Buying 2012 C63 coupe with 75k miles for 35-40k CAD
05-01-2017, 02:29 PM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Buying 2012 C63 coupe with 75k miles for 35-40k CAD
Still has extended warranty from Mercedes until January 2019. I read that this is transferable at a dealership after showing proof of transfer and updated maintenance records, correct?
I can probably negotiate the purchase price to around $35000 CAD.
Car has 75000km, no accidents, serviced every time at MB dealer, bunch of options, etc.
Barring any glaring issues from the pre-inspection, and I dont suspect there will be any since this car is regularly taken to the MB dealer under warranty, is this a great deal?
05-01-2017, 04:02 PM
#3
Super Member
Thread Starter
05-01-2017, 07:59 PM
#4
Super Member
NotaBaller: It sounds like a decent deal, but I don't think I would call it a steal. Here's why:
4 weeks ago, I bought a 2012 C63 with the P30 power increase AND, I Think, every option available including the 19" Multispoke wheels (I haven't found any option yet that it does not have, but it's possible I missed 1 or 2). It had 43,385 km (26,900 miles) on it the day I bought it. It is so nice that everyone who sees it remarks that they assumed it was a brand new car until I told them otherwise.
I live in Canada, like you do. I am on Vancouver Island, where there is limited dealer competition, because there are only 2 MB dealers on the island, and they are both owned by the same company!
Now I traded an almost new (6100 miles) 2016 (not 2017) Mustang GT for it. The Mustang was a GT but had zero options on it. The proverbial "stripper". No leather, no navigation, no performance pcakage, etc. However, it had a Roush kit (cold air intake, exhaust, tune) on it that bumped power from 435 crank hp to about 475 crank hp. It was a nice "performance" car despite having zero options.
It is hard to figure out exactly what I truly paid for the C63, since they overvalued my trade, and they also agreed to pay for a $3000 deluxe ("Ultimate") 4-year aftermarket warranty because the 2012 C63 had just over exactly 5 years on it since its in-service date.
My net difference before taxes and fees was $14,500.
I figure that after taking out the $3000 fo the warranty, the true difference becomes $11,500. Assume that the Mustang was worth $30,000 (It could not really have been worth any more since I paid $33,350 for it last October 3rd), and despite the low miles, ALL cars depreciate like stink the moment they are driven off the lot. That makes the true price I paid for the C63 $41,500 at most, in Canadian dollars.
This is just under $31,000 U.S. at the current exchange rate.
There was another C63 at the same dealership that was a 2011 Sedan with much more limited options, including no performance package, and no visual pizzazz compared to my car. It had about 45,000 miles on it I think. The asking price was $37,500 as I recall.
I know it is only one car to compare to, and I realize car costs vary a lot by geographic area. For example, dealers in BC do down-value cars from Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchwan, because of the corrosion damage done by the harsh winters in those areas.
But these 2 cars are at least a Canadian reference point for you.
Jim G
4 weeks ago, I bought a 2012 C63 with the P30 power increase AND, I Think, every option available including the 19" Multispoke wheels (I haven't found any option yet that it does not have, but it's possible I missed 1 or 2). It had 43,385 km (26,900 miles) on it the day I bought it. It is so nice that everyone who sees it remarks that they assumed it was a brand new car until I told them otherwise.
I live in Canada, like you do. I am on Vancouver Island, where there is limited dealer competition, because there are only 2 MB dealers on the island, and they are both owned by the same company!
Now I traded an almost new (6100 miles) 2016 (not 2017) Mustang GT for it. The Mustang was a GT but had zero options on it. The proverbial "stripper". No leather, no navigation, no performance pcakage, etc. However, it had a Roush kit (cold air intake, exhaust, tune) on it that bumped power from 435 crank hp to about 475 crank hp. It was a nice "performance" car despite having zero options.
It is hard to figure out exactly what I truly paid for the C63, since they overvalued my trade, and they also agreed to pay for a $3000 deluxe ("Ultimate") 4-year aftermarket warranty because the 2012 C63 had just over exactly 5 years on it since its in-service date.
My net difference before taxes and fees was $14,500.
I figure that after taking out the $3000 fo the warranty, the true difference becomes $11,500. Assume that the Mustang was worth $30,000 (It could not really have been worth any more since I paid $33,350 for it last October 3rd), and despite the low miles, ALL cars depreciate like stink the moment they are driven off the lot. That makes the true price I paid for the C63 $41,500 at most, in Canadian dollars.
This is just under $31,000 U.S. at the current exchange rate.
There was another C63 at the same dealership that was a 2011 Sedan with much more limited options, including no performance package, and no visual pizzazz compared to my car. It had about 45,000 miles on it I think. The asking price was $37,500 as I recall.
I know it is only one car to compare to, and I realize car costs vary a lot by geographic area. For example, dealers in BC do down-value cars from Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchwan, because of the corrosion damage done by the harsh winters in those areas.
But these 2 cars are at least a Canadian reference point for you.
Jim G
05-01-2017, 08:42 PM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
35K CAD for a 2012 with 75k km is a steal if you ask me. Well below VMR...
EDIT:
VMR
Wholesale: 41750
Retail: 46225
Last edited by Jasonoff; 05-01-2017 at 08:47 PM.
05-01-2017, 09:15 PM
#6
Super Member
The OP's target car has 75k km on it. 75k km is more than 43k km (almost double). The difference is also 75k-43k = 32k km = 19.8k miles. Each extra mile on a car diminishes its value. You can argue how much per mile, but:
- at $0.10 per mile, that's a $1980 diminished value
- at $0.15 per mile, that's a $2970 diminished value
(Leases generally penalize you for excess miles at higher rates then these)
No P30 Performance Package.
Don't know what other options the OP's target car has (he has not specified) but mine appears to have all of them. If his is missing even 1 or 2, you are talking a lot of difference in the car's value.
I interpret that the OP's contemplated price range of $35k to $40k means the dealer is asking $40k, and The OP is thinking he can get it for as low as $35k. For the reasons above, I think that price range is decent, but not "a steal". I certainly do not regard the price I paid for mine as a steal. I think it was a fair price from an honest dealer to an honest buyer, but I would not call it "great". Regardless of its prime condition, it is a 5 year old car with an "as sold" price that is about 42% of what a brand new one similarly equipped would cost at this dealership. That's neither outlandishly low or high. At least that's the way I see it.
Also, consider the 2nd car I mentioned in my posting above (2011 model year Sedan with asking price of $37,500 and unsold "for a long time") as another benchmark.
By the way, what is "VMR"?? Is that similar to Black Book or NDA? If so, if it a CANADIAN price guide or a U.S. one? Obviously, it needs to be a Canadian one to be usable in this situation. I'm asking because you did not say.
Jim G
Last edited by JimGnitecki; 05-01-2017 at 09:20 PM.
05-02-2017, 12:20 AM
#7
Senior Member
well if he can get it for $35k cad...that'd be just over $25k usd. that's AT LEAST $10k less than any other c63 coupe currently for sale in the US that i found in a quick search regardless of options included. then he's got no accidents, service records, and a warranty on top of that?
that's a steal. not sure how you can try and even attempt to argue otherwise.
that's a steal. not sure how you can try and even attempt to argue otherwise.
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05-02-2017, 12:23 AM
#8
Super Member
well if he can get it for $35k cad...that'd be just over $25k usd. that's AT LEAST $10k less than any other c63 coupe currently for sale in the US that i found in a quick search regardless of options included. then he's got no accidents, service records, and a warranty on top of that?
that's a steal. not sure how you can try and even attempt to argue otherwise.
that's a steal. not sure how you can try and even attempt to argue otherwise.
2. I guess I got a steal on mine too then, if you say so.
Jim G
05-02-2017, 12:34 AM
#10
MBWorld Fanatic!
Still has extended warranty from Mercedes until January 2019. I read that this is transferable at a dealership after showing proof of transfer and updated maintenance records, correct?
I can probably negotiate the purchase price to around $35000 CAD.
Car has 75000km, no accidents, serviced every time at MB dealer, bunch of options, etc.
Barring any glaring issues from the pre-inspection, and I dont suspect there will be any since this car is regularly taken to the MB dealer under warranty, is this a great deal?
05-02-2017, 12:39 AM
#11
MBWorld Fanatic!
Still has extended warranty from Mercedes until January 2019. I read that this is transferable at a dealership after showing proof of transfer and updated maintenance records, correct?
I can probably negotiate the purchase price to around $35000 CAD.
Car has 75000km, no accidents, serviced every time at MB dealer, bunch of options, etc.
Barring any glaring issues from the pre-inspection, and I dont suspect there will be any since this car is regularly taken to the MB dealer under warranty, is this a great deal?
05-02-2017, 12:56 AM
#12
Senior Member
05-02-2017, 08:50 AM
#14
MBWorld Fanatic!
05-02-2017, 09:10 AM
#15
MBWorld Fanatic!
Similar to CBB (http://www.canadianblackbook.com/) but seems to be way more accurate, for Ontario at least.
05-02-2017, 09:11 AM
#16
Super Member
So this is a private seller deal, not a dealership deal?
Normally, private sales cars sell for less than dealership cars, because:
- You get absolutely zero protection against buying a car with one or more unresolved or serious problems, since, unlike a dealer, a private seller does not have to protect his reputation with the public, nor is he effectively restrained to be honest in his statements to you
- The Title transfer and licensing must be done by the buyer, which is a lot less convenient than having the dealership do it for you
- If the seller still owes money on the car, the mechanics of the deal become a lot more complicated for a number of reasons too complex to go into here on a forum thread, and they are critical to ensure that you reliably get a clean title
- It is unusual for the owner of a costly car to ell it privately, because if he trades it in instead, he pays sales taxes on only the difference in value between the trade-in and the new car. If he sells the car privately, and then buys another car, he must pay sales tax on the entire purchase price. So, when an owner sells privately, it is sometimes because there is a compelling reason that makes it undesirable or impossible to trade the car into a dealership, e.g. accident history (reported or unreported), flood damage, known serious defect that does not necessarily manifest to a buyer who only test drives it for a short time, "washed" salvage title, etc.
I have been buying and selling my personal cars and motorcycles for about a half century, and have thus been involved ina lmost 100 deals. Be prudent and cautious in pursuing a private deal.
One particularly unusual incident stands out: The seller of a high performance motorcycle placed an ad with an attractive price. I responded. The bike checked out fine on the test drive. The seller had a good title. No money owing. I made a cash offer that was even lower than his attractive selling price (had the full cash price in my pocket). He accepted it. I paid, got a receipt, got a signed transfer, and transferred the ownership the same day.
One week later, I was visited by a police officer who seemed fixated on exactly what date and time I had bought the motorcycle. I responded honestly and produced proof. The officer thanked me and gave me the background. The seller had been involved in an incident reported to police involving the bike, and that prompted the seller to immediately advertise it at an attractive price in the hope that a quick sale would obscure the ownership on the date of the incident (i.e. blame the buyer for whatever the seller had done while riding the bike). I was fortunate that I had a properly dated receipt. Incredible what some people will try to do, and the trouble it can cause for others.
Jim G
Normally, private sales cars sell for less than dealership cars, because:
- You get absolutely zero protection against buying a car with one or more unresolved or serious problems, since, unlike a dealer, a private seller does not have to protect his reputation with the public, nor is he effectively restrained to be honest in his statements to you
- The Title transfer and licensing must be done by the buyer, which is a lot less convenient than having the dealership do it for you
- If the seller still owes money on the car, the mechanics of the deal become a lot more complicated for a number of reasons too complex to go into here on a forum thread, and they are critical to ensure that you reliably get a clean title
- It is unusual for the owner of a costly car to ell it privately, because if he trades it in instead, he pays sales taxes on only the difference in value between the trade-in and the new car. If he sells the car privately, and then buys another car, he must pay sales tax on the entire purchase price. So, when an owner sells privately, it is sometimes because there is a compelling reason that makes it undesirable or impossible to trade the car into a dealership, e.g. accident history (reported or unreported), flood damage, known serious defect that does not necessarily manifest to a buyer who only test drives it for a short time, "washed" salvage title, etc.
I have been buying and selling my personal cars and motorcycles for about a half century, and have thus been involved ina lmost 100 deals. Be prudent and cautious in pursuing a private deal.
One particularly unusual incident stands out: The seller of a high performance motorcycle placed an ad with an attractive price. I responded. The bike checked out fine on the test drive. The seller had a good title. No money owing. I made a cash offer that was even lower than his attractive selling price (had the full cash price in my pocket). He accepted it. I paid, got a receipt, got a signed transfer, and transferred the ownership the same day.
One week later, I was visited by a police officer who seemed fixated on exactly what date and time I had bought the motorcycle. I responded honestly and produced proof. The officer thanked me and gave me the background. The seller had been involved in an incident reported to police involving the bike, and that prompted the seller to immediately advertise it at an attractive price in the hope that a quick sale would obscure the ownership on the date of the incident (i.e. blame the buyer for whatever the seller had done while riding the bike). I was fortunate that I had a properly dated receipt. Incredible what some people will try to do, and the trouble it can cause for others.
Jim G
05-02-2017, 09:14 AM
#17
Super Member
http://www.vmrcanada.com/
Similar to CBB (http://www.canadianblackbook.com/) but seems to be way more accurate, for Ontario at least.
Similar to CBB (http://www.canadianblackbook.com/) but seems to be way more accurate, for Ontario at least.
So, in that case, ok, I confess. I may have gotten a better deal than I thought I did on mine. I'll tell my wife!
Jim G
05-02-2017, 09:22 AM
#18
MBWorld Fanatic!
I have found VMR to be very accurate. You trash it and only just heard about it today. Interesting...
05-02-2017, 09:22 AM
#19
Super Member
Thread Starter
So this is a private seller deal, not a dealership deal?
Normally, private sales cars sell for less than dealership cars, because:
- You get absolutely zero protection against buying a car with one or more unresolved or serious problems, since, unlike a dealer, a private seller does not have to protect his reputation with the public, nor is he effectively restrained to be honest in his statements to you
- The Title transfer and licensing must be done by the buyer, which is a lot less convenient than having the dealership do it for you
- If the seller still owes money on the car, the mechanics of the deal become a lot more complicated for a number of reasons too complex to go into here on a forum thread, and they are critical to ensure that you reliably get a clean title
- It is unusual for the owner of a costly car to ell it privately, because if he trades it in instead, he pays sales taxes on only the difference in value between the trade-in and the new car. If he sells the car privately, and then buys another car, he must pay sales tax on the entire purchase price. So, when an owner sells privately, it is sometimes because there is a compelling reason that makes it undesirable or impossible to trade the car into a dealership, e.g. accident history (reported or unreported), flood damage, known serious defect that does not necessarily manifest to a buyer who only test drives it for a short time, "washed" salvage title, etc.
I have been buying and selling my personal cars and motorcycles for about a half century, and have thus been involved ina lmost 100 deals. Be prudent and cautious in pursuing a private deal.
One particularly unusual incident stands out: The seller of a high performance motorcycle placed an ad with an attractive price. I responded. The bike checked out fine on the test drive. The seller had a good title. No money owing. I made a cash offer that was even lower than his attractive selling price (had the full cash price in my pocket). He accepted it. I paid, got a receipt, got a signed transfer, and transferred the ownership the same day.
One week later, I was visited by a police officer who seemed fixated on exactly what date and time I had bought the motorcycle. I responded honestly and produced proof. The officer thanked me and gave me the background. The seller had been involved in an incident reported to police involving the bike, and that prompted the seller to immediately advertise it at an attractive price in the hope that a quick sale would obscure the ownership on the date of the incident (i.e. blame the buyer for whatever the seller had done while riding the bike). I was fortunate that I had a properly dated receipt. Incredible what some people will try to do, and the trouble it can cause for others.
Jim G
Normally, private sales cars sell for less than dealership cars, because:
- You get absolutely zero protection against buying a car with one or more unresolved or serious problems, since, unlike a dealer, a private seller does not have to protect his reputation with the public, nor is he effectively restrained to be honest in his statements to you
- The Title transfer and licensing must be done by the buyer, which is a lot less convenient than having the dealership do it for you
- If the seller still owes money on the car, the mechanics of the deal become a lot more complicated for a number of reasons too complex to go into here on a forum thread, and they are critical to ensure that you reliably get a clean title
- It is unusual for the owner of a costly car to ell it privately, because if he trades it in instead, he pays sales taxes on only the difference in value between the trade-in and the new car. If he sells the car privately, and then buys another car, he must pay sales tax on the entire purchase price. So, when an owner sells privately, it is sometimes because there is a compelling reason that makes it undesirable or impossible to trade the car into a dealership, e.g. accident history (reported or unreported), flood damage, known serious defect that does not necessarily manifest to a buyer who only test drives it for a short time, "washed" salvage title, etc.
I have been buying and selling my personal cars and motorcycles for about a half century, and have thus been involved ina lmost 100 deals. Be prudent and cautious in pursuing a private deal.
One particularly unusual incident stands out: The seller of a high performance motorcycle placed an ad with an attractive price. I responded. The bike checked out fine on the test drive. The seller had a good title. No money owing. I made a cash offer that was even lower than his attractive selling price (had the full cash price in my pocket). He accepted it. I paid, got a receipt, got a signed transfer, and transferred the ownership the same day.
One week later, I was visited by a police officer who seemed fixated on exactly what date and time I had bought the motorcycle. I responded honestly and produced proof. The officer thanked me and gave me the background. The seller had been involved in an incident reported to police involving the bike, and that prompted the seller to immediately advertise it at an attractive price in the hope that a quick sale would obscure the ownership on the date of the incident (i.e. blame the buyer for whatever the seller had done while riding the bike). I was fortunate that I had a properly dated receipt. Incredible what some people will try to do, and the trouble it can cause for others.
Jim G
05-02-2017, 12:01 PM
#20
Senior Member
- It is unusual for the owner of a costly car to ell it privately, because if he trades it in instead, he pays sales taxes on only the difference in value between the trade-in and the new car. If he sells the car privately, and then buys another car, he must pay sales tax on the entire purchase price.
05-02-2017, 02:30 PM
#21
Super Member
On my deal described above, I felt I did not have to work very hard to get the price I got. I simply stated my concerns at each stage of the 3 day buying process to my salesperson, the store manager, and the finance manager, and they responded with what I regarded as a fair-to-both-side outcome.
I thunk it is smart to check all of the available "book" sources, but it is also essential to check the local market conditions and adjust book values to the current reality on the street.
Jim G
05-02-2017, 02:44 PM
#22
Super Member
Thanks for the concern and detailed reply. Seller has shown me periodic service records at a MB dealer, why would there be any hidden problems that he's selling it for? Unless he did something dumb and voided the warranty and is trying to pull a quick one. I'll check for that I guess
Also some aftermarket warranties specifically exclude some vene non-wear items, because the warranty company has determined, for example, that fancy electronic systems constitute an unduly high proportion of their total payouts. I'm not kidding. Check the language of some aftermarket warranties.
In most cases however that I have seen, the usual reason that a seller is selling a costly vehicle versus trading it to get the sales tax advantage, is because there has been reported or unreported flooding or accident, that has been repaired but is still very evident to any experienced dealership car buyer. Example: I once had a Honda Civic that suffered some hail damage. The insurance repair looked perfect to me. But when I went to sell that car, the dealership buyer walked towards the car, and when still 0ver 50 feet from the car, asked me "How bad was the overall damage?" Those guys don't miss a thing, but we non-pros do.
Flood damage is also very hard to see, but manifests as weird and unpredictable electrical issues that prove costly or impossible to solve.
I seriously doubt that any of these issues are present in any given car you might look at, but it is smart to do strong due diligence, as the costs of not seeing a problem before buying tend to be significant. I don't want to scare you though. Just use your eyes and ask good uestions, and if you have the inclination, and can get the seller's permission,take the car to a mechanic familiar with C63s and ask for a pro inspection.
Jim G
05-02-2017, 03:14 PM
#23
Super Member
Thread Starter
So this is a private seller deal, not a dealership deal?
Normally, private sales cars sell for less than dealership cars, because:
- You get absolutely zero protection against buying a car with one or more unresolved or serious problems, since, unlike a dealer, a private seller does not have to protect his reputation with the public, nor is he effectively restrained to be honest in his statements to you
- The Title transfer and licensing must be done by the buyer, which is a lot less convenient than having the dealership do it for you
- If the seller still owes money on the car, the mechanics of the deal become a lot more complicated for a number of reasons too complex to go into here on a forum thread, and they are critical to ensure that you reliably get a clean title
- It is unusual for the owner of a costly car to ell it privately, because if he trades it in instead, he pays sales taxes on only the difference in value between the trade-in and the new car. If he sells the car privately, and then buys another car, he must pay sales tax on the entire purchase price. So, when an owner sells privately, it is sometimes because there is a compelling reason that makes it undesirable or impossible to trade the car into a dealership, e.g. accident history (reported or unreported), flood damage, known serious defect that does not necessarily manifest to a buyer who only test drives it for a short time, "washed" salvage title, etc.
I have been buying and selling my personal cars and motorcycles for about a half century, and have thus been involved ina lmost 100 deals. Be prudent and cautious in pursuing a private deal.
One particularly unusual incident stands out: The seller of a high performance motorcycle placed an ad with an attractive price. I responded. The bike checked out fine on the test drive. The seller had a good title. No money owing. I made a cash offer that was even lower than his attractive selling price (had the full cash price in my pocket). He accepted it. I paid, got a receipt, got a signed transfer, and transferred the ownership the same day.
One week later, I was visited by a police officer who seemed fixated on exactly what date and time I had bought the motorcycle. I responded honestly and produced proof. The officer thanked me and gave me the background. The seller had been involved in an incident reported to police involving the bike, and that prompted the seller to immediately advertise it at an attractive price in the hope that a quick sale would obscure the ownership on the date of the incident (i.e. blame the buyer for whatever the seller had done while riding the bike). I was fortunate that I had a properly dated receipt. Incredible what some people will try to do, and the trouble it can cause for others.
Jim G
Normally, private sales cars sell for less than dealership cars, because:
- You get absolutely zero protection against buying a car with one or more unresolved or serious problems, since, unlike a dealer, a private seller does not have to protect his reputation with the public, nor is he effectively restrained to be honest in his statements to you
- The Title transfer and licensing must be done by the buyer, which is a lot less convenient than having the dealership do it for you
- If the seller still owes money on the car, the mechanics of the deal become a lot more complicated for a number of reasons too complex to go into here on a forum thread, and they are critical to ensure that you reliably get a clean title
- It is unusual for the owner of a costly car to ell it privately, because if he trades it in instead, he pays sales taxes on only the difference in value between the trade-in and the new car. If he sells the car privately, and then buys another car, he must pay sales tax on the entire purchase price. So, when an owner sells privately, it is sometimes because there is a compelling reason that makes it undesirable or impossible to trade the car into a dealership, e.g. accident history (reported or unreported), flood damage, known serious defect that does not necessarily manifest to a buyer who only test drives it for a short time, "washed" salvage title, etc.
I have been buying and selling my personal cars and motorcycles for about a half century, and have thus been involved ina lmost 100 deals. Be prudent and cautious in pursuing a private deal.
One particularly unusual incident stands out: The seller of a high performance motorcycle placed an ad with an attractive price. I responded. The bike checked out fine on the test drive. The seller had a good title. No money owing. I made a cash offer that was even lower than his attractive selling price (had the full cash price in my pocket). He accepted it. I paid, got a receipt, got a signed transfer, and transferred the ownership the same day.
One week later, I was visited by a police officer who seemed fixated on exactly what date and time I had bought the motorcycle. I responded honestly and produced proof. The officer thanked me and gave me the background. The seller had been involved in an incident reported to police involving the bike, and that prompted the seller to immediately advertise it at an attractive price in the hope that a quick sale would obscure the ownership on the date of the incident (i.e. blame the buyer for whatever the seller had done while riding the bike). I was fortunate that I had a properly dated receipt. Incredible what some people will try to do, and the trouble it can cause for others.
Jim G
Check specifically for evidence of any diagnostic visit that reported one or more issues but did not result in an actual repair. This could mean the repair was viewed as a "wear" issue versus a "defect" issue. Many warrantieds distinguish between the 2 quite vividly. So, for example, a transmission control module failure in a transmission is covered under warranty as a "defect". But clutch wear (like in an MCT MB transmission with its wet clutch), is not covered because language in the warranty contract excludes "wear" - and often specifically on things like clutch plates, brake pads, rotors, etc.
Also some aftermarket warranties specifically exclude some vene non-wear items, because the warranty company has determined, for example, that fancy electronic systems constitute an unduly high proportion of their total payouts. I'm not kidding. Check the language of some aftermarket warranties.
In most cases however that I have seen, the usual reason that a seller is selling a costly vehicle versus trading it to get the sales tax advantage, is because there has been reported or unreported flooding or accident, that has been repaired but is still very evident to any experienced dealership car buyer. Example: I once had a Honda Civic that suffered some hail damage. The insurance repair looked perfect to me. But when I went to sell that car, the dealership buyer walked towards the car, and when still 0ver 50 feet from the car, asked me "How bad was the overall damage?" Those guys don't miss a thing, but we non-pros do.
Flood damage is also very hard to see, but manifests as weird and unpredictable electrical issues that prove costly or impossible to solve.
I seriously doubt that any of these issues are present in any given car you might look at, but it is smart to do strong due diligence, as the costs of not seeing a problem before buying tend to be significant. I don't want to scare you though. Just use your eyes and ask good uestions, and if you have the inclination, and can get the seller's permission,take the car to a mechanic familiar with C63s and ask for a pro inspection.
Jim G
Also some aftermarket warranties specifically exclude some vene non-wear items, because the warranty company has determined, for example, that fancy electronic systems constitute an unduly high proportion of their total payouts. I'm not kidding. Check the language of some aftermarket warranties.
In most cases however that I have seen, the usual reason that a seller is selling a costly vehicle versus trading it to get the sales tax advantage, is because there has been reported or unreported flooding or accident, that has been repaired but is still very evident to any experienced dealership car buyer. Example: I once had a Honda Civic that suffered some hail damage. The insurance repair looked perfect to me. But when I went to sell that car, the dealership buyer walked towards the car, and when still 0ver 50 feet from the car, asked me "How bad was the overall damage?" Those guys don't miss a thing, but we non-pros do.
Flood damage is also very hard to see, but manifests as weird and unpredictable electrical issues that prove costly or impossible to solve.
I seriously doubt that any of these issues are present in any given car you might look at, but it is smart to do strong due diligence, as the costs of not seeing a problem before buying tend to be significant. I don't want to scare you though. Just use your eyes and ask good uestions, and if you have the inclination, and can get the seller's permission,take the car to a mechanic familiar with C63s and ask for a pro inspection.
Jim G
The seller said he bought a GTR. If what you're saying regarding taxes applies in my province, then he must have got really low balled by dealership tradeins. Or they wouldn't accept it for any of your listed reasons.
Or perhaps he bought the GTR privTely as well. That explains everything lol
05-02-2017, 05:35 PM
#24
Super Member
Thanks Jim. This is very good advice and you brought up a good point that got me thinking.
The seller said he bought a GTR. If what you're saying regarding taxes applies in my province, then he must have got really low balled by dealership tradeins. Or they wouldn't accept it for any of your listed reasons.
Or perhaps he bought the GTR privTely as well. That explains everything lol
The seller said he bought a GTR. If what you're saying regarding taxes applies in my province, then he must have got really low balled by dealership tradeins. Or they wouldn't accept it for any of your listed reasons.
Or perhaps he bought the GTR privTely as well. That explains everything lol
Jim G
05-02-2017, 06:41 PM
#25
Super Member
Thread Starter
Seems like a very honest kid, and he told me he already paid 55-60k (I forget) for a used GTR, and its sitting in a town 200km away from us because they truly don't have space in the garage to store it.
I guess that explains why he didnt trade in to a dealer.
Gave him $300 deposit (lol) and agreed to meet up on Saturday to get an inspection, and if that goes smoothly, which it 99% will since it just went through the same process for a previous buyer who flopped after giving the deposit, then we'll do the sale.
Final price, CAD $37500 less any issues found from the inspection. A good deal IMO
