Considering Buying a Used Car but There Are Some Red Flags

rsingh87 on 01/08/2023 - 14:55

Im considering buying a 2021 model small suv for about 27k which is a decent price for the spec I believe etc. I saw the car and the condition is good, it looks like a car with its low milage (22,000kms in this case).

However the son is selling on behalf of the parent/owner of the car and he does not have the log book, he did email me one service invoice which looks legit, but thats all he had. He also has the receipt from the dealer his parent bought the car from, but it seems to be a third party dealer not the actual manufacturer, so it was sold with 1000kms on it.

I did a check on it and its not a ride off and there is no finance on it, but something seems amiss with this whole thing. What would people recommend doing in this situation? is it such a big deal to not have a logbook? also I would porbably be the third owner for a car with such low kms, may make it a touch trickier for resale value?

Automotive

Comments

  • Gdsamp on 01/08/2023 - 14:58
    +15

    Walk away
    There's gonna be plenty more cars without such red flags

    how careless must one be to lose a log book of a car (presumably) still under warranty

  • Nugs on 01/08/2023 - 14:59
    +17

    parents are OS, or work on an oil rig?
    .

  • Drakesy on 01/08/2023 - 14:59
    +13

    As it's still within the warranty period i'd say it was critical that the log book comes with the car.

    • dcep on 01/08/2023 - 19:17
      +1

      On separate note, some 3rd world developing SEA country local national brand new cars sold don't even come with physical log book anymore after the pandemic. Any service history is recorded within their national chain database.

      Looks like BMW and Skoda also don't come with log books anymore. Other makers also possibly already on the same bandwagon.

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/14103286/redir
      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/14103156/redir

      • imnotgoingtopayrrp on 01/08/2023 - 19:41
        +2

        BMW log books are on the information system in the car. You can access al the information through the i-drive system (F series and later).

  • whitepuma on 01/08/2023 - 15:01
    +4

    It is a bit surprising to hear it doesn't have a log book and was serviced elsewhere given it's only 2 years old. Most cars purchased new have some sort of deal like first X years or services are free or at discount at dealership, warranty, etc.

    Maybe do the following to tell you a bit more about it
    - do a revs history check on the vehicle.
    - Pay a licensed vehicle inspector to check out the vehicle pre-sale.
    - Try to do a bit more digging up on the lack of logbook, question the seller.
    - You could potentially even contact the dealership it was purchased from (ask the seller where), and ask them if they have any service history on that vehicle. Just tell them you are looking to purchase it and would like to know if it was brought in there at all.

  • jar-unit on 01/08/2023 - 15:06
    +7

    if it was me, I would wait for another deal with full log book. plenty of others out there that wont leave you wondering what happened.

  • jv on 01/08/2023 - 15:09

    considering buying a used car but there are some red flags

    This one?

    • rsingh87 on 01/08/2023 - 17:01

      lol yeah that one

  • GG57 on 01/08/2023 - 15:15
    +5

    Who is the registered owner?
    I'd only be dealing with them as a starting point.

    • rsingh87 on 01/08/2023 - 17:02

      yeah its the guys mum, I think I would meet her if i decide to buy the car and do the transfer points, but yeah not ideal i dont meet her initially

      • bobbified on 01/08/2023 - 17:47

        ….its the guys mum,

        I can think of a few jokes right now…

  • pharkurnell on 01/08/2023 - 15:27

    but something seems amiss with this whole thing

    Then why are you bothering…

  • Jake D on 01/08/2023 - 15:43

    How many service intervals are there in <2 years and <25000 km? one? Can you just buy a new log book, print out the invoice and fold it into the front of the book.

  • JimB on 01/08/2023 - 15:50

    Missing log book isn't a deal breaker. BMW's don't even have log books anymore.

    At 2 years/22,000km it's due for its second service.

    You can get another log book.

    Check that the 1st service was done correctly with the dealer, they can also stamp the replacement log book.

    Do the 2 year service yourself and factor that into the price.

    Make a big deal about it to the seller about the log book and ask for a further discount.

    Also confirm the son has the right to sell the car.

    • blitz on 01/08/2023 - 17:28
      +5

      BMW's don't even have log books anymore.

      Or indicators

      • sssx on 01/08/2023 - 17:37

        are the logbooks and indicators behind a subscription paywall?

  • mksc09 on 01/08/2023 - 16:16
    +7

    What brand? As Skoda's haven't had log books since at least 2018, service records are on their computers so could call a dealership to look at it

    • rsingh87 on 01/08/2023 - 16:57
      +1

      yes! it is a skoda ahh that makes sense!

      • bobbified on 01/08/2023 - 17:48

        Aren't they electronic now?

      • Muzeeb on 01/08/2023 - 19:46

        Karoq or Kamiq?

        • jackary on 01/08/2023 - 20:22

          For the price, my money is on Kamiq. Which is a good car, my partner has a Monte Carlo. Loves it. It has everything.

          The real question, is it pronounced like “Kamick” or “Ka-meek”?

      • Gdsamp on 01/08/2023 - 22:04

        Yay a European car

        see you in 5 years when the DSG transmission breaks or the direct injection causes catastrophic carbon build up and the warranty runs out

        • Techie4066 on 02/08/2023 - 02:16
          +2

          DSG transmission breaks

          Doesn't happen on wet-clutch DCTs (which are now in everything but shitboxes). The dry-clutch DCTs were the ones Ford used in the infamous PowerShit for example, and that was purely for cost-cutting and weight saving by not having an oil-filled gearbox, but guess what, no heat dissipation either! VAG only really had issues with DCT computers early on in their implementation.

          direct injection causes catastrophic carbon build up

          Uncommon and can be completely prevented with common sense like not thrashing the car when the engine's cold. Direct injection usually means a more modern engine architecture which is a good thing for fuel economy and power outputs.

  • FoxJump on 01/08/2023 - 16:19

    You can call the dealer that supposedly serviced the car and ask for its history. maybe they say yes, maybe no

  • JimmyF on 01/08/2023 - 16:42

    Considering Buying a Used Car but There Are Some Red Flags

    Then walk away.

    However the son is selling on behalf of the parent/owner of the car

    Not uncommon

    and he does not have the log book,

    For a 2 year old car they should have it. What did they say when you asked?

    did email me one service invoice which looks legit, but thats all he had.

    What is the service schedule? It might have only had 1 service. ie some toyotas are on 15k services, so at 27k, it would have only had 1 real service.

    He also has the receipt from the dealer his parent bought the car from, but it seems to be a third party dealer not the actual manufacturer, so it was sold with 1000kms on it.

    So a ex demo then at a guess?

    also I would porbably be the third owner for a car with such low kms, may make it a touch trickier for resale value?

    Does anyone really care once a car is 5+ years old? I don't care if a car has had 4 owners, as long as it has been looked after and serviced.

  • imnotgoingtopayrrp on 01/08/2023 - 20:10

    This sounds like a young spray painter or mechanic that has bought a car cheap from the auction with minor damage (not enough to classify as a write-off), fixed it up (possibly done a good job at it too), and sold it on for a pretty good profit.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 02/08/2023 - 09:37

      Bingo bango bongo, my thoughts exactly. They're hiding something about the vehicle.

  • Euphemistic on 01/08/2023 - 20:19
    +2
    1. It’s “write off” not ride off.
    2. If you’re not sure, trust your gut and walk away. It’s a used car, there are always more.
  • brad1-8tsi on 01/08/2023 - 21:48

    VW/Audi/Skoda haven't had logbooks for years

  • bhubb18 on 02/08/2023 - 08:18

    IMO its fine BUT if theres red flags and you're not comfortable, don't buy it. No points in putting yourself in a bad situation if your gut says its not a good idea.

  • coffeeinmyveins on 02/08/2023 - 09:36

    Your intuition is telling you something isn't quite right.

    TBH the only way to be really sure and get more confidence is to get one of those NRMA car checks where they go and verify there's no major defects with the vehicle.

    I'd be concerned that it has been in an accident and they've had panels replaced poorly and things like that.

    I wouldn't be buying a ~30k vehicle without one of those checks, you'd be surprised.

    You say you've checked it's not a write-off, have you verified the rego with the NSW rego checker that shows the ODO reading as well? That's a reason why they may say the logbook dissapeared because it will record it.

  • rsingh87 on 03/08/2023 - 11:48
    +2

    Just an update ending up buying the car and everything seemed to work out fine, very happy with the car. Like other people said in the comments, Skoda dont seem to use logbooks anymore and log all their services on the app.

    • jackary on 03/08/2023 - 18:53

      Thankyou for coming back to update us - that’s super rare around here

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