buying a used car off craigslist... what should I look out for?

[ghostman]

First off, I should point out that I know nothing about cars. I only figured out how to add wiper fluid a few months ago. Long story short, I grew up in NYC, never owned a car, but needed a car for grad school two years ago. Got a new car then that I share with my gf, but our schedules are different now and we need a second, cheap car.

I've never purchased a used car, much less one off craiglist. I'm aiming for something reliable below $6K. I had a few questions...
1. I see a lot of dealers on CL in the private seller section. Googling their phone number shows that they've sold several cars. Is there any reason to avoid these people?
2. I will probably get an unlimited CarFax/AutoCheck account. Is there anything else to check?
3. At this price point, cars have over 100K miles. Any cars to avoid with this many miles? Any cars to favor? I'm leaning toward subarus, hondas, toyotas.
4. How long of a test drive is appropriate? Are sellers generally against allowing buyers to bring their cars to a mechanic?
5. Anything else I should be aware of?

Before I get flamed for not knowing my way around cars, I completely admit that I should know more. I would love to know how to work on cars. I enjoy working with tools, performing repairs, etc. But school has been too intense right now, so learning how to work on cars will have to wait until after I'm done with school.

Thanks for the responses. Be gentle.

 

[sze5003]

The dealers on craigslist are a waste avoid them. They want to finance you or make you pay cash for some car they had sitting there for a while. They also less likely to lower the price for you.

Cash is king. Show up to the car as long as it's a private seller. Bring a friend or mechanic if you can. Show them cash, ask to test drive it. With motorcycles people don't like to let you test drive but cars are different of course (4 wheels and doesn't require skills ).

Check the brakes, open the good and look at the engine compartment. Look at the belts, the battery, check for any strange noises. Make sure all the accessories work inside like the lights, heat, ac, etc.

If you are happy with the car run a car fax on it. Avoid craigslist posts that won't disclose title information and avoid titles that are rebuilt because that means the car might have been totaled and is worth usually 40% less than kbb price.

Look at accords, acuras, Toyota's, they usually last with lots of mileage and good normal care and maintenance. Depends what car you want.

Ask the seller for receipts if maintenance was performed. And avoid cars that have been modded or supped up.

Also avoid people that still owe the bank money unless the seller seems like a decent person and discloses the loan info to you or does not mind paying the remainder of his loan with you at the bank and transfers stuff over to you. It can be more of a hassle but I have bought my sister a car that way. The guy was super cool and very honest about everything so the process wasn't as bad as it could have been.

 

[Sidekicknichola]

I would get the following things researched beforehand -

Whatever specific car you're looking at common problems, maintenance schedule, and/or quirks.
... based on what you find, keep on extra close eye on these issues when you see the car.

VIN number and carfax/autocheck on car

If they have detailed service records are a great piece of mind that they took care of the car.

Look at the door jams / pilars and metal framing inside engine bay and trunk... if people had an accident and have to re-spray the car, this is usually where you can tell if they did a shotty job.

At 100k plus miles, if the car has a timing belt, make sure there is proof it has been changed. If it is a timing chain, you should be safe(r).

If they don't let you take it to a mechanic, run. On a test drive I would make sure the car accelerates straight and/or brakes straight (take your hands off the wheel), also make sure you get up to interstate speeds.

Check tire wear to make sure they're even, brakes are a bit tougher, but if they're worn you can use that to negotiate.

 

[_Rick_]

Check safety features first.
Brake disks, hydraulic pressure/pedal travel, if possible check the brake fluid level.
Rust on the disks should be gone by the end of the test drive. No marks/cracks on the disks.
Tires: You want pristine sidewalls, and 5-6 mm tread, otherwise factor in buying new tires. You want 4 matching tires as well.
Wheels: Check for missing/loose wheel nuts, dents in the rim, check for TPMS and if present, when the sensors were last replaced.
Engine: check oil level, and check for obvious issues like debris.
Check the exhaust for smoke.
Look for rust on the exhaust, and on known weakspots for the model.

Try to make your test drive on a hot day, so you can confirm that the A/C still works.
While driving, check acceleration, braking, gearbox performance. Drive over some rough surfaces and bumps if you know of any close by, to check the state of the suspension.
See if the cooling subsystem works properly, and that steering is accurate, free of play. Drive for at least 15 minutes, you need to get the thing to highway speeds.
Check for spare wheel, and the toolkit that comes with the car.
Check everything electric. Front and rear windows, sunroof, radio, seat controls, interior and exterior lighting.
Check the service history, particularly for recurring issues that were repaired under warranty.

Don't worry too much about superficial scratches in the paint, unless there are traces of rust around them. Do look whether plastic panels have been replaced - and if they were, get the insurance statement that sais "no frame damage".
Check for any lights that switch on, any vibration while driving, and any noise that may be suspicious.

Check that the car hasn't been stolen.

 

[Imported]

Lot of good info here. Be wary of issues with each brand. For example, gen 6 and 7 Honda Accord V6 autos have horrible transmissions. Research problems with each car you're considering.

 

[BUTCH1]

The dealers on craigslist are a waste avoid them. They want to finance you or make you pay cash for some car they had sitting there for a while. They also less likely to lower the price for you.

Cash is king. Show up to the car as long as it's a private seller. Bring a friend or mechanic if you can. Show them cash, ask to test drive it. With motorcycles people don't like to let you test drive but cars are different of course (4 wheels and doesn't require skills ).

Check the brakes, open the good and look at the engine compartment. Look at the belts, the battery, check for any strange noises. Make sure all the accessories work inside like the lights, heat, ac, etc.

If you are happy with the car run a car fax on it. Avoid craigslist posts that won't disclose title information and avoid titles that are rebuilt because that means the car might have been totaled and is worth usually 40% less than kbb price.

Look at accords, acuras, Toyota's, they usually last with lots of mileage and good normal care and maintenance. Depends what car you want.

Ask the seller for receipts if maintenance was performed. And avoid cars that have been modded or supped up.

Also avoid people that still owe the bank money unless the seller seems like a decent person and discloses the loan info to you or does not mind paying the remainder of his loan with you at the bank and transfers stuff over to you. It can be more of a hassle but I have bought my sister a car that way. The guy was super cool and very honest about everything so the process wasn't as bad as it could have been.

I'd be a bit careful with "show them the cash", specially if it's a real bargin, you have no idea of who your dealing with when responding to a CL ad, possibly tell them you can get the cash quickly if you decide to buy it and always have a mechanic check the car over, it's the best $$ you'll ever spend, they work on a lot of shitboxes and can spot a car that has been neglected.

 

[ghostman]

Thanks for the responses so far.

As an example, here are some cars I was looking at:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/cto/4521827083.html
This one is sold by a guy that has sold other cars on CL in the past. He seems active buying/selling car parts on various subaru forums and has a modded car of his own. And if I have the right guy, he's also a mechanic at a dealership.

http://longisland.craigslist.org/cto/4480860115.html
This guy dropped his price by $750 within the last two months. Can't tell anything else about him.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/cto/4475916153.html
This guy might be a dentist.

I know that subarus have had some head gasket issues (no clue what that means). The 2003 Accord would probably be a 7th generation Accord, so I take it that it's likely to have transmission issues as Imported mentioned.

As for what sze5003 mentioned, how do you know if a guy owes the bank money? And if the guy performed maintenance on his own, is that a good thing (hopefully keeps his car in good shape) or a bad thing (might be an amateur as screw up)?

 

[rommelrommel]

If they have a clear title in their own name it shouldn't be an issue but I'd verify that.

Head gasket is not a cheap fix on most cars, it's a lot of labor typically. Also, if one lets go and you don't stop driving promptly you can ruin a motor. I wouldn't not buy a subaru over head gasket issues but if one was high mileage you would want to budget for potential repairs.

 

[Zivic]

.

If you are happy with the car run a car fax on it. Avoid craigslist posts that won't disclose title information and avoid titles that are rebuilt because that means the car might have been totaled and is worth usually 40% less than kbb price.

also, as far as pricing goes, NADA is much more accurate of the value of the vehicle. Insurance companies will use NADA to value the vehicle, so that's what you should use (vs kbb) to buy it. Personally if I am shopping used cars and see reference to KBB in the ad, I expect the car isn't fairly priced.

 

[sze5003]

I'd be a bit careful with "show them the cash", specially if it's a real bargin, you have no idea of who your dealing with when responding to a CL ad, possibly tell them you can get the cash quickly if you decide to buy it and always have a mechanic check the car over, it's the best $$ you'll ever spend, they work on a lot of shitboxes and can spot a car that has been neglected.

What I've always done is if I like the vehicle I will say look I will be paying cash and I can go as far as this amount. I bring a friend with me and I'll have him drive me there. That way it doesn't look like I'm just bringing people for protection because some get shady when you show up with others.

Most people selling cars won't mind letting you test drive it as long as they come along. With my motorcycle that's a different story since most people will want to see that you have the asking price in hand before they hand you keys to a bike.

As far as owing the bank money, when you ask about the title he or she should be able to show it to you without issues. If they can't or the title says rebuilt or salvaged tell them goodbye.

 

[mvbighead]

I'll add one thing, I have generally had very good luck lately buying from dealers. And the dealers I am referring to are big dealers that typically sell new or certified pre owned. But lately I have been finding cars on their 'budget' section that are low cost quick movers. The real benefit to this is that before they sell any car, they run it through and have their shop check everything out. The change oil, fluids, etc. They test drive and if the front end rattles, they fix it.

All in all, I would not avoid dealers, but simply be ready to play their stupid 'running the numbers back and forth to the manager' bs. All in all, you at least are getting a vehicle that has received maintenance up front before you drive off with it.

Lastly, take cars for test drives. Feel for clunks or steering issues. Test the acceleration and braking as another guy said.

As for brand, Subaru AWD is really nice, but if you can do without it, you should really look at Toyota Camry that are in your price range. Those are mostly bullet proof, as far as I know.

 

[Uppsala9496]

Another car to check out is the Pontiac Vibe. It's a Toyota Matrix, but will carry a lower price since it's badged as a Pontiac. Everything in it is Toyota.
Should be able to find them in your price range (just sold my 2009 with 55,000 miles for only $10,500).

 

[Danimal1209]

Bringing someone who knows about cars is going to be essential in your case.

Also, ask questions about the title, maintenance, etc before hand, so you don't waste time going there to find out there is not title....

 

[debian0001]

Ford Crown Vic or a Mercury Grand Marquis would be decent.

 

[BUTCH1]

I'll add one thing, I have generally had very good luck lately buying from dealers. And the dealers I am referring to are big dealers that typically sell new or certified pre owned. But lately I have been finding cars on their 'budget' section that are low cost quick movers. The real benefit to this is that before they sell any car, they run it through and have their shop check everything out. The change oil, fluids, etc. They test drive and if the front end rattles, they fix it.

All in all, I would not avoid dealers, but simply be ready to play their stupid 'running the numbers back and forth to the manager' bs. All in all, you at least are getting a vehicle that has received maintenance up front before you drive off with it.

Lastly, take cars for test drives. Feel for clunks or steering issues. Test the acceleration and braking as another guy said.

As for brand, Subaru AWD is really nice, but if you can do without it, you should really look at Toyota Camry that are in your price range. Those are mostly bullet proof, as far as I know.

Dealer or not it's a HUGE mistake to assume that because a dealer claims "we do a 120 point inspection" on every use car we sell not to take it to a mechanic YOU hired to inspect the car, think a dealer is going to pour $3-4K into a tranny that's starting to slip and wind up taking a huge hit on the re-sale? I don't, hire your own indie mechanic to do the inspection.

 

[squirrel dog]

unfortunately certified and or pre owned has been shown to be a marketing ruse , most all dealers wash ,buff,vacum out ,clean motor,change oil and do a basic safety inspect , and that's about it . Google certified pre owned scams and read .

 

[kitatech]

Bringing someone who knows about cars is going to be essential in your case.

Also, ask questions about the title, maintenance, etc before hand, so you don't waste time going there to find out there is not title....

This....If you have to ask, as OP has done, then you need to take the car to someone, a pro, who has the questions already figured out.

 

[desy]

Considering your inexperience I'd go to a CarMax if there is one handy
Remember its a used car if it doesn't work out you can usually get out of it for near what you put into it

 

[Triumph]

I'd like to point out that buying a used car "off of craigslist" means absolutely nothing. You're buying a used car off of other humans, the same as has been done since the dawn of time. CL has nothing to do with it other than showing you who they are. Any particular unpleasantries that transpire are because of the other human, solely.

 

[jae]

Bring a friend or relative that knows about cars. Never understood bringing a mechanic, as if he's not trying to get your business too.

 

[sze5003]

Bring a friend or relative that knows about cars. Never understood bringing a mechanic, as if he's not trying to get your business too.

Only bring a mechanic if you have been going to this mechanic a while and know him well. Sure he wants your business but if you have a decent relationship and this mechanic has a large shop he's not going to try and swindle you.

My family used the same mechanic for years. We had met him when he just started his business. Now, he's moved locations twice and made his shop huge. Any appointment takes time now since he's got so many customers.

 

[DominionSeraph]

I'd like to point out that buying a used car "off of craigslist" means absolutely nothing. You're buying a used car off of other humans, the same as has been done since the dawn of time. CL has nothing to do with it other than showing you who they are. Any particular unpleasantries that transpire are because of the other human, solely.

CL's free posting means scammers abound. Same principle as spam.