Oppo, lend me your anecdotal analysis

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
09/30/2016 at 22:44 • Filed to: car shopping

So there’s this car I’ve been itching to look at but it’s at a slightly sketchy dealership in a sketchy part of town. However I just did a VIN check and it has a clean Carfax, and has lots of documented service. Looks like it was a trade in a went through two dealer auctions.

Now, I am fully away that CARFAX is never the full story. And again I wonder how this particular dealership got a hold of this car, and how imminent something is about to fail. On the other hand I am hoping for the most random of luck, finding a gold nugget in a mound of petrified turds.

So basically what I ask is this: have any of you found a decent car from perhaps a not so decent source? My buddy, a small time dealer, told me that even the shadier dealerships have one decent car on the lot at any time. Basically I’m banking on the idea that they “don’t know what they have.”

DISCUSSION (26)

TheHondaBro > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 22:48

Kick the tires.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > TheHondaBro
09/30/2016 at 22:50

This is no time for PSI jokes

TheHondaBro > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 22:51

You’re right. I don’t want to put you under pressure. You’re probably inches away from buying a car at this point, and I don’t want to do anything to dis-tire-b you, so tread lightly.

Alfalfa > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 22:53

The Bronco was purchased from a somewhat sketchy dealership. That being said, I’ve ony had it about a month, and it’s at the age where a personal inspection tells you more than a history check anyway.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > TheHondaBro
09/30/2016 at 22:53

TheHondaBro > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 22:54

Did (ps)I do something wrong?

Berang > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 22:55

This is very easy. Just check two things:

Does it say Subaru on it?

Does it say Justy on it?

If yes to both, you have a gold nuggest

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Alfalfa
09/30/2016 at 22:55

But of course. Unfortunately this vehicle is a little out of my familiar range (you mean it’s not an old Toyota?) SILENCE!

Sam > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 22:55

If it went to an auction, it was likely a trade-in with a value too low to justify doing the typical trade-in services on. We had some decent cars come through the LR/Jag dealer that went straight to auction because they wouldn’t look great on the lot. One of them was a Lincoln Mark LT, and while it wasn’t a great vehicle, it wasn’t half bad. Another was a C4 Vette in mint condition, but we didn’t sell cars that old.

E90M3 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 22:56

But that’s the best way to determine the quality of a used vehicle, bar none

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > E90M3
09/30/2016 at 22:57

I’m going home

TheHondaBro > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 22:57

Ow-Dee Allroad

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Berang
09/30/2016 at 22:57

1) NO

2) please see 1.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > TheHondaBro
09/30/2016 at 22:59

What part of $3,083.95 budget do you not understand. Wait I think there’s a 10 in my truck’s console.

shop-teacher > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 23:03

If the car is good, that’s what counts. Just be careful with that paperwork if you decide to buy it.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > shop-teacher
09/30/2016 at 23:05

I really hate dealerships... private sellers aren’t saints but they’re not pros at selling cars, so they’re easier to differentiate between good and evil/dumb.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 23:38

Waiiitttt....

I wasn’t aware ‘not Toyota’ and Dr. Zoidberg could be found in the same sentence?

BloodlessWeevil > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/30/2016 at 23:39

“...went through two dealer auctions.”

Run...fast. If two dealers cannot sell the thing, you sure do not want to deal with it.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/30/2016 at 23:41

I’ll have you know, sir, that I am the proud of a 100% TOTALLY AMERICAN Pontiac Vibe.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > BloodlessWeevil
09/30/2016 at 23:42

Yes I found an older listing at another “hmmm” dealership before the car got resisted at this one.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2016 at 00:02

Ah, yes, right....forgot that you owned one of those FINE PIECES OF ALL AMERICAN AUTOMOBILENESS, which are DEFINITELY ALL AMERICAN AND NOT JAPANESE IN ANY WAY.

I stand corrected, please ignore my previous comment and carry on :P

Tristan > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2016 at 01:24

I bought my ‘02 WJ from a shady dealer. It had a lot of small defects that I knew about already, but they still wouldn’t bargain. The price was still decent though and all the major mechanical stuff was good, plus the carfax showed a service history from an actual Jeep dealer. As for the experience of buying from this particular establishment? Horrible. Wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy... God I hate dealerships.

slipperysallylikespenguins > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2016 at 01:26

My roommates Cherokee was purchased from sketchy dealership specializing in 4wds, but I was at least familiar enough with those vehicles to feel confident after inspection. Also 5 out of my current cars/bikes were bought either unseen or barely inspected at auctions. Sometimes you get lucky.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2016 at 06:07

The transaction for my truck was pretty shady. Dude was selling it on Facebook, took it in trade for somebody because the title wasn’t in his name, hadn’t had it long. But the price was right, so I looked the other way and handed over the cash.

And at this point, I’m forced to conclude that it’s just a good truck. I kept waiting for it to blow up or something, but it works great. Kinda rusty, but I knew about that when I bought it.

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2016 at 09:18

Linky?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two
10/01/2016 at 13:55

Kinja'd!!!