Hey folks - looking for some advice/suggestions on buying a used car out of state. Car in question (dibs!) is this 2011 WRX in Tennessee. Seems like a fair price and is just below KBB (thoughts on price welcomed as well), and the CarFax is clean with only one previous owner. Thing is I've never purchased a vehicle that would require a one-way flight and a roadtrip, always preferred to meet the seller/dealer in person and be able to test drive and all that. Is there anyway for the dealer to prove the ECU has been modified? The car looks to be bone stock and not modified, but that is one area where I have reservations. I have a Cobb AP for my FXT which I believe I can bring down to check engine codes? I'll have to do some more research on that. What are some other questions I should be asking? I'll have a friend at a dealer run another CarFax on it as well just to be sure. The dealer, Car Smart has mixed reviews (which I always take with a grain of salt - how often do people go back to review after a normal/positive experience?), and other than having to call "Cowboy" the place seems to be legitimate for a used car dealer. Here are some questions I've got so far: What is the trim? Looks to be base but the ad doesn't specify. Any modifications? ECU modified or car tuned at all? Engine, suspension, etc... Is there a mechanic inspection sheet that I can check? Where has it been serviced? Can I get a copy of all service records done? What kind of warranty, if any, does the vehicle come with? What kind of return policy, if any, does the dealer have? Thanks for any and all input!
I bought my STI and both Saabaru's out of state, so I've done this a few times now. First, that price is well under KBB, which would make me skeptical, but the title is clean. It is probably priced so low because it is south of the snow belt (there is a much lower demand for Subaru's in the south). That's part of the reason why I bought mine out of state/south of the snow belt - less rust and better prices. My recommendations: -Ask them for additional, high quality photos. Every wheel, door card, engine bay, etc. --I would make this request over the phone and see how willing they are. With a price that low, chances are it will go very fast and they have a lot of interest. If it sounds like too much work, they will just sell it to the next guy. --I've definitely seen cars sold out from under other people, especially when the price is low, so you are kind of forced to act fast. -Ask for pictures of the turbo/downpipe. If the head shield is missing or you can see signs of removal, chances are it has had a downpipe and (hopefully) been tuned before. -ask for a full vehicle check, including a compression test. --I'd offer to pay for the compression test. I've had to pay for the test before, but its definitely worth it. Ask for the SPECIFIC compression numbers, not just a "yep, it's good!" Otherwise from the ad, it looks decent. My final piece of advice is to act fast before I buy it out from underneath you ...haha jk I won't but I guarantee you that car will move fast.
One other useful tip, definitely speak to them in person, and ask them to be straight up honest about the condition. Only put down a deposit over the phone, and check it out thoroughly once you arrive. And remember, a return plane ticket home is a lot cheaper than dealing with a lemon.
My out of state purchase didn't go like Jordan's... And I bought a used OBXT from a large new car dealership... My suggestion is go see and drive the car... Might be a $700 trip but it's better then having your car arrive needing 3-7k worth of work...
I have bought 5 cars out of state. 2 were private party (well established forum member fbody, one RS25), one was from a non-mainline dealer via ebay (great ebay history) and the other 2 were from mainline dealers (one a chevy dealer, the other an acura dealer). I will not do this with a small used dealer or private party I do not know. The 3 I have bought from dealers, I dealt directly with the sales manager. I bought all 5 sight unseen, pictures only and they have all been good decisions. I really try to emphasize "I don't want any surprises".
Yep, very unfortunate on what happened to you man. That's why I definitely recommend a compression test, and getting the actual numbers. FWIW, even driving the car will not reveal a cracked ringland. I drove my STI with 70 psi compression on one cylinder, and even though I drove it all the time, I couldn't tell a difference. I didn't discover it was actually a cracked ringland until I checked compression. (ok, granted I knew to check compression because I burned a **** ton of oil at a track event...but still, driving it after it was refilled with oil...couldn't tell there was an issue). Get a compression test with numbers, put down deposit, see car in person...assuming all is well, romp on it the whole way home and be on your way!
