How not to buy a Porsche 911 Turbo

[cawimmer430]

That's a really bad law actually as it will dissuades/prevents the sale of higher mileage and less than perfect cars; cars for lower income folk.

With simple knowledge and basic situations like my friend's can be 100% avoidable. Never buy a car sight unseen for starters.

Most high mileage cars here will have a hard time finding buyers, so they're generally exported to Eastern Europe, Africa and parts of Asia for "dumping prices".

Well, in the US, few car buyers expect honesty from car dealers - from shady used car dealers to new car dealers. Whether it's the cars they're selling, the BS sales tactics they use, BS in hidden fees and financing costs, exorbitant repair costs, or unnecessary maintenance intervals, most consider dealers crooks from start to finish.

IMO, it has to do with two primary reasons in the US. Most cars are financed, leaving the door open for "milk the cow" behavior (as I understand in Europe, the majority of cars are bought with cash). Second, lots of car buyers are crooks themselves (lying about condition/issues with trade-in, lying about income and credit, lying about seriousness to buy a car just to get a test drive, etc.).

Interesting info. 

[GoCougs]

Higher mileage and less than perfect cars are almost always sent to auction anyway.

Uh, to be bought at auction by other dealers mostly...

[SVT666]

Uh, to be bought at auction by other dealers mostly...

A bunch of them are, but a lot are bought by individuals as well.  I don't think a 12 month warranty is even remotely fair.  30 days?  Sure.  But 12 months is outrageous.  If I was a dealer I would be marking my cars up by at least 50% to cover any shit that goes wrong with a car with 150,000 miles.

[2o6]

A bunch of them are, but a lot are bought by individuals as well.  I don't think a 12 month warranty is even remotely fair.  30 days?  Sure.  But 12 months is outrageous.  If I was a dealer I would be marking my cars up by at least 50% to cover any shit that goes wrong with a car with 150,000 miles.

No, most of them go to dealers. You need a dealer's license to get into a dealer's auction. The Public auction (if it even exists in your area) generally offers picked-over cars, and ones that probably had a hard time selling at regular retail.

[SVT666]

No, most of them go to dealers. You need a dealer's license to get into a dealer's auction. The Public auction (if it even exists in your area) generally offers picked-over cars, and ones that probably had a hard time selling at regular retail.

Well, a friend of mine goes to the auctions here and he's bidding against dealers and he doesn't have a dealer's license.

[2o6]

Well, a friend of mine goes to the auctions here and he's bidding against dealers and he doesn't have a dealer's license.

Can he buy the cars?


In the US, you can generally spectate at a dealer's auction (if they'll even let you in) but you cannot bid or buy.

[SVT666]

Can he buy the cars?

I'm pretty sure I said he bids.  He also buys.

[2o6]

I'm pretty sure I said he bids.  He also buys.

That's not how it works in the USA. Otherwise, there would be no used car dealers.

[MrH]

Ouch.  That's rough.  The fact they wouldn't take a small, returnable deposit until he got out there should have been a HUGE red flag.  Buying a car in another state is fine, but I'd definitely have to test drive it first.

I drove about 5 hours away and bought my miata in Pennsylvania.  But I also went for about a 30 minute test drive before buying it. 

Sounds like he's had a rough week.  Take him out for a few beers.  When you realize your girl is a whore, it's best to just go drink and play darts.

[GoCougs]

No, most of them go to dealers. You need a dealer's license to get into a dealer's auction. The Public auction (if it even exists in your area) generally offers picked-over cars, and ones that probably had a hard time selling at regular retail.

Pretty much. Auctions aren't set up for cars to be picked over as a private individual would/should. It's a complete buy/sell mentality for the sole purpose of quickly reselling. Letting in private individuals would slow the process far too much.

[SVT666]

That's not how it works in the USA. Otherwise, there would be no used car dealers.

Really?  Because we have tons of used car dealers and private individuals can go to auctions all they want.  People don't like buying from auctions because they don't know what they're getting.  They could be getting a car needs a new engine.

[ifcar]

There are auctions exclusively for dealers and others where anyone is free to take a risk for a lower price. I know people who've bought cars from auctions; they were just willing to buy without a test drive and offered more than the dealers did.

[2o6]

There are auctions exclusively for dealers and others where anyone is free to take a risk for a lower price.

It's just that the former far outnumbers the latter.

[Raza]

Ouch.  That's rough.  The fact they wouldn't take a small, returnable deposit until he got out there should have been a HUGE red flag.  Buying a car in another state is fine, but I'd definitely have to test drive it first.

I drove about 5 hours away and bought my miata in Pennsylvania.  But I also went for about a 30 minute test drive before buying it. 

Sounds like he's had a rough week.  Take him out for a few beers.  When you realize your girl is a whore, it's best to just go drink and play darts.

Nah man, you do whatever it takes to get her back. Then kill her dog.  Then cook it for her for dinner.  Then go out for beers and darts.

[ifcar]

It's just that the former far outnumbers the latter.

Oh good, you have some statistics you'd like to share.

[GoCougs]

Ouch.  That's rough.  The fact they wouldn't take a small, returnable deposit until he got out there should have been a HUGE red flag.  Buying a car in another state is fine, but I'd definitely have to test drive it first.

I drove about 5 hours away and bought my miata in Pennsylvania.  But I also went for about a 30 minute test drive before buying it. 

Sounds like he's had a rough week.  Take him out for a few beers.  When you realize your girl is a whore, it's best to just go drink and play darts.

Yeah, they saw an easy target from a ~1,500 miles away.

He's already gone again for a few weeks for work so he'll have to cope on this own for now.

Like many guys who first experience this the first time he's making excuses - anything from "in reality she never said she was my girlfriend" to "she really is a good person, just confused." Like all guys given time he'll figure out that many many many girls truly are sluts (and say that with all serious sincerity). He also wasn't wrapping it so his anxiety level is off the carts.

[sportyaccordy]

Man your friend has broke every rule in the book. I wanted to say it would only have been worse if he bought the car for the chick but now I don't know. Lesson(s) learned I guess.

[2o6]

Oh good, you have some statistics you'd like to share.

There are more dealer auctions than public auctions, so don't get your knickers in a tizzy because I didn't quote wikipedia.




There are far more dealer auctions then there are public ones.

[Lebowski]

Oh good, you have some statistics you'd like to share.

Virtually all (if not all) the auctions around here are dealer only. Who cares if anyone bothered to look up figures (though it's hilarious you didn't post any yourself since you think it's so important).

Auto auctions are almost by definition a wholesale market ... ie a dealer market ... No point in slowing everything down by turning it into amateur hour.

[CALL_911]

Oh good, you have some statistics you'd like to share.

Statistics? You're a clown, iffy.

+1 to 2o6 here, all the auctions I hear of in my area are dealer auctions.

[ifcar]

Okay, you folks: back that claim up. I'm not saying I know one way or the other, but I do know of several public auto auctions in the D.C. area alone, and neither of you is offering any sort of support for your statements. I'm willing to accept that statement with some form of evidence.

[93JC]

You're an idiot, Koko. Just let it go.

[ifcar]

So you don't have any support for that claim either. Good to know.

For what it's worth, there are 4.3 million Google hits for "public auto auction." It's just not an obscure concept for members of the public to be allowed to bid on used cars.

[CALL_911]

I wouldn't even know where the fuck to look for such an obscure statistic.

The public auctions in my area (well not exactly my area, within the confines of NYC) sell rustbuckets and very low-rung vehicles. Many of them are government auctions. Anecdotally, I'd say that there are a LOT more dealer auctions than public auctions.

That, and I'd also wager (sorry, no statistic on this one either, iffy) that a significant portion of cars on the road were bought from a dealer of some sort. I'm assuming (yet again, no statistic or source here) most of those cars (the used ones, obviously) were from dealer auctions, not public auctions.

[CALL_911]

It's just not an obscure concept for members of the public to be allowed to bid on used cars.

No shit, but those auctions are (more often than not in my experience) for beaters and rustbuckets. The concept exists, but that doesn't mean that such auctions are equally as abundant as dealer auctions.

[ifcar]

I wouldn't even know where the fuck to look for such an obscure statistic.

My point was not that I expected you to post a statistic, it's just that everyone is so confident based on so little.

This is where this came from:

Well, a friend of mine goes to the auctions here and he's bidding against dealers and he doesn't have a dealer's license.

And all I was saying is that no one has any basis for their claims that this doesn't happen in the U.S., too.

[2o6]

My point was not that I expected you to post a statistic, it's just that everyone is so confident based on so little.

This is where this came from:

And all I was saying is that no one has any basis for their claims that this doesn't happen in the U.S., too.

Ifcar, have you actually been to an auction?


If you really want a fresh out the auction car, you contact an auto broker. I considered doing it for my Focus, and a few members of this board have done it before. You pay a fee, and a person with a dealer's license buys the car you want.

So you don't have any support for that claim either. Good to know.

For what it's worth, there are 4.3 million Google hits for "public auto auction." It's just not an obscure concept for members of the public to be allowed to bid on used cars.

Confirmation on how stupid you really are.


Just as a sample in my area, there are about five public auctions within an hour and a half's radius.

There are about 15 or so in the same radius, that are dealer only; and those are the ones that are public knowledge.

[GoCougs]

What's happening to my thread?

[2o6]

No shit, but those auctions are (more often than not in my experience) for beaters and rustbuckets. The concept exists, but that doesn't mean that such auctions are equally as abundant as dealer auctions.

There are some nice ones, but they're comparative crap to what the dealers get.

[ifcar]

Ifcar, have you actually been to an auction?


If you really want a fresh out the auction car, you contact an auto broker. I considered doing it for my Focus, and a few members of this board have done it before. You pay a fee, and a person with a dealer's license buys the car you want.


Confirmation on how stupid you really are.


Just as a sample in my area, there are about five public auctions within an hour and a half's radius.

There are about 15 or so in the same radius, that are dealer only; and those are the ones that are public knowledge.

No no, stupid would be believing something just because you said it.

You're confirming what I was saying: public auctions are common. Dealers are no doubt among the bidders at public auctions, and therefore it is common for people to bid alongside dealers.

That's not how it works in the USA.

So yes, it does work that way.