sunnyboy

Hi, I'm new to the forums and new to Acura. I just moved from Buenos Aires to LA and my friend is selling his car, it's a '99 TL 3.2 with Navigation system. I'm used to driving brand new cars but I'll be here for a short period of time so I don't mind buying an used card.

He doesn't really care about the car, he bought it in late-2008 with 135k miles and he's selling it at around 138k miles. He uses it once a week or so and I don't think he did regular maintenance on it. Car also sleeps outside and the paint it's kinda deteriorated. Nav system doesn't work either (disk error thing), which from what I've seen online many people experienced and it's somewhat fixable.

My question is, what would you check (with a mechanic, paint body shop, acura dealer service, etc) before buying the car?

I'm more of a computer kinda guy and not a car kinda guy if you know what I mean

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

01tl4tl

bet the car still needs the 105kmile service with timing belt- water pump -spark plugs etc--thats about a $1000++ to do
plus whatever is worn out and wasted from lack of maitenance, brakes shocks trans

Have a mechanic look it over and under, but in general: Ive found its better to not buy cars from anyone you want to remain friends with

busted nav = trash, transmission likely about to go , needs the major service, no fliud changes done is bad on parts
= this thing is a POS thats worth maybe a thousand dollars,, if you dont mind walking away from when it dies

V_Langs_3.2TL

^yeah, try not to by cars from friends.

it's nothing but trouble...

03tLsNBP

iTrader: (9)

^ that

sunnyboy

Thanks for the advice, he's more like a roomate then a friend.
He knows the car needs work and he offered to discount all those expenses from the sell price. I'll go out for a test drive and see what happens

silvertl510

iTrader: (1)

^ +1

and yea i agree with ever one else. i try not to sell things and buy things from people im pretty cool with.

Boriqua TL

I'd look at it like this. You need it for a short time. Do you think you can fix what's wrong and when the short time comes to sell it, can you get most of your money back? If the your reply is no, then step away from the car and find something else.

Sperry

iTrader: (1)

How short of a time? Six months, or thirty months?

achiava

im going to have to disagree with that.. i just bought my 99 tl from a family friend. it was a second car which never got driven. got it for 7000 canadian and it only has 83 000 kms on it so about52 xxx miles on it. all maintenance was done at the dealership and it was kept in showroom condition.

what im trying to say it take it to a shop and get it checked out. the problems may only be cosmetic if he didnt drive the car very much

03tLsNBP

iTrader: (9)

sometimes you get a good deal from your friend/relative and everything works out fine.

but other times something might go wrong and you end up in a feud with that person.

either way i try not to do business with family/friends.

01tl4tl

if a car has perfect history you know, and is a good price--ok maybe then

but a TL with problems is never cheap to fix--we all know that!!
so many probs on one run down car tells me its already had the beater portion of its life~

for the price- get a nice reliable resellable honda or toyota
As I have said before- love my TL, but would never buy another one without a great warranty still in effect--especially trans

yes a 99 4 speed is better but its got high miles--thats wear on any trans

pickler

get the accord coupe