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Re: How do you get ahold of maintenance history? Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Tue, 21 Feb 2006 05:25:40
In Reply to: How do you get ahold of maintenance history?, iveand [Profile/Gallery]
, Mon, 20 Feb 2006 13:54:53
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My experience says it varies from dealer to dealer. All dealers have access to the warranty/recall database. I'm not so sure about the detailed repair database. I know that I was looking at a local car that had been maintained at a local dealership. The local dealership gladly gave me the complete maintenance records of the car, down to when the dome light was changed. I also assume that in today's litigious atmosphere, that won't happen again.
The absolute best way to get maintenance records on a car is to buy it from a private party that was meticulous about maintenance and record-keeping. I find the two usually go together - Anybody that keeps good records seem to also be diligent about scheduled maintenance.
That would seem to rule out used car dealers, especially ones a thousand miles away. So how do you get maintenance records in that case? You Don't.
My advice is to look local, and keep looking. There are cars out there that have been well maintained by private owners. I've bought a few of them - it just takes time. I think my last 9000 search took a little over two months, and I'm in a Saab-Rich environment (Connecticut). And I was willing to go a state or two over. (OK, states are small out here). Turns out the car of my dreams popped up in the next town over.
The next way is to buy from a dealer, or from a private party with no records. In that case, you need to do two things. The first is to inspect the car throughly. I do that when I have full records, but you need to do it doubly hard when there are no records. One warning sign is that if a few niggly things are wrong (burned-out bulbs, missing hardware, etc.), then chances are the major stuff has been missed, also. Look for oil-change stickers. Yes, the owner may have done it himself. Is the oil filter a Saab or at least brand name? How do the fluids look? If they haven't been replaced in a while, they will look it. If you don't know enough about Saabs to be able to do this, find a mechanic you trust that does. If you can't, then I have to say you shouldn't be looking at decade old used cars. If a car looks worn, it probably is. If the interior and exterior are perfect, but the engine compartment is a mess, assume the fellow was big on detailing and low on oil changes. If the engine compartment has been steam cleaned (a common trick), check the condition of the rear brake calipers (nobody details them), and peek in the corners where the cleaners doesn't go. But again, little things wrong (burned out bulbs, headlight wipers that don't work, worn tires) are warning signs that the big stuff was ignored.
Next, adjust the price for risk. The more you don't know, the more risk. Therefore, reduce the price to account for large, unexpected expenses. Simple as that.
Of course, you'll find a beautiful car on a used-car lot that grabs your heart, shows low mileage, and the guy is asking a premium price. But no records. What do you do? Well - check it out throughly. At any hint of a problem, RUN AWAY. And then try and adjust the price for risk. If the dealer won't budge because he knows the car Looks cherry and somebody else will buy it - let them. Don't get sucked in; another car will come along.
I would rather pass up a few cars that may be good to get a car I feel very comfortable with. And even then, things break. My perfectly maintained, fully documented car still needed pulleys (which I knew from the records), but the fuel pump was a surprise. Such is life, and cars.
I'd love to tell you a sure-fire way to get records on cars sitting on a lot 1000 miles away. I can't. My best recommendation is to be very, very patient.
posted by 192.249....
, Mon, 20 Feb 2006 13:54:53, Tue, 21 Feb 2006 05:25:40 <-- Viewing This Message
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