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Agreed...there's obviously a balance...I used to debate that with my buddy that would say if you're happy, then you stop trying to get more or improve...which I agree with but then if you are always after the next best thing, you already know...you're in a current state of discontent!
Big reason in my TL-S decision making process...is that I knew how badly I'd miss my black car...but if I bought it's big brother that still looked like it but in a more unique color...well, I'd still be happy!
So I've personally never bought a car from a private seller. And I've certainly never done so out of state. Any tips guys?
that's not purple and slings yogurt
Cash is easiest but financing can be done. For a higher dollar vehicle, presumably the seller will understand and be accommodating. For a $3000 craigslist hoopty, you're not likely to run into a seller that can comprehend how a bank works into a private party sale, when they're also open to trades of a Gixxer, Xbox, or meth.
Out of state adds a level of difficulty but you might be okay. With a newer, low mileage, obviously well cared for vehicle, you *could* be alright with a good Q&A and pictures. If you to, you could see if they'll take it for an independent inspection if you pay for it.
Otherwise, just treat it like any other car. Get your money straight. Get comfortable with the deal. Then go see it. Don't be afraid to back out if it's not right (hence my "book a Southwest flight now" comment - have the return ticket booked and if you don't use it, no sweat).
Others have said that once you get there off a plane, the seller will know they have you by the gonads. But that's not really true. Be ready to walk, just like if you're at a dealer. What's a return ticket cost? less than $200? Well worth it to not make a $40k mistake.
In this day and age though, you should be able to get like 95% confident through email and pictures and videos and (gasp) phone calls. If it were a '92 Civic, things might be different. But a unique "higher end" vehicle like you're looking at? It's a little bit different sort of folks you're dealing with.
Flight cost isn't a problem. Even flying Delta. I'm not worrying about that.
If this really happens I will have my master Acura tech friend drive 30 minutes to go check it out for me before I buy tickets to come down.
Piece of cake then.
Call dude. Ask questions, get info. Be up front; "I'm really interested but will be coming from out of state, my friend will come look at it before hand." Negotiate price. Get financing (if necessary). Fly out, hand him check, drive home like a boss (or drive it to the shipping company that you contracted with earlier).
So... i've never ever.. ever wanted an exhaust.. but after being on this moneypit of a website watching other people's videos and setups.. fuck i want me some BWAAHHH...
maybe i'll do something on the non-existent s2k I'll eventually be getting (trying positive thinking here... if i think hard enough, i'll get it some day right? right?)
So... i've never ever.. ever wanted an exhaust.. but after being on this moneypit of a website watching other people's videos and setups.. fuck i want me some BWAAHHH...
maybe i'll do something on the non-existent s2k I'll eventually be getting (trying positive thinking here... if i think hard enough, i'll get it some day right? right?)
Stop spending your s2k money...
Nah really though Saturday I started looking into exhaust after my dad and I was working on his truck. Magnaflow to deep. Tsudo is just perfect.
Craigslist ad, traded some emails, talked to him on the phone, negotiated the price.
He flew in, I drove to the airport, picked him up, and let him test drive it. He tried to dicker with me on price some more and I offered to drive him back to the airport.
He acquiesced and peeled off a fat stack of Benjamin's.
He drove *me* back to the airport, drove off into the distance, and I caught a shuttle back into town.
Fairly easy. But mostly because we both were not simpleton morons (just me) and we communicated like adults.
You sound like you got all your ducks in a row, you're just overthinking and bouncing ideas off of us strangers, and that's cool though. But don't fall into the analysis paralysis trap!
Yeah, just looking at the pictures of the car earlier, and from reading your brief interactions with the guy... It seems to me that he's probably your typical "I buy luhhhxury vehicles" guy.
And it's an Audi.
So it initially looks to me like it's in good shape and probably well taken care of. I mean, if it drives, it's probably 100%. If it doesn't drive, it's out of warranty ().
I agree with Cul0 he probably tagged the guy 100%.. Being a CPA, his 'busy season' should be more or less over though unless he's working with extensions. You might be able to get a "i just want this gone so i can get the newest one" discount on price. Get that rapport with him and you should be golden.
I don't care how busy you are...having a guy with $40K with your name on it waiting on something is not acceptable.
Also, Chad...
when I was at the point of buying a plane ticket...this one guy with the manual CTS-V Wagon made sense...everything I googled, Dr etc...
the ONLY thing that started wearing on me was he was intent on "guiding me" on the process of buying sight unseen and wanted me to use escrow.com and although he never told me I couldn't come see the car for myself, as the day came closer to make it all happen, he was starting to kinda lead me toward just having the car shipped to me (snowing out and he originally said I could have the snow tires, then came up with a reason why he needed to keep them and that it was unsafe for me to drive it home and shipping was better).
I read up about escrow.com and apparently there had been someone that got taken for a ride (with a CTSV too)...they used some piggy back email etc...guy funded the deal, shipping truck never showed up...
the other crazy thing is as we go to bed dreaming of these cars becoming a reality...you get in love and almost shut off your normal senses. I kept coming up with excuses for some of the things he was doing that were raising red flags. A missing driver door badge and possible paint work after a closer look are what eventually led me to bail on it...he said there were no repainted panels.
Chad, get a feel for the buyer...anything seems out of place...bail. I ask a LOT of telling questions...and I pay attention to details, I read up on their forum posts, see if it correlates to what they are saying...make sure nothing doesn't jive with their reason for selling or condition...make sure they're willing to send WHATEVER pictures you ask for within a pretty quick turnaround. Tons if excuses or whatever, I'm out...I get the feeling you're not what you say, I'm out...
I have a standard 20-25 questions I ask the owner of a car that I'm interested in... some red flags are ok, assuming they're minor. My favorite question is (something to this effect, anyway)
"has the vehicle ever been hit or damaged or does the vehicle have any body damage or has it had any repainting or repairs, regardless of size, done in anyway?"
People have varying level of what an "accident" entails. I like to pretty dang concise with that question, so people don't work around it. "well I backed into a concrete post, but that wasn't technically an accident since no other car was involved..."
yep...me too...I also let them know that I'm a nazi with paint and I can usually spot a respray from 20 feet away...whether done right or not. I just want to know what to expect.
Do you guys have to do "out of state" inspections when bringing a car in from a different state? Here we have to do "out of province" inspections. It limits how many hooptys come in.. there's always a work around, but yeah... it's supposed to work in theory, lol.
yep...me too...I also let them know that I'm a nazi with paint and I can usually spot a respray from 20 feet away...whether done right or not. I just want to know what to expect.
100% agreed, and me too! I've had enough people lie to me, only for me to go see the car in question and be like "sooo... that overspray on the front bumper... you're saying it came from the factory like that?" or the mismatched orange peel... or the poor color match... or the non-vin number on the body panel... or the...
the other crazy thing is as we go to bed dreaming of these cars becoming a reality...you get in love and almost shut off your normal senses. I kept coming up with excuses for some of the things he was doing that were raising red flags. A missing driver door badge and possible paint work after a closer look are what eventually led me to bail on it...he said there were no repainted panels.
Yeah, we're emotional creatures, humans.. You sort of let things slide sometimes but you gotta take a step back, get your emotions in check, and then think wisely.
Yeah, we're emotional creatures, humans.. You sort of let things slide sometimes but you gotta take a step back, get your emotions in check, and then think wisely.
it can get so hard not to get emotional when you're standing in front of the car you want, when it's at the price you want and the keys are dangling in front of you.
but then you gotta think about how emotional you'll be when you realize you bought something you're not happy with!
We have out of state inspections I believe. Cali is more strict then other states. I could have bought Js car if I knew a month before. BUT, some stuff would need to be switched back to stock before they issued me plates and reg.
it can get so hard not to get emotional when you're standing in front of the car you want, when it's at the price you want and the keys are dangling in front of you.
but then you gotta think about how emotional you'll be when you realize you bought something you're not happy with!
05-16-2016, 10:23 AM
to balance the chi out.
).
