Brainstorm a dealer's logic with me?

[freebeard]

If you don't see rust erupting from spot-welded seams and it passes a wheel alignment it would pass my inspection.

[redpoint5]

Among the many reasons I prefer buying private party over a dealership is that the owner knows the vehicle history, and the dealer does not.

[Xist]

How often do dealers allow you to take the car to a mechanic for an inspection?

[freebeard]

I like to purchase cars out of farmer's fields next to the highway. I got the '56 sunroof Oval-window that way


and the Shantung Gold Superbeetle was in a pasture behind a white fence, right across from the saddle shop in downtown Walterville.

Among the many reasons I prefer buying private party over a dealership is that the owner knows the vehicle history, and the dealer does not.

The Dasher I bought from the [mechanic/shop owner] that had owned it for 14 years:


(Those wheels on the Oval-window are the ones I traded for the Dasher thirty years later)

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

Possibly removed a lowering kit which had damaged the stabilizer bar links. Maybe rubbed on the oil pan or, as previously mentioned, some macho man stripped the threads on the drain plug.

That would explain it, wouldn't it? Could be... This will go into the category of known unknowns.

[California98Civic]

Went, saw, and inspected the car in question today. It was a good example of a 2012 Sonic with the 1.4 liter turbo and the super tall 6 speed manual transmission. The price point was really great. But I was of course suspicious that it might be too good to be true.

It was too good to be true. The check engine light even came on while we were test driving the car. The trouble codes (two of them) were for problems in the vacuum management system. One was a valve in the intake manifold that can't be fixed without replacing the entire intake manifold. And then there were numerous other little problems that you would expect with a car that has 88000 miles and hasn't really been thoroughly maintained. The other problems like a warped rotor brake rotor and a minor coolant leak I would easily fixed myself. But the intake manifold and the check engine light coming on during the test drive were just bad signs. Total dealbreaker.

What I would really love is to find one of those examples of the sonic out there that has the 6 speed manual transmission and the 1.8 liter naturally aspirated engine. A car like that at the right price could have 6 different problems even problems that the kid didn't disclose to me and I'd fix it.

[Stubby79]

Bit late for a reply, but...Could have run over a rock or a brick or something, damaging the oil pan and the swaybar, assuming it hangs low. At least, I cant think of many reasons to replace an oil pan, other than physical damage or possibly rust.

[Piotrsko]

You pulled codes on a test drive? Incredible for 2 reasons: the car threw a code, somebody shared the codes. I showed up once with ELM25 and torque on my phone and the dealer had a hissy fit.

[Xist]

Piotrsko, they had something to hide?