybe 100-300 depending how in depth it is... they can tell you if the fluids are clean/dirty, are there any signs of obvious body work/major damage, etc.
on an older or higher mileage car, the couple hundred bucks you spend on this kind of inspection is money well spent. what if the mechanic tells you the car has $3000 worth of repairs it needs.... you know to pass or force the seller to drop the price.
if the mechanic tells you it looks GREAT - you know you are buying a great car.
when I have bought used cars, and arranged for these types of inspections, I tell the seller that I want to have it looked at, and explain that I'll pay all the costs for the inspection. if you like the car and want to buy it, you could m ake the sale contingent on the car passing the inspection.. or you could tell the seller you are serious about buyign it, but before you make a serious offer you want it inspected. then when you get the mechanics info - you can assess what you want to offer.
good luck.
honestly, at 95k miles there may be any number of things that need to be addressed...
it could need brakes, rotors, fluids flushed, etc etc etc.
it could also be great.
if I were in your shoes, I'd setup an appointment with a mechanic and arrange a pre purchase inspection. many mechanics will do a thorough inspection fo the car and charge you maybe 100-300 depending how in depth it is... they can tell you if the fluids are clean/dirty, are there any signs of obvious body work/major damage, etc.
on an older or higher mileage car, the couple hundred bucks you spend on this kind of inspection is money well spent. what if the mechanic tells you the car has $3000 worth of repairs it needs.... you know to pass or force the seller to drop the price.
if the mechanic tells you it looks GREAT - you know you are buying a great car.
when I have bought used cars, and arranged for these types of inspections, I tell the seller that I want to have it looked at, and explain that I'll pay all the costs for the inspection. if you like the car and want to buy it, you could m ake the sale contingent on the car passing the inspection.. or you could tell the seller you are serious about buyign it, but before you make a serious offer you want it inspected. then when you get the mechanics info - you can assess what you want to offer.
good luck.
03-23-2011, 01:30 AM
#3
Missing my
Beside the standard used car questions, ask if the AC has been replaced. Also check the front door handles to see if the sensors still work. While driving check to see if the headlights flicker or if you hear a whining sound around 50-70 mph. How much are you buying it for?
03-23-2011, 07:40 AM
#5
does it have black interior????? I LOVE that color combo!!!!!
honestly, at 95k miles there may be any number of things that need to be addressed...
it could need brakes, rotors, fluids flushed, etc etc etc.
it could also be great.
if I were in your shoes, I'd setup an appointment with a mechanic and arrange a pre purchase inspection. many mechanics will do a thorough inspection fo the car and charge you maybe 100-300 depending how in depth it is... they can tell you if the fluids are clean/dirty, are there any signs of obvious body work/major damage, etc.
on an older or higher mileage car, the couple hundred bucks you spend on this kind of inspection is money well spent. what if the mechanic tells you the car has $3000 worth of repairs it needs.... you know to pass or force the seller to drop the price.
if the mechanic tells you it looks GREAT - you know you are buying a great car.
when I have bought used cars, and arranged for these types of inspections, I tell the seller that I want to have it looked at, and explain that I'll pay all the costs for the inspection. if you like the car and want to buy it, you could m ake the sale contingent on the car passing the inspection.. or you could tell the seller you are serious about buyign it, but before you make a serious offer you want it inspected. then when you get the mechanics info - you can assess what you want to offer.
good luck.
honestly, at 95k miles there may be any number of things that need to be addressed...
it could need brakes, rotors, fluids flushed, etc etc etc.
it could also be great.
if I were in your shoes, I'd setup an appointment with a mechanic and arrange a pre purchase inspection. many mechanics will do a thorough inspection fo the car and charge you maybe 100-300 depending how in depth it is... they can tell you if the fluids are clean/dirty, are there any signs of obvious body work/major damage, etc.
on an older or higher mileage car, the couple hundred bucks you spend on this kind of inspection is money well spent. what if the mechanic tells you the car has $3000 worth of repairs it needs.... you know to pass or force the seller to drop the price.
if the mechanic tells you it looks GREAT - you know you are buying a great car.
when I have bought used cars, and arranged for these types of inspections, I tell the seller that I want to have it looked at, and explain that I'll pay all the costs for the inspection. if you like the car and want to buy it, you could m ake the sale contingent on the car passing the inspection.. or you could tell the seller you are serious about buyign it, but before you make a serious offer you want it inspected. then when you get the mechanics info - you can assess what you want to offer.
good luck.
Good lukc with your purchase OP, like others have stated make sure all of the "bells and whistles" are functioning properly. i.e headlight swivel, door sensors, sun shade, AC, etc.
03-23-2011, 08:50 AM
#6
I'm buying the car from Park Place Lexus in Grapevine, TX for $16.885 9white w/ parchment). It's a big dealer with a good rep, so I'm confident that they wouldn't sell me a junk car. I'll check on the AC... what part specifically should I be looking for?
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03-23-2011, 10:29 AM
#8
Look at the front and rear bumpers. Do they have obvious signs of peeling paint,overspray, removed,reinstalled trim? People who get into Crashes or are trying to cheaply cover up damage wil do cheap paint jobs.... I looked at a nice RL bit once I saw it in person you could see the new spray job on the bumpers...drip marks and other signs of a totally cheap paint job....
Look to see the body panels are oem. They have Acura stickers on them.
Look at the glass...Acura emblems in the glass. If the f don't windshield was broken in a good front end collision, they may have changed out the windshield with a generic...the Acura ones have the Acura symbol and/or logo on the glass. If it's a non oem windshield, it may also just mean they replaced it...but it's something for you to look at and factor in with everything else you see.
Play with all the knobs and switches to see if they all work.
Make sure the tires are ok.
If the dealer is a larger reputable one, so e will service it themselves, other will actualy send it to the local Acura dealer for a basic service...I've seen both. Ask if they took it in trade..they probably did...and ask what service they did to it. They should have records if they did anything in terms of replacing any parts, fluids, or labor.
Ifmthey took it in trade, go to KGB and see what low blue book trade in value is. That's all they paid and you should only be paying a bit more than that...they just want to get rid of it..ad the rl, while a god car, is not a volume seller like a civic oe something smaller, cheaper, higher mpg. You could steal it if you play it right!
FYI....are you dead set on this rl? Have you looked at any others? 05 models had some issues... With AC that others did not. For similar money you could likely find an 06 or 07?
I think the 05 models lack XM? And I think they cannot do nav traffic..if you cared? 07 and up have backup cameras and iPod aux inputs standard....
Check kbb for what trade in is..that's all Lexus paid. I bought a used Volvo off a Lexus lot years ago and got it for a steal. Cars taken in trade are the best deals you will get bc dealer took it to move a new car sale...now they are stuck with a 95k mile Acura.if they don't move it fast...in 30 days or so, they WILL wholesale it... So anything they can sell it for over wholesale is a plus to them. If you act like a sucker they will rape you and make a bunch of money on it. Of you act so,what interested, let them kmow you are a Aeolus buyer, but are considering other RLs and are price sensitive.....you might get them to drop price even more than you think they will?
Good luck
Look to see the body panels are oem. They have Acura stickers on them.
Look at the glass...Acura emblems in the glass. If the f don't windshield was broken in a good front end collision, they may have changed out the windshield with a generic...the Acura ones have the Acura symbol and/or logo on the glass. If it's a non oem windshield, it may also just mean they replaced it...but it's something for you to look at and factor in with everything else you see.
Play with all the knobs and switches to see if they all work.
Make sure the tires are ok.
If the dealer is a larger reputable one, so e will service it themselves, other will actualy send it to the local Acura dealer for a basic service...I've seen both. Ask if they took it in trade..they probably did...and ask what service they did to it. They should have records if they did anything in terms of replacing any parts, fluids, or labor.
Ifmthey took it in trade, go to KGB and see what low blue book trade in value is. That's all they paid and you should only be paying a bit more than that...they just want to get rid of it..ad the rl, while a god car, is not a volume seller like a civic oe something smaller, cheaper, higher mpg. You could steal it if you play it right!
FYI....are you dead set on this rl? Have you looked at any others? 05 models had some issues... With AC that others did not. For similar money you could likely find an 06 or 07?
I think the 05 models lack XM? And I think they cannot do nav traffic..if you cared? 07 and up have backup cameras and iPod aux inputs standard....
Check kbb for what trade in is..that's all Lexus paid. I bought a used Volvo off a Lexus lot years ago and got it for a steal. Cars taken in trade are the best deals you will get bc dealer took it to move a new car sale...now they are stuck with a 95k mile Acura.if they don't move it fast...in 30 days or so, they WILL wholesale it... So anything they can sell it for over wholesale is a plus to them. If you act like a sucker they will rape you and make a bunch of money on it. Of you act so,what interested, let them kmow you are a Aeolus buyer, but are considering other RLs and are price sensitive.....you might get them to drop price even more than you think they will?
Good luck
03-23-2011, 10:33 AM
#9
Trade in on that car, according to Kellyblue book is 11k - 13k....with 13k being for a car that is perfect...and none ofmthem ever are... Odds are they paid about 10-11k MAX for that car.
I'd offer them 12k and not a dime more. Watch what they do when you walk off the lot.
I'd offer them 12k and not a dime more. Watch what they do when you walk off the lot.
03-23-2011, 02:57 PM
#11
Missing my
05's have XM and nav traffic. There isn't a backup camera but I doubt that's a deal breaker. Also I have to say I disagree with the idea of lowballing them that much. Try to negotiate but they don't give a shit if you walk when they weren't going to make a profit unless you caught them at the end of the month at the same time the dealer was ready to wholesale the car. They're not stupid, so they'll know what their cars are worth.
03-24-2011, 07:18 AM
#13
Like tnobori1 said, 05s have XM and nav traffic. A backup camera and aux inputs can be added for $100 bucks. I paid 14k for my 05 with 91k, if I were you OP I'd look to pay about the same maybe 13,500 since the miles are higher and I have ASPEC kit, wheels, and suspension on mine when purchased. You could try to offer 12K like poppintec said, but I'm pretty sure they would come back with 15 or maybe even 14 which is a start.
03-24-2011, 08:01 AM
#14
I have bad credit so they can kind of have their way with me (even with 50% down). Plus I don't think the dealer will come down on their price. The car is in excellent shape. The prop shaft was replaced at 54k, not sure about the AC though.
What is is that goes bad on the AC system?
What is is that goes bad on the AC system?
03-24-2011, 04:36 PM
#16
thanks everyone for the advice... I paid an extra $600 for a pretty comprehensive 6month/6,000 mile warranty. I know its not long but better than nothing. The prop shaft was replaced at 65k. drivetrain is pretty quiet and AC so far, good.
03-25-2011, 06:49 PM
#18
Pro
I know its 10,000 mi away, and prol a hard question to ask a dealer, but it would be sweet if they threw in the timing belt change........Even if its a Lexus dealer.
03-26-2011, 09:24 AM
#19
'05 Acura RL - CGP/Ebony
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Trade in on that car, according to Kellyblue book is 11k - 13k....with 13k being for a car that is perfect...and none ofmthem ever are... Odds are they paid about 10-11k MAX for that car.
I'd offer them 12k and not a dime more. Watch what they do when you walk off the lot.
I'd offer them 12k and not a dime more. Watch what they do when you walk off the lot.
So, I agree, the price the OP is about to pay is high -- especially with the higher mileage.
03-26-2011, 05:13 PM
#20
2016 Acura TLX
dude, you got ripped off big time if you paid 16,885 for 95k miles.
03-26-2011, 10:54 PM
#22
retail value is $18,800 and I paid $2,000 less so I hardly got ripped off. plus the comfort of buying from a big Lexus dealership that wont put junk (wrecked, flooded, etc) on their lot is worth a lot to me.
the car is in near perfect condition, brand new tires, perfect paint, clean interior, etc. the car has also stayed in my city since the day it was sold, which is also of value to me.
plus financing options, warranty options, etc...
lastly, there's only about 5 2005 RLs within about a 100 mile radius from me. two of them are at the same junky lot (one has airbag isssues, ie: wrecked, and the other has all sorts of other small issues and who knows how many big ones), there's another at a Chevy dealer for about the same price but with more miles (like 113k I think)... all the other RLs are lower miles but MUCH more $$$.
the car is in near perfect condition, brand new tires, perfect paint, clean interior, etc. the car has also stayed in my city since the day it was sold, which is also of value to me.
plus financing options, warranty options, etc...
lastly, there's only about 5 2005 RLs within about a 100 mile radius from me. two of them are at the same junky lot (one has airbag isssues, ie: wrecked, and the other has all sorts of other small issues and who knows how many big ones), there's another at a Chevy dealer for about the same price but with more miles (like 113k I think)... all the other RLs are lower miles but MUCH more $$$.
03-27-2011, 12:09 AM
#23
Missing my
You didn't get ripped off man. Some people think they're master negotiators because they were in the right place at the right time once or twice before. Bottom line, you have the confidence of buying from a dealer, getting financed when you have admittedly bad credit, and getting a great car with at least 100k miles left on it.
If you think of it this way; the first owner paid around $52k otd and got $11k back after 95k miles. You can put that many miles on it and still get $3-$4k back in a few more years.
If you think of it this way; the first owner paid around $52k otd and got $11k back after 95k miles. You can put that many miles on it and still get $3-$4k back in a few more years.
03-31-2011, 05:56 AM
#24
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i bought my 05 rl two years ago with 118k miles on it and the great thing is it only cost me 10500$ which i could also dream off. I bought it from one of the biggest mercedes benz dealer, Walter, in Riverside, CA. I was not sure at that time because i am afraid the car was OK or not so I arrange an apointment with an Acura technician to look at the car. After about 45 minutes inspection, he could also said that the car is in great condition. I just got a deal! Like tnobori1 said just looking at the price tag on the car it was way over 55k$ but you got it way below that in less than 3 years. Thaat is what i called DEAl.
03-31-2011, 10:03 AM
#25
You did not get ripped off! If you like it, and you are happy with the price....stay happy!
Maybe you could have knocked a bit more money off the price but you would have had to play games, bs, etc. Some people don't want to deal with all that crap. If your credit was bad, you had less options...so be happy you got a great car at a price you could afford.
There are RLs in great shape with over 200k miles....so,eome on this forum had like 250k on their car and said it was in great shape! So you have a lot of life left in that car...yes, it will need routine maintenance, so make sure you budget for that...
Consider you probably won't need tires rig away if they are new, but you could need brake pads, or rotors soon? Stuff pops up that can cost, so sock 50-100 away each month to a car fund. Don't use it for wheel or intakes..save it for repairs! Make a separate fund for the toys.....
Post some pics when you get a chance. Congrats again on the nice car.
Pearl white is the sweetest color in my opinion! I tried to find one when I got my rl but coildnt find one with black interior, and I only wanted the black leather..so settled on a carbon gray on black. Your car will look sweet! Is it tinted? Spoiler?
Maybe you could have knocked a bit more money off the price but you would have had to play games, bs, etc. Some people don't want to deal with all that crap. If your credit was bad, you had less options...so be happy you got a great car at a price you could afford.
There are RLs in great shape with over 200k miles....so,eome on this forum had like 250k on their car and said it was in great shape! So you have a lot of life left in that car...yes, it will need routine maintenance, so make sure you budget for that...
Consider you probably won't need tires rig away if they are new, but you could need brake pads, or rotors soon? Stuff pops up that can cost, so sock 50-100 away each month to a car fund. Don't use it for wheel or intakes..save it for repairs! Make a separate fund for the toys.....
Post some pics when you get a chance. Congrats again on the nice car.
Pearl white is the sweetest color in my opinion! I tried to find one when I got my rl but coildnt find one with black interior, and I only wanted the black leather..so settled on a carbon gray on black. Your car will look sweet! Is it tinted? Spoiler?
10-19-2011, 11:27 AM
#26
I have an 05 white RL that I bought in 4/2/11 with 78k I paid 15k for it it was well taken care of. All I did was put an Aspec front lip and installed a alpine 15 inch type r sub. The car runs great it's fun to drive.
10-19-2011, 02:14 PM
#28
Senior Moderator
10-19-2011, 05:25 PM
#29
It's your car, your money, your choice. Seems like a good deal to me. I got very lucky and bought my '05 with 77,000 from a friend that bought it new and took extremely good care of it. Runs like a top. I paid $16,000.00 for it and would have paid more if he asked. Congratulations!
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