buying a 2nd hand car tips and hints

[lmfamglia]

hi im in the market for a 2nd hand car what sort of things should i be looking out for? is it worth getting a 3rd party to check the car out like one of those nrma inspections? i heard they dont do anything worth the money you pay them

[bennjamin]

take a friend with you that knows abit about cars
Take it for a test drive and take it thru al the driving situations you can think of to "feel" the car. After stopping park with the engine on , give it a good rev and see if any blueish smoke comes out ( that refers to oil)

Ask the seller why they are selling , ask IF they own the car ( if any money is owing)
Get all the details on paper - rego number , VIN number , engine number. And use that in a REVS online check.

[DreadAngel]

Like Ben said, if you've got a really really really good and nice friend that actually knows about the cars your after, grab them when its convient to help you look over the car kekeke

[lmfamglia]

unfortunatly i do not lol
anyone out there that can share their experience when taking a car to these nrma inspection places?

[bennjamin]

they come to you - you pay the $100 ish , and the NRMA guy drives out to where your car is and checks it over and gives a full report of what needs replacing etc. Worth it if you dont have a clue

[lmfamglia]

oh really they come to where the car is? i went to the site and they list whole lot of smash repairs which do the inspections

[xntrik]

Okay,
Revs most of the time is USELESS if they smash and fix up the car themselves.

Make sure all the factory standards are suppose to be there.
Eg. Brake pads are the correct colour, Strut bars in the right place etc.

And ESPECIALLY the panels are aligned correctly (Could signify its been smashed) and the colours are blending in correctly in the sun/shade etc.

Check the Lugnuts are the correct size for the wheels. (Mismatch lugnuts = fail)

My 2 cents.

[EZZY]

REVS to check is there are any finances against the car.

get a third party and/or a trusty mechanic to go over the car. best to have the car on the hoist and check the undercarrige. (this will give you an idea about the age of the car, KMs shown on the speedo etc).

as suggested before, check for panel alignment and see if you can spot colour differences (new vs. old etc - this will tell you if the car has been repaired etc)

[EUR003act]

hey buddy,

just check this link out:
http://www.mynrma.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/mynrma/hs.xsl/car_buyers_handbook.htm?cpssessionid=SID-3F5768EC-ECEB2830
read all of it, even print off this check list:
http://www.mynrma.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/mynrma/hs.xsl/used_car_buyers_checklist.htm?cpssessionid=SID-3F5768EC-ECEB2830
and take it with you.
most importantly dont be scared to question anything that seems out of place or different. the seller should be trying to convince you to buy it, not you trying to convince yourself....

dont forget to do REVs check!

[DreadAngel]

REVS to check is there are any finances against the car.

get a third party and/or a trusty mechanic to go over the car. best to have the car on the hoist and check the undercarrige. (this will give you an idea about the age of the car, KMs shown on the speedo etc).

as suggested before, check for panel alignment and see if you can spot colour differences (new vs. old etc - this will tell you if the car has been repaired etc)

REVS is good, known friends that have had cars repossessed because of prevous owner debts... But another friend's car got repossessed by coppers...

[lmfamglia]

cool i've got my eyes set on a 2003 blue dc5r. has all log books and done approx 55,000kms. anything in particualr i should look out for in this particular model?

[Borg]

Things to look out for in a DC5R include signs it has been used for racing - eg: lowered suspension, extra gauges and switches added, roll-cage removed.
Check the gearbox - look for crunches on fast 3-2 downshifts.

[EUR003act]

Things to look out for in a DC5R include signs it has been used for racing - eg: lowered suspension, extra gauges and switches added, roll-cage removed.
Check the gearbox - look for crunches on fast 3-2 downshifts.

in addition to that, check for paint deteriation in the engine bay around the brake and power steering resovoirs... cars that have been tracked/raced/drifted usually have their fluids overflow and slurge out all over the engine bay, eating away paint, fading badging, etc...

[lmfamglia]

the cars completely stock other than it has been lowered 1 inch and has an aftermarket air filter. also im not sure but this dc5r the srs light wont turn off the seller told me that he got it checked and that the airbags were functioning properly and theres nothing wrong with it other than the light wont turn off when you are driving. what i wanted to know is whether this is a common problem for hondas because my friend who owns an prelude and another friend who owns an accord euro also have a problem with one of the lights on their dash board that wont turn off when driving however the car itself has no problems.

[EUR003act]

the cars completely stock other than it has been lowered 1 inch and has an aftermarket air filter. also im not sure but this dc5r the srs light wont turn off the seller told me that he got it checked and that the airbags were functioning properly and theres nothing wrong with it other than the light wont turn off when you are driving. what i wanted to know is whether this is a common problem for hondas because my friend who owns an prelude and another friend who owns an accord euro also have a problem with one of the lights on their dash board that wont turn off when driving however the car itself has no problems.

id be careful with that... ask the seller to get you a copy of the paperwork saying their is no problem... when i purchased my euro their was a constant hum above 80kmhr... i got the seller to give me the paperwork from honda saying theyd checked out the hum and it was only a bald patch on one of the rear tyres...

in regards to the airbag light- i know in the euro it automatically turns the side airbag off when it sensors a small adult/child in the front passenger seat leaning on the edge... safety thing so they dont get crushed by a deploying airbag, not sure about the dc5r tho

[lmfamglia]

id be careful with that... ask the seller to get you a copy of the paperwork saying their is no problem... when i purchased my euro their was a constant hum above 80kmhr... i got the seller to give me the paperwork from honda saying theyd checked out the hum and it was only a bald patch on one of the rear tyres...

in regards to the airbag light- i know in the euro it automatically turns the side airbag off when it sensors a small adult/child in the front passenger seat leaning on the edge... safety thing so they dont get crushed by a deploying airbag, not sure about the dc5r tho

sorry dude umm but careful with which bit? the light or the mods?

[EUR003act]

nah its cool, i shouldve been more specific... be careful about the light, problems with airbags can end up being very expensive! if the car is still within warranty, youll be sweet! if not, get some written proof from him that theres ACTUALLY no problem with the airbags... some sellers will make up shit just to cover up faults...

other than that, being lowered 1inch will be fine, makes it an even sexier car imo

[lmfamglia]

hrmm true that any idea how i can get that checked prior to purchase of the vehicle? the dude goes he got it checked and there was no problem however it would cost $1500 to just fix fauly light up because its not under warranty or something along that line :S

[EUR003act]

hrmm true that any idea how i can get that checked prior to purchase of the vehicle? the dude goes he got it checked and there was no problem however it would cost $1500 to just fix fauly light up because its not under warranty or something along that line :S

just ask him for the invoice paperwork saying he got it checked... thats what i did with my car when i bought it

[wtfhax]

im pretty sure the airbags wontwork when the srs light is on.. :S

[lmfamglia]

damn really hrmm im going to get it inspected first and see how it goes from there

[aimre]

If its $1500 to fix

offer him $1500 less. Easy

[lmfamglia]

welli bargained him $1000 down already lol :S i suppose if its just the light not turning off then its not much of an issue but if the airbags have issues then i would have to get an estimate of how much to fix

[lmfamglia]

where would you guys recommend to get the car inspected in sydney prefer western region like parramatta and surroundings

[bumskee]

I am like in a similar boat but maybe like a step ahead coz I've paid the deposit. But have yet to have it inspected. I am going to call up a few tomorrow and organise some stuff. I will let you know how things go!

[EZZY]

def. get the airbag checked out by a dealership if in doubt. its def. an expensive item to fix.

[lmfamglia]

i put the deposit down :) now need place to inspect it. do i get my deposit back if the car fails the mechanic test?

[IZY-10]

my sister had the same problem with her accord. She had to get her whole ecu replaced

[lmfamglia]

shit how much did that cost?

[IZY-10]

shit how much did that cost?

$400 from memory

[lmfamglia]

ah ok then.
i found out the car's is registered under his fathers companys name.
when i do the transfer i assume his father would have to do the transfer?

[bumskee]

oh craps, I just wrote a reply.. and accidently closed the window.. *nice*

anyways, I had one of the vehicle purchase inspection guy come over today, prompt, friendly and was very informative.. he said the car was well looked after so there wasn't much to discuss, but yeah give him a call

check it australia
1800 207 347
bernie was his name (i think that's how u spell it)

I called other places too but he was the only one who could squeeze me in at such short notice, I called him in the morning today.. and he was also the cheapest.. $145 flat fee I think..

[layzie]

im pretty sure the airbags wontwork when the srs light is on.. :S

i agree with you on this aswell, once when installing an alarm for me the srs light didn't turn off (which it should turn on for a few seconds and then off after startin the car). the guy had a manual that switched on and off the engine and listen to the amount of beeps to turn the srs light off and said it was fine. so im no mechanic and presume its fine now because its back to normal how it was. but I know it can be abit pricey too do it.

and im not sure about needing to get the whole ecu replaced..that just seems wrong.. I know most mechanical place or peter warren (down at warwick farm) have a computer that connects to a plug near where the clutch is and they have this computer thingy and can reset it from there also.

[lmfamglia]

i can get my deposit back if the srs airbags are stuffed yeah?

[wtfhax]

i can get my deposit back if the srs airbags are stuffed yeah?

depends if the seller agreed to refund ur deposit because of this problem beforehand i guess....

[koitsuu]

I was in a similar situation once, had my eyes on a Dc5r but nevered ended up getting it because the seller lied about the condition. It had infact been reparied on both side panels and the chassie wasnt very straight. Lucky i got a 3rd party to check it out because it was hard to tell by looking at it they repairers did a good job on the panels looked pretty straight to me. Is the car your about the purchase the one on carsales for $26,000 blue Dc5r?

[lmfamglia]

yeah thats the one. well he said that there is no problems with the airbags and that its just the light not turning off so if i take it to the mechanic or whoever and there is a problem with the airbag and not the light i can get my deposit refunded yeah?

[Q_ball]

Dude, there are no set rules when it comes to buying from a private seller.
Issues relating to money are completely up to you and the seller.
You guys need to come to an agreement.
Its stupid handing any money over BEFORE you are sure about what you are getting yourself into.
You should've been asking this question to the person selling you their car.

[Q_ball]

they come to you - you pay the $100 ish , and the NRMA guy drives out to where your car is and checks it over and gives a full report of what needs replacing etc. Worth it if you dont have a clue

I believe that this has been phased bout by NRMA and is no longer available.

However, they still perform inspections at certain approved repairers.

http://www.mynrma.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/mynrma/hs.xsl/vehicle_inspections.htm?cpssessionid=SID-3F5768EC-23E9F0FB

[wtfhax]

Dude, there are no set rules when it comes to buying from a private seller.
Issues relating to money are completely up to you and the seller.
You guys need to come to an agreement.
.

Yep, EXACTLY what he said.

I guess u can try and ask for a refund for ur deposit?

[bennjamin]

I believe that this has been phased bout by NRMA and is no longer available.

However, they still perform inspections at certain approved repairers.

http://www.mynrma.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/mynrma/hs.xsl/vehicle_inspections.htm?cpssessionid=SID-3F5768EC-23E9F0FB


Ahh good stuff good link- i realised that and the NRMA roadside assist where getting phased didnt realise this soon :)

[lmfamglia]

hrmm well he did state that the airbags has no problems and its just the light not turning off and if there is a fault with the airbags i assume i can get my deposit back?
anyways getting it checked at the approved nrma workshop in granville on friday hopefully nothing major thats going to cost a bucket load of money to fix :S

[Marc2020]

But how would he know that there are no problems with the airbags, wouldnt it be hard to figure that out seeing as how it takes a crash to test that? If he took it to someone there should be an invoice with it or records somewhere.

[lmfamglia]

he said that he asked them look at the problem at the last honda service which was 5000kms ago. i asked him for invoices stating he got it checked but he didnt have any he just said that honda told him it'll cost $1500 to fix. ill get it checked out by someone else to make sure :S

[Q_ball]

hrmm well he did state that the airbags has no problems and its just the light not turning off and if there is a fault with the airbags i assume i can get my deposit back?

You cant assume anything, it's your word against his.
If he turned out to be a prick and not return your deposit - unfortunately it would be lost and you'd have no grounds to sue successfully etc etc.

Next time, prior to transferring money, ensure that you have something in writing stating the terms and conditions of the sale and get both parties to sign for it.

[koitsuu]

Yea, you should have made him sign something to say you gave him certain amount for deposit. I personally wouldnt put deposit on a car that I have doubts about w/o some kind of document most of the times seller are shifty. Also I reckon the price is too good to be true.

[Mr_will]

You cant assume anything, it's your word against his.
If he turned out to be a prick and not return your deposit - unfortunately it would be lost and you'd have no grounds to sue etc etc.


whilst i agree with what youre basically saying here, to say that someone has no options as far as suing goes is definately taking it too far.

it could be argued that there is an implied contract that the vehicle be in good condition and that this fault means its not in good condition. thats just one option

i wouldnt go telling people there are no grounds to sue unless youve got a little more justification for it.

[Q_ball]

^ Editted post...

"...you'd have no grounds to sue successfully..."

[lmfamglia]

when do cars need to go through an pink slip inspection?

[koitsuu]

when they are older than 3 years i believe... need to be done before you can rego it

[lmfamglia]

oh ok so if i buy this integra i would have to get a pink slip inspection?

[Q_ball]

Doesnt matter how old the car is - in NSW, everytime you go to re-register a vehicle, you'll need a pink slip.
If you a buy a 2nd hand car that has rego left, then you wont need one until the next time you need to renew it.

[lmfamglia]

oh ok then i get it now, thanks dude so for example the rego expires next year feb i wont need to renew pink slip till then?

[bumskee]

nope you don't have to do pink, green and reg till feb.

[kelviN]

oh craps, I just wrote a reply.. and accidently closed the window.. *nice*

anyways, I had one of the vehicle purchase inspection guy come over today, prompt, friendly and was very informative.. he said the car was well looked after so there wasn't much to discuss, but yeah give him a call

check it australia
1800 207 347
bernie was his name (i think that's how u spell it)

I called other places too but he was the only one who could squeeze me in at such short notice, I called him in the morning today.. and he was also the cheapest.. $145 flat fee I think..

I had my car checked by check it australia. It's a nice waste of money in my opionion. For that price they simply check the car for like 30minutes and just look at simple stuff like panel repairs, different colour panels, stone chips and stuff. However they were not skilled enough to diagnose an old timing belt which was most important to me. They sed "from the drive of the car most likely its been done". I took their word and waited a couple thoudsands kms b4 i went to hanny's where it took 10 seconds to tell me if its been done, as the engine mount bolt has never been touched. My engine could have stuffed up :eek: as it was quite overdue

[bumskee]

oh really? The dude that came over looked at my car for over an hour, went under the car front and back, checked pretty much everything with a test drive at the end.. but he did mention they are more into looking at previous accident checks, so he did spend ages checking the panels and paint jobs too. Suppose I've only had it done once so..

[lmfamglia]

got the car checked today and apparantly it needs a new srs module or something along that line which is going to cost $900. seller is a nice guy and we agreed to go halves to get it fixed

[lmfamglia]

bought the car today and all is sweet
thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread

[EUR003act]

YAY!!! congradulations buddy, im sure your happy :)

keep us updated on the cars progress :honda:

[lmfamglia]

ah huh :) love how smooth the car drives. now i want some white rims or what do you guys think go well with blue? the jdm dc5-r wheels look HOT

[Vinnie]

I had my car checked by check it australia. It's a nice waste of money in my opionion. For that price they simply check the car for like 30minutes and just look at simple stuff like panel repairs, different colour panels, stone chips and stuff. However they were not skilled enough to diagnose an old timing belt which was most important to me. They sed "from the drive of the car most likely its been done". I took their word and waited a couple thoudsands kms b4 i went to hanny's where it took 10 seconds to tell me if its been done, as the engine mount bolt has never been touched. My engine could have stuffed up :eek: as it was quite overdue

its always preferable to take it too a friend whos a mechanic. i got mine done at racq for $170 (most comprehensive check) and they still put n/a on the fuel system becasue they said they couldent get the air filter cover off (they threaded all the bolts with a screwdriver, i had no prob with a socket set). they also claimed my centre rear brake light wasent working, which it wasent because it had been disconnected to run to the one of the spoiler which was working fine :(

anyway, congrats to the other guy on ur purchase :)

[lmfamglia]

hey guys any idea which insurers offer competitive prices for comprehensive insurance other than justcars?

[koitsuu]

Im currently using GIO, pretty good since I have other insurance with them also and 60% no claim bonus :D. I had a quote for a Dc5r is around 2k comprehensive since im under 25

[lmfamglia]

lol asked gio and got qouted $4300 lol
anyways i got comprehensive with justcar for $3000 lol excess cost so much its $2000 for excess