Ii am thinking about buying a used BMW Z4 on ebbay or auto trader. What can I do to make sure I am not buying a lemon etc. Buying local I can have my mechanic check the car over, but not so with an on line purshase. Is there a national or regional inspection company that do an on site exam and if so how much should I be willing to pay. Any other tips would be helpful. Also, what about buying a leased car? I would think that people who lease would tend to race through the gears etc.?
Can’t you find a used Z4 for sale on Craigslist within an hour’s drive of where you live?
You must live west of the Mississippi, because I can’t think of any place east of the Mississippi where a used Z4 couldn’t be found for sale within a reasonable distance.
You need to stay about $2000 below book on a car like that to cover any problems that might come up…most of the cars on eBay are being sold by dealers so you have a LITTLE protection against a complete catastrophe… But be warned, there are a lot of rebuilt wrecks being sold this way too…Don’t depend on CarFax to protect you from that, the rebuilders have learned how to avoid negative CarFax reports…And yes, rented (leased) cars seldom receive tender loving care…
That does not mean stay away from online car sales, it means do your homework…And don’t pay top dollar unless the owner can PROVE it’s a top-dollar car…
I would never consider buying a car with this method. There are companies that will do inspections for you but you should keep in mind that an inspection is only as good as the person doing it and even the finest of inspections does not guarantee you will have a problem free car.
To me, the worry of buying a sight unseen car with an inspection performed by someone who you do not know along with shipping fees would outweigh the cost of even a slightly higher priced car that is available locally.
Internet sales are also chock full of fraudulent listings and car listings in which the car is not nearly as nice as the puffed up sales lingo make it appear to be.
I’m with OK on this one…NEVER buy a car sight-unseen. Way too risky.
That kind of car, buying sight unseen, isn’t really a great idea
It’s your call, but I’d never do it. My assumption is that the percentage of lemons is higher for online sales than pretty much anywhere else.