Buying a used car from AutoTrader

slinkydonkey

I am considering buying a used car from autotrader.
The sell is a business seller but selling from home.
I have already done a few checks on the car and it has passed all the usual checks.

I don't know much about cars but I can see that it has a full service history and a log book it also has 6 months left on MOT.

My next question is is it worth paying for an AA or RAC independent check? I see that AA don't include "Vehicle electrics and electronics (requiring the use of specific diagnostic equipment)"

I am a little surprised for nearly £200 they can't plug in an OB2 diagnostics tool to see if the car has any faults. 

Another option is I see the car is located 30mins away from a Suzuki dealer couldn't I just pay them to do a full diagnostics test there?

Mildly_Miffed

They almost certainly will do generic eOBD diagnostics. Quite probably more.

They say they won't do electronics requiring specific diagnostics. In other words, if their diagnostic kit doesn't cover some system/s on that vehicle, they're not going out of their way to identify what is required.

daveyjp

Some cars require speicific diagnostic equipment costing fhousands.  RAC and AA won't have have access to all of them as many will be rarely used.

slinkydonkey

Thanks  ive read the car takes 11.5 seconds to get from 0 to 65 mph so I think that might be slow for motorway or general over taking ..

Ayr_Rage

Does the seller wear boots, spurs and a jaunty hat?

Why are they trading from home?

With a lower performance car you just have to plan ahead, what is the model and what kind of usage will it be getting?

From what you have said, get some advice from someone who knows more about vehicles.

fatbelly

I'd want to know why it doesn't have a fresh mot.

Can you get someone who knows a bit about cars to go car-hunting with you?

Ectophile

slinkydonkey said:

Thanks  ive read the car takes 11.5 seconds to get from 0 to 65 mph so I think that might be slow for motorway or general over taking ..

Not a problem.  I have driven cars slower than that.  If it's a manual, get used to changing down a gear if you need to accelerate in a hurry.  But going faster doesn't often get you out of a problem!

MCT56

If the seller is interested in your business they may be persuaded to have the vehicle submitted for a new mot test which would give you some reassurance. If it fails it’s their problem. If it passes you have lessened the risk of wasting your money on a dud. 6 months mot doesn’t fill me with a great deal of confidence.

paul_c123

MCT56 said:

If the seller is interested in your business they may be persuaded to have the vehicle submitted for a new mot test which would give you some reassurance. If it fails it’s their problem. If it passes you have lessened the risk of wasting your money on a dud. 6 months mot doesn’t fill me with a great deal of confidence.

Most dealers (even Franchised Retailers) won't put a fresh MoT on a car if it has 6 or more months. Where do you stop? What happens if its 11 months? 10.5? The dealers stop at 6. Unless they make it a point that everything has 12 months, in which case they'd have the MoT done after the sale is done (at least a reasonable deposit paid).

Of course, you can try asking for the dealer to put a 12 month MoT on. If it passes, are you okay if they then ask you for more money (because the car is worth more)?

paul_c123

Oh and to answer the original question. If you know nothing about cars then its worth having an AA inspection done. But what if its bad? Do you walk and look at another car, another inspection? And another, and another.....

Regarding a main dealer doing an inspection, its a different kettle of fish because I imagine they would need to take the car away to their workshop. Thus becoming unavailable to the dealer, and the liability would lie with the Suzuki dealer etc if it were damaged (its being driven there? Or transported? etc). Until you put a deposit down, the dealer could sell it to someone else less picky, so they're unlikely to let it go off site. Even if that site is their home driveway.

forgotmyname

What has the 0-60 time got to do with overtaking ability?  For that you probably want a 50 - 70 or 40 - 60 time.

They can plug in an OBDII reader but they will not investigate whether that has been tampered with, you can get
modules that erase engine codes and make false mileage readings appear to be accurate. They will not cover
those situations.

If selling from home I would say no problem arranging an inspection but I want a non refundable deposit to not
sell the car in the meantime. As for taking it to a dealership, are you going to pay my time for that even if you
choose not to buy the car after?