Topic: Goof of the Month: Sold As-Is for a Reason

[AutoTrader.ca]

Not all vehicles can be fixed.
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[Gurgie]

Remember that thread... the guy never came back to say what he did in the end?

[tortoise]

I don't think he did.  Which makes me wonder how this became a story on Autotrader.  Did they track him down to get more info and permission to tell the tale?

[JacobBlack]

I don't think he did.  Which makes me wonder how this became a story on Autotrader.  Did they track him down to get more info and permission to tell the tale?

We don't need his permission. He put it up in a public forum, we ran with it and expanded on it.

[tortoise]

Interesting.  Thanks for answering the question.

[Gurgie]

I guess you didn't really even use his real name, just an alias... so no harm there either.

[PJungnitsch]

That is amazing.

[tooscoops]

I love when people do this kind of thing... a car for 1400 bucks... so like 1k more than scrap value, and they think it will do them "4 or 5 years" usually....

not a bloody chance.

nearly daily I get a customer asking about finding a car for them... "you know, something that you won't keep but is really solid. maybe a grand or two"... if it's solid and desirable, I'm going to sell it retail. if it is a car I don't want to keep, it is because I don't think I can sell it/fix it. a 2 grand car as-is that I don't want to fix, is not something i want to sell.

just think ... if a person trades it in for a grand or less, that means they agreed that it was worth just more than scrap. and this is a person who has been driving it for a while and has some sentimental value related to it... they KNOW if has a grocery list and might never get a real safety again... the dealership that carries that kind of stuff has to profit, so a couple hundred minimum, though likely 500+. so from a "dealer" like that, anything under 2k is someone else's garbage.

[Davep]

Everybody wants something for nothing. And then they are astonished they got screwed. 

[Serniter]

It is not easy to buy a used car. Even at a higher price range, there is no guarantee a used car won't need a ton of repairs. Just from looking at a car, most people can't assess the condition of its chassis or suspension components. They may genuinely not want a fancy car and are looking to spend the least possible on transportation. As the article suggests, it's definitely worth getting a mechanic to take a look. Do dealerships allow prospective buyers to take cars for examinations?

[dkaz]

Depends on where. Cheap beaters in BC that are in really good condition but just old and/or high kms can be had. I bought my Odyssey for $1067 and it gave me 30 months and 33,000km of service before the transmission went, sold it for $400. The transmission could've gone at 12 months in and I wouldn't have felt that it owed me anything.

[Fobroader]

I bought my old 93 Chev truck for $1700 and sold the topper and rack for $300. So it cost me $1400....beaters can be had, you just have to be a bit bright and not buy something that looks like it was being stored in brine since new. Sorry, but not looking under a used vehicle, especially at what he paid, no one elses fault but his.

[aquadorhj]

I bought my old 93 Chev truck for $1700 and sold the topper and rack for $300. So it cost me $1400....beaters can be had, you just have to be a bit bright and not buy something that looks like it was being stored in brine since new. Sorry, but not looking under a used vehicle, especially at what he paid, no one elses fault but his.

i've seen some sad vehicles before, but that one end of subframe popping out of the main frame.....  that's something else.

[Fobroader]

I bought my old 93 Chev truck for $1700 and sold the topper and rack for $300. So it cost me $1400....beaters can be had, you just have to be a bit bright and not buy something that looks like it was being stored in brine since new. Sorry, but not looking under a used vehicle, especially at what he paid, no one elses fault but his.

i've seen some sad vehicles before, but that one end of subframe popping out of the main frame.....  that's something else.

I looked at a truck where the frame was cracked between the box and cab and the leaf springs had broken through their shackles and were resting on the bottom of the box.....cheap cars are definitely a buyer beware situation. If you dont know, take a friend or relative that does. Its one thing to have a bad headgasket, its a whole other thing to have the unibody rusting apart.

[rrocket]

Lots of comments here about the buyer.  What about the seller?  Who in good conscience sells a vehicle like this?

Indeed.

But particularly whoever did the safety.

[ArticSteve]

Lots of comments here about the buyer.  What about the seller?  Who in good conscience sells a vehicle like this?

This kind of "corrosion" sale was common place in the 70's every where in Ontario.   My guess is that "Harmeet" bought this vehicle from one of his brethren, if you get my drift, whose "customs" are still old school.   

[Fobroader]

Lots of comments here about the buyer.  What about the seller?  Who in good conscience sells a vehicle like this?

Shady ass used cars for sale are a tale as old as time.

[rrocket]

A shady dealer that's one thing.

Issuing a safety certificate is done by a licensed mechanic. That's scarier than a shady dealer.

[Fobroader]

A shady dealer that's one thing.

Issuing a safety certificate is done by a licensed mechanic. That's scarier than a shady dealer.

There used to be tons of mechanics that would safety anything for a case of beer or a bit of cash till the government came down on them all old testament like

[rrocket]

A shady dealer that's one thing.

Issuing a safety certificate is done by a licensed mechanic. That's scarier than a shady dealer.

There used to be tons of mechanics that would safety anything for a case of beer or a bit of cash till the government came down on them all old testament like

Yea, that's the thing.

Knowing all the possible suspensions and fines for doing this and they still do it?