Buying used Audi... Should low price set off alarm bells?

[w_alloy]

I need a new car, and found a used 1999 Audi A8 Quattro with 102,000 miles in "immaculate" condition for 5k. The book for one of these with this amount of miles in "good" condition from a private seller is around 16k. It looks like a great car.

I talked to the seller and he said he buys and sells a lot of used cars, and this one he got from a friend in a different state for 4200. He said he re-painted it and cleaned it up a lot, and it runs perfectly. I jokingly asked if he stole it over the phone and he kind of nervously laughed (maybe it was a normal laugh, it was over the phone and he I've never met the guy). The price being this low worried me. He seemed like a nice guy in his mid-late 20s. I am going to see the car tomorrow.

I have no experience with cars, especially buying them. I have a few questions: Is this low of pricing normal? Is this a good car; does anyone have experience with it? Should I get a mechanic to look at it before I buy? I was gonna do a car fax report, but realized I needed information I didnt have. Should I get the car's number and do one before I buy? If it actually is stolen (which I think is a long-shot btw) is there any reason, moral concerns aside, I shouldnt buy it? With a deal like this, should I act fast so noone else can snatch it from under me? Anything else I should know?

Sorry for the semi-long and boring post but I've never bought a car before and could really use this info before tomorrow.

[bholdr]

it has likely been wrecked and rebuilt. for what you're spending, it is worth your time and $$ to hire a mechanic to check it out. also, try carfax.com to get the history, and maybe the DMV for records, too.

sounds way too good. if it's really straight... nice. very nice.

[handsome]

Maybe he got sick of paying super high maintenance costs.

[w_alloy]

Ya, in the bit of research I did i found that repairs were way overpriced. It seems like this would be made up for in the price, however, if this works out.

[MMMMMM]

Maybe it's a flood-damaged car from the hurricane.

[david050173]

This is an easy run screaming from deal. Maybe if it was 12K instead of a 16k you could say the guy just mispriced the car. You already know the car was in a accident (why else are they repainting it). This screams salvage title (which may have undergone title laundering). Besides given the problems people have with new audis, do you really want to be buying a6 year old one with 100K on the clock?

[Benholio]

Get the VIN number and go to Carfax (http://www.carfax.com/) and buy a vehicle history report. They collect data on cars from a whole bunch of sources and compile it for you. They will even offer a buyback guarantee if the history of the car is clean and then you have major problems. Poke around the site for a bit.

I'd just say be careful. I'd want to have a mechanic check it out. Having a salvage title doesn't mean it's a piece of junk now. If I'm not mistaken my dad's van has a salvage title. It was wrecked at the factory so they couldn't sell it new, but it was fixed up and is fine (it is different when the factory repairs and sells it). Don't pass up a good deal because it seems to good to be true, but don't be a moron either. A mechanic is key. Also, ask for maintenance records for the car, and not some handwritten crap either (although this is sometimes used legitimately when someone doesn't save the Wal-mart receipt showing that they bought oil). You want receipts. You want to see documented oil changes. By now you'd like to see a transmission fluid change (not a necessity, but expect to get it done right away if it hasn't been done).

Oh, and one other thing, have a mechanic go over it.

Will

[w_alloy]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I doubt it was damaged in a hurricane as I live in the northwest. Is it really that bad if it is a "salvage" title? There seems to be a bit of disagreement and I don't know what exactly this means (or more specifically exactly how it changes value). I don't see how it could bump the price down to 40%.

[ QUOTE ]
Besides given the problems people have with new audis

[/ QUOTE ]

Have new audis really been having problems? J.D. Power Ratings (http://www.edmunds.com/used/1999/audi/a8/12089/ratings_jdpower.html) reviewed this model year very well, but was less kind to the newer A8s. All the other reviews I have found since I posted this have been quite positive.

I guess right now my plan is to see the car, talk to the guy, get the carfax report, and then if everything looks good get a mechanic to look at it.

[Crimson]

A salvaged title means the car has been deemed "totalled" by an insurance agency.

That could mean the car was near destroyed, or just damaged to the point that repairing it costs more than the car is worth.

I wouldn't bother with it. New paint job screams bad news.

Also- you either wont be able to get insurance for the salvaged title car, or it will be 5-10X mor expensive than a clean title.

[w_alloy]

[ QUOTE ]

A salvaged title means the car has been deemed "totalled" by an insurance agency.

That could mean the car was near destroyed, or just damaged to the point that repairing it costs more than the car is worth.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the info, but this doesnt comlpetely answer my question. How close to normal would a salvaged car typically be? Do they do such a bad job of fixing up these cars that they are never worth owning? I understand that they would never fix it to full, because of the nature of being totalled, but thats about all I can figure out.

I forgot to mention the crucial fact that I'm only looking to spend 4-7k. The fact that its not as good as a 15k audi isnt really a concern to me. So if they can fix it to still function well, but not near as well as before, for the price this is OK as long as it isnt gonna need a lot of repairs. Frequency of maintenance is a big issue for me.

[Bascule]

[ QUOTE ]
How close to normal would a salvaged car typically be?

[/ QUOTE ]

If it's a cut & shut (http://www.autotrader.co.uk/CARS/sell/cc/fr-4.jsp) then it's very dangerous if you get into an accident.

[w_alloy]

That sounds bad. Are all "salvaged titles" illegal?

[MMMMMM]

"News Release
Oregonians should beware of "flood cars"

October 24, 2005 05-143

More than half a million cars may have been ruined by flooding from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita along the Gulf Coast, according to estimates by the National Automobile Dealers Association. Hurricane Wilma may add to those numbers.

That may be thousands of miles away, but even Oregonians in the market for a used car need to beware, Oregon DMV warns.

“Moving totaled cars from state to state and concealing their histories is a national problem, even without hurricanes,” said Chris Ratliff, manager of the DMV Business Regulation Unit. “Unscrupulous individuals may try to prey on consumers looking for a bargain. Any time a deal sounds too good to be true, it usually is. That’s particularly true of cars.”

The number of vehicles damaged by the recent hurricanes is so large that the National Insurance Crime Bureau has created a database of vehicles affected by Katrina and Rita. The NICB is allowing the public to check Vehicle Identification Numbers at www.nicb.org. (http://www.nicb.org.)

Consumers often wonder why a little water is such a big problem for vehicles. But submersion in water does severe damage, particularly when water enters the passenger compartment:


* Water and electronics don’t mix. Modern vehicles are full of electronics, controlling the engine, transmission, emission control devices, dash board, warning lights, external lights and entertainment systems. These chips may be located inside the dash or even under the seats. Failure of a single chip’s function could result in severe damage to the engine, for example.
* No more new-car smell. Cleaning carpets and seats may improve the appearance of a flooded car’s interior, but mold and residues may remain.
* Salt is corrosive to metal. The breach of Lake Ponchartrain sent saltwater into New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The effects of salt corrosion may take time to show up as failures in electronic systems and engine components.


There is no guaranteed way to avoid buying a damaged car, yet Oregonians shopping for a used car during the next several months can reduce their risks by taking a few precautions:


* Inspect the vehicle. Look for signs of water, mud, corrosion or residue in carpet, upholstery, the glove box, inside the dash if that’s easy to examine, inside tail light fixtures, etc.
* Hire a professional mechanic to inspect a vehicle before purchase.
* Ask for the Vehicle Identification Number and check the VIN at www.nicb.org (http://www.nicb.org) or against online services such as Carfax or Experian. Or ask your auto insurance agent to check a VIN.
* Ask the seller to show you the title and check for title brands such as “salvage” or “flooded.”
* Shop for a used vehicle among licensed auto dealers, who are as eager to avoid damaged cars as consumers are. Oregonians can find out whether a dealer is licensed by visiting the Business section of www.OregonDMV.com. (http://www.OregonDMV.com.)


Car buyers who later discover that the seller did not disclose information about the condition of a vehicle, such as flood damage, may find it difficult to get their money refunded. They may need to hire a lawyer. Consumers also may download a fraud report form at the Oregon Department of Justice at www.doj.state.or.us (http://www.doj.state.or.us) or www.oregon.gov/DOJ." (http://www.oregon.gov/DOJ.)


http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/news/nr_20051024.shtml

[w_alloy]

Wow, thanks for posting that. I will definantly be on the lookout.