I'm checking out an 05 TL this Saturday, from the pictures and carfax the car looks pretty good. The owner also says he has all the service records so I feel theres potential in this purchase.

My question is, what should I be on the look out for on both the service records and the pre-purchase inspection?

The car is located in Laguna Niguel, CA, which is an area I'm not familiar with. Do any SoCal members here know of any reliable mechanics around that area? I'm thinking I might just see if Sears will do the job.

 

take it to a dealer and pay the 125

 

^ im with him

 

+2

 

Sounds simple enough, but are there specific points I should be looking for? This is a response I got a while back regarding a similar topic

Sorry, it's my first time car shopping so I'm a little paranoid, especially since I don't know the mechanics around that area personally.

 

mistuh,

There is a lot more to look for than the condition of the tires, the cabin filter, and the color of the brake fluid. First off, take it to an Acura dealer as they will be familiar with the car and will know what to look for. I did this exact thing recently before I purchased a 2007 Type-S with 18k miles on it. Cost me about $100 but it's well worth it. They gave me a check list of things they checked that must have had 100 items on it. Things they should look for include: are there any signs of previous damage or re-painting, are there any fluid leaks anywhere, does the tranny shift correctly, does it drive straight and does it pull one way or the other under hard braking, does the engine idle and run smoothly, does it need anything such as tires and brake pads, etc. Depending on how many miles are on it, you might ask them to do a compression check on each cylinder to make sure they are within spec (this will probably cost you a little extra). They should also go through everything in the car to ensure it's working properly - the power windows & locks, cruise control, sunroof, A/C, Navi, bluetooth - everything.

Hope that helps and good luck.

Al

 

I have a question, so if they certify and say everything is working and then seomthing goes wrong, is he covered under warranty?

 

Good advice, I definitely feel I should go to an Acura dealer to have the car checked out. The thing is, the seller has had the car serviced at the same dealer, Tustin Acura. Does it make any sense for me to get the inspection at Tustin Acura as well? Its the only Acura dealership around that area that I know of, or would a private mechanic shop do just as good?

Any input is really appreciated

 

Wow, that's a good question, anyone know the answer?

I think if they see everything's working fine, they'll probably pull something out so I have to service it at a dealership, preferably theirs.

The car is out of factory warranty as well, 63k miles

 

The key to the question is Certified and under the warranty. If the dealer isn't selling the vehicle, it won't become Certified through an inspection, therefore no warranty, and no free repairs.

Although the car was serviced at that dealership, I would have no problem with having them perform the inspection.

 

Consensus seems pretty clear, think I'll have it inspected at a dealership

Are there things that I should do before/during the test drive? I found something that seemed pretty interesting in another thread

Anything else similar to this that I should be aware of? I think I also read that the ECU could be reset by disconnecting the battery or something like that. Sorry, when it comes to engines, I'm pretty clueless.

 

I would have to guess that the answer is a definitive no. Kind of like a home inspection - if something comes up later, the inspector cannot be held liable.

If the there is any remaining warranty on the car, then he would of course be covered by that. But for a $100 inspection, they are not going to guarantee anything.

Al

 

I would definitely go to the same Acura dealer. While there, you can ask them to see or print out the service records of the car to confirm that the maintenance has been done and that it has not had an abnormal amount of problems. Also, the Acura dealer is very familiar with the car and what trouble areas to look for compared to a local mechanic who works on all kinds of cars and might only see a handful of TL's a year. The Acura tech might even recognize that specific car and can tell you if it's had a good mechanical history or not.

Al

 

Or they will do a good job for you so that you will be inclined to bring it back to them for service after you buy the car. Which one makes more sense from a business standpoint??

 

This doesn't make any sense. At all. And what the hell is "stall mode"?

 

Probably just beating on a dead horse. Stall Mode is when you turn to key to the notch just before the engine starts. Maybe csmeance tell more about it. Test driving tomorrow at noon, I know there's more advice out there.

 

If it feels good on the test drive, and the local dealer has done all the work- ask them about the car! They know if the owner always kept it perfect condition

Its got low miles to need a copmpression check or have anything besides brakes worn out! Make sure it hasnt been hit or been the hitter,,,,and that the recalls are take care of at the dealer- the dealer normally checks the vin each time the car is in for recall notices and takes care of them while its getting an oil change, so that sprobably ok

 

If you buy the car- sit down with the owner book for an evening before driving the car!
So many trick systems in the braking and traction controls to underestand~
then go practice them!

No need to reset the ecu if the car is driving fine- while it does partially learn your driving style- its mostly letting the computer get fresh input from all the sensors to manage the fuel profile and check after any problems were fixed

 

Sorry for the hijack but that is not entirely accurate. A home inspector must conduct a home inspection in a reasonable manner that is consistent with the standards in that particular industry. If the home inspector fails/neglects to find an important material defect that later affects the dwelling he/she may be liable for damages that result from his/her negligence. The inspector can also be liable for breach of contract to whichever party employed his services.