Thread: Is it okay to buy a car without ever seeing it? WWMD

I just unloaded my last car a few weeks ago and have been looking furiously to find a replacement before the end of the semester when I will have to travel out to Washington. I guess I've really had my heart set on a Subaru Legacy sedan and have found out they are quite rare. There's one in New York state that looks so perfect for me....

In some ways, used cars are used cars, shit can happen no matter what. On the other hand, I'd really kick myself in the nuts if the thing broke down on the way home.

What would you do?

Find a Legacy GT. They are QUICK

Why do you want a sedan?

Originally Posted by Particle

Find a Legacy GT. They are QUICK

Yeah, guess what the one I'm looking at is.

Originally Posted by nate s

Why do you want a sedan?

Well, I've been driving a quick little Nissan 240sx for the past years and decided it would be too much of a change to go all the way to a wagon.

The choices are:

Legacy sedan
Legacy wagon
Volvo V70 AWD
Toyota Tacoma

Ideally I would love to get a truck. The cash in my college student pocket says no. But if you have any other suggestions I'd love to hear them.

I would go for a wagon of some sort if you want a car. I can understand the zippy factor but for 3 or 4 people going skiing or boating a sedan wouldn't cut it.

i personally wouldn't risk buying a car without at least drivin it... esp 2nd hand

Originally Posted by nate s

I would go for a wagon of some sort if you want a car. I can understand the zippy factor but for 3 or 4 people going skiing or boating a sedan wouldn't cut it.

Only for the people in the backseat

Originally Posted by nate s

I would go for a wagon of some sort if you want a car. I can understand the zippy factor but for 3 or 4 people going skiing or boating a sedan wouldn't cut it.

i have a wagon and it doesn't have split fold seats... so when we go skiing we can actually take more pepole in my mates small sedan... weird huh (yes i realise that roof racks would fix the problem)

Originally Posted by nexus

i have a wagon and it doesn't have split fold seats... so when we go skiing we can actually take more pepole in my mates small sedan... weird huh (yes i realise that roof racks would fix the problem)

Strange, we have 4 subies in the family and they all have split rear seats- outback, legacy, forester and an old hatchback.

And what kind of gaper carries skis inside the car anyway?

Originally Posted by wanghoeby

Toyota Tacoma

Ideally I would love to get a truck. .

I've got a 2004 Tacoma extended cab, 5spd, 4cyl, 4wd, 40K. Make me an offer.

I bought a car once off off FleaBay sight unseen. Flew from Cali to Chicago, took the train to Erie PA. Drove it back. Ended up the best car i've owned in a long time if not ever. Caveats: it was being sold by a dealer; the dealer was way up front, faxing repair records, etc-even going so far as to let me talk to the previous owner; i had done a ton of research on common trouble areas for these cars, so knew some questions to ask; it was reasonably priced enough it wasn't a lot of stress [$3000 for an '83 benz 300D turbodiesel].

Yeah, it can work good, or you can get hosed.

Originally Posted by nate s

Strange, we have 4 subies in the family and they all have split rear seats- outback, legacy, forester and an old hatchback.

And what kind of gaper carries skis inside the car anyway?

one that cant be fucked putting a rack on cos he's lazy...



its an aussie car... a holden commodore

Before you go through the ordeal of traveling to look at the car...

Why don't you contact a shop in the vicinity of the vehicle; arrange for the buyer to bring the car into the shop for a pre-purchase inspection. I'd feel a lot more comfortable traveling to buy a car after having it looked at by a third party professional.

Many people end up with crap buying via the internet, don't be one of them.

BobMc

a mail-order bride

Originally Posted by wanghoeby

I guess I've really had my heart set on a Subaru Legacy sedan and have found out they are quite rare.

In Madison, WI? A town full of college hippies, bleeding heart liberals, and young high-rise living yuppie? NO?!

I've bought my last 3 cars off of ebay and have been totally happy with all of them. Granted, two of them were from dealers and still under warranty but I saved thousands on each of them and all have been delivered as advertised...b

Originally Posted by be

I've bought my last 3 cars off of ebay and have been totally happy with all of them. Granted, two of them were from dealers and still under warranty but I saved thousands on each of them and all have been delivered as advertised...b

I wouldn't buy a car from this guy.

Originally Posted by bossass

I wouldn't buy a car from this guy.

I wouldn't either! I beat the hell out of them...b