Usually the sales person has been riding shotgun but never needed an inspection on a new car. Once in 68 the ford dealer let me take it overnight to get an inspection at a local station. Same dealer did let my dad try a merc out for a couple days. Come to think of it in 86 the Buick dealer gave us a demonstrator to use for a couple days before ordering one. It was the car his wife was using so found out later she was less than thrilled. Nothing more recent though where they just give you the car to use.
I did get a new integra to use while the Acura dealer was doing my timing belt. Might have had a couple hundred miles on it but I was very careful with it.
We used to have PPI/VI’s at all the different locations I worked at and most of the time a salesman came, but it was more of a vehicle inspection (VI), I called it a safety inspection more or less, we didn’t guarantee that the engine or trans etc would not go out the next day, but if we heard a rod knock or slipping trans or AC not blowing cold we told the customer… Basically it was a quick test drive (depending on location and traffic), rack and raise the vehicle, pull the wheels and visually inspect everything we could see and check all the steering and suspension for wear/loose parts and driveline… We checked for codes…
We did not doing any kind of diagnostic checks and or compression test… We could do one in 20-30 minutes…
But then someone’s engine blew up and we got the blame so we were told NOT to do PPI’s anymore… lol… But we still did VI’s
Went and looked at the car today. I had found a shop that specializes in Subarus somewhat in the area. They are no longer open on Saturdays, so just did a test drive.
I know Carfax is not 100% accurate, but the Carfax for this car listed the first oil change at 20,000 miles, then approximately every 6000 miles up to the current mileage of 50,000 miles. If that is accurate, is the engine going to have issues from the extended first oil change interval? It is a 2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i.
There are non-intrusive tests performed with the scanner . . . which do not involve removing engine parts, such as spark plugs . . . which will give you a very good idea of the engine’s mechanical health
It goes without saying I’m talking about a professional-level scanner, not a $100 device
That said, there is no substitute for a thorough test drive and visual inspection
Our last used car, be it 3 years ago, take it for as long as you like. We did 2 hours knowing he did not mean a week or so. Plenty of time to get an inspection from a local shop if I had wished. Last time I needed a mechanic in a foreign place called the NAPA dealer and asked for recommendations. Worked out well.
Services like LemonSquad will come to the vehicle and do an inspection, compression test’s would have to be done at a mechanic’s shop but most everything else including a check for codes for $199 for vehicles less than 20yrs old. Standard Pre-Purchase Used Car Inspection (lemonsquad.com)
when I was looking to purchase my truck, the used car dealer let me bring it back to my shop and inspect it. I had it for a couple hours looking over everything. This was back in 2006, but I was shocked they let me do it. they just took a copy of my valid divers license.
I actually was able to do this with 2 different trucks at 2 different dealers.
once I gave the one had a clean bill of health, I went back and bought it.
I used to run around car shopping with a little tool backpack that included a vacuum gauge and a container of various adapters and such. They are very useful devices.
It is not unusual today for a used car to be sold with a small window for a no-questions return and refund. The dealer might be willing to do that, giving you a chance to get it to your mechanic for a complete once over. Your question is as much about the condition of the car as it is the integrity of the dealer. Walk away if there are questions about either.
That’s true, but it appears that there is now one less of those shops.
A couple of years ago, the folks who own Car Shop (formerly Car Sense) spent a huge amount of money to build a large used car showroom near me.
Now, it has closed, which makes me wonder if the entire chain is in trouble. When you take a look at their website, they now direct you to their other locations, which are 45 miles–or more–from the location that is now closed.
Locals seemed to give them high marks for no-hassle car buying and also for good repair service on the cars that they sell, so it’s a shame that they couldn’t succeed in this area.
Possibly lease issue, or the landlord wanted way more money on the new lease… (if not owned lol)
We had a very profitable store that had been there at least 15 years, so BFRO built a new, better, store down the road after loosing a lease at the last minute, took about a year and a half to find land and build the new store but well worth it in the end… It is even more profitable now…
I have seen this on so many dealer advertisements, “3-day no hassle returns,” 5-day," even “7-days” but do not know a single person who has taken advantage of this who has also traded in a vehicle. Are there any members who have taken advantage of a “no-hassle return” program who has also traded-in a vehicle… I just find it hard to believe that a dealer, who offers this program, parks every traded-in vehicle on the lot, just sitting there, hoping that they are not going to have to honor that program…
I read of one situation a while back where the buyer wanted to return the vehicle, but the dealer had already gotten rid of the trade-in and it went all around. The buyer wanted his original car back, but since it was gone, the dealer was only willing to offer the low trade-in value, which was less than the buyer was given as a trade-in on the replacement vehicle. I think the buyer has to sue to dealer, but I do not remember the outcome…
I Googled CarMax and their 30-day (1,500-mile) satisfaction guaranteed return policy says…
“Please note, if your financing included negative equity from your trade-in, you can either repay the negative equity or finance it with a different vehicle, subject to financing approval.”
Which implies to me that you do not get your old car back, but only the trade-in value (minus any un-side down value…).
So, I am guessing that in most cases, if you take advantage of a “no-hassle return” policy, if you do not buy another car in its place, you will be walking away from that dealer…