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My car is a 2001 Toyota Celica GT, 290,000 miles, automatic.
The car I am trying to get is: BMW Z4, 140,000 miles, automatic, convertible (softtop), silver color, transmission is said to be about 10,000 miles only. So it had some work done.
I’m buying this from an auto repair shop owner that I know and trust. He is selling it for $8,500. Is this a good deal? Also, he said he could give me a better deal if I trade in my 2001 Toyota Celica GT for the BMW. My Celica still runs well since I had some work done on it, but it’s about 290,000 miles already. What kind of deal could I expect? Is trading in my car along with maybe $4-$5 grand in cash payment a good offer? I have no knowledge of BMWs so not sure about it yet. It looks smaller than the Celica. I don’t even know how well it does with gas. I know the Celica is really good with gas.
Should I go for this offer?
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Ok so the title should be under the person’s name, who is selling the car to me to make sure he has the right to sell it or do what he wants with it before I take ownership of the car, right? Which then the title becomes under my name if I buy the car and register it. Would a VIN check determine who currently owns the car?
When I test drove the car, I think I saw the former owner’s name in the car’s glove box compartment and it sounded Italian, but the guy selling it to me (the auto mechanic) is Asian. So this Asian guy’s name should be on the title which gives him the right to sell the car to me? Right? Or it could be under the auto shop’s name or a business name?
[quote=”Chevyman21″ post=102843]Make sure if you do get a used car instead of the mustang you get a title with it and make sure it is signed over to you(no title no deal in my book). Also the VIN check is a good idea(most states require it if the car is under a certain age), you don’t want to buy a car that may or may have not been stolen because if the car was stolen, the car will be taken from you and your money will not be returned. Do your research. A wise US Marine once told me “fools rush in”.[/quote]
[quote=”bananaspree” post=102852]Ok so the title should be under the person’s name, who is selling the car to me to make sure he has the right to sell it or do what he wants with it before I take ownership of the car, right? Which then the title becomes under my name if I buy the car and register it. Would a VIN check determine who currently owns the car?
When I test drove the car, I think I saw the former owner’s name in the car’s glove box compartment and it sounded Italian, but the guy selling it to me (the auto mechanic) is Asian. So this Asian guy’s name should be on the title which gives him the right to sell the car to me? Right? Or it could be under the auto shop’s name or a business name?
[quote=”Chevyman21″ post=102843]Make sure if you do get a used car instead of the mustang you get a title with it and make sure it is signed over to you(no title no deal in my book). Also the VIN check is a good idea(most states require it if the car is under a certain age), you don’t want to buy a car that may or may have not been stolen because if the car was stolen, the car will be taken from you and your money will not be returned. Do your research. A wise US Marine once told me “fools rush in”.[/quote][/quote]
The title should be in the “Asian guy’s” name since he is selling you the car. If in fact the title was never signed over to him/given to him then he has no right to sell you the car. If in fact the title is in his name then he will then sign the title over to you(usually on the back) and then you go to apply for a title in your name using the title he gives you. Now as far as the VIN check goes, it should show the last registered owner and if the car is hot(stolen, used in a bank robbery etc etc.). The former title should have been relinquished to the auto mechanic who is selling you the car. No title=no ownership and potential problems down the road. You can’t register without title and selling without a title is illegal in many states.I looked at another car. Manual 2005 Nissan 350 z 90,000 miles for 11k or best offer. it runs great. It has a 3k stereo system. He is the 3rd owner. The guy said he’s selling it to pay off the car. How can he sell me a car he’s still making payments on? He said he needed the money to save for a house. So he’s probably getting rid of it at a loss. He has another car.
The bank or credit union that holds the lien on this 350Z also holds the title. If you wanted to buy this car you’d want to do the transaction at the bank so seller can pay off the note and transfer title to you. Be very careful here if this is the car you’re set on. For you to title and register your “new” car in your name the previous lien must be cleared. Don’t just give seller the funds and expect the paperwork to “flow,” because worst case scenario is you get the car with no title and seller quits paying the note. Then bank repossesses their car and you’re out the 11K plus walking to work.
I’m not familiar with Nissan Z cars, but would want to see some service history on this car, especially if the 30/60/90K major services had been done, plus coolant and brake fluid changes. Does engine in this car have a timing belt? If so then you’d better check at what mileage Nissan wants it replaced; that’s a major expense. Most cars with timing belts get a water pump replaced when the belt’s changed too, because it’s the same amount of labor to get to it by itself. False economy to not replace it while engine’s apart for a timing belt. The manual transmission on this car is a plus for me over the automatic.
Which bank should we do the transaction? The person’s car had an out of state license plate. Not sure if that’s saying anything. He said he can sign title to me once he gets the funds and it will take about a week to get the lien? I forgot his exact words. He probably said registration transfers to me once he gets the funds and title or lien will take about a week to complete transfer. Like I said he came from out of state. The way he want to do the transaction seem like he wants more money than what he owes? Perhaps another reason?
I looked at another car at a dealership. It just came in as a trade in. It’s a 2006 manual Pontiac solstice. Convertible but no price yet. I will find out tomorrow. I’m not familiar with Pontiac but I just looked it up and the solstice is praised as a great sports car. I think it only existed from 2006 to 2009.
[quote=”swingwing” post=104792]The bank or credit union that holds the lien on this 350Z also holds the title. If you wanted to buy this car you’d want to do the transaction at the bank so seller can pay off the note and transfer title to you. Be very careful here if this is the car you’re set on. For you to title and register your “new” car in your name the previous lien must be cleared. Don’t just give seller the funds and expect the paperwork to “flow,” because worst case scenario is you get the car with no title and seller quits paying the note. Then bank repossesses their car and you’re out the 11K plus walking to work.[/quote]
I’ve worked on many 350Zs and G35s (very similar cars) and have owned a G35 sedan for a little over 6 years. Parts (OEM and aftermarket) are abundant. The 350Z is also somewhat practical with its hatchback, so if you don’t need back seats, you’re set as far as grocery duties are concerned. The engine has a timing chain, no belts to worry about. You might want to have the chain tensioners looked at around 130k-150k. If you can, hold out for a 350Z Track edition. You’ll get nicer wheels and Brembos, but you’ll also get a VLSD… totally worth getting.
As for the Solstice…
I would not consider it unless it was a GXP and if it was my second car. The car has TOO MANY shortcomings to make it a viable daily driver.
– Car’s belt line is HIGH and windows are small. Very difficult to see where you’re going.
– The standard 2.4 is buzzy and not really adequate for a ‘sports car’. The GXP engine remedies this 2.0 turbo; a MUCH better engine.
– Trunk is non-existant. There’s a trunklid, but all that’s in there is gas tank. Seriously… take a look.
I’d walk away from the Z – too risky for my taste. To answer your question though, if you were buying this car you’d do the transaction at seller’s bank that holds the lien (and title). Your check to him goes right into his account, then immediately to lien payoff. Bank clears lien and you get title along with the car, enabling you to go to DMV and title/register in your name. Above advice applies only if you’re buying with your own money; if you need to finance the purchase then you’ll need to follow bank’s instructions.
The BMW z4 and the 350Z seem to have same size trunk (small). My Celica has a huge trunk! That’s good to know about the solstice. I didn’t know it didn’t have a trunk, so it’s more like a weekend car then not so much a travel or move to another state car. That sucks. I was starting to like it. The 350z I believe is the track edition, maybe not? It’s not a Nismo for sure. I looked at some new and used Mustangs as well. The trunk of the Mustang is huge. I’m surprised the dealership never have one that is priced like they are on their brochures (MSRP $22,200). They sell them for more than that even the used ones! I feel like I’m getting screwed either way and why I had to bring the brochure to the dealership not knowing it would get ignored. LOL. I was showing him the price, offer and incentives and seems like it means nothing.
Since the trunk of the solstice and 350 z are so small is it possible to install a Uhaul trailer thing to haul my stuff? I’m sure these have strong horse power so it can haul a little bit?
[quote=”itgogitrev” post=104883]I’ve worked on many 350Zs and G35s (very similar cars) and have owned a G35 sedan for a little over 6 years. Parts (OEM and aftermarket) are abundant. The 350Z is also somewhat practical with its hatchback, so if you don’t need back seats, you’re set as far as grocery duties are concerned. The engine has a timing chain, no belts to worry about. You might want to have the chain tensioners looked at around 130k-150k. If you can, hold out for a 350Z Track edition. You’ll get nicer wheels and Brembos, but you’ll also get a VLSD… totally worth getting.
As for the Solstice…
I would not consider it unless it was a GXP and if it was my second car. The car has TOO MANY shortcomings to make it a viable daily driver.
– Car’s belt line is HIGH and windows are small. Very difficult to see where you’re going.
– The standard 2.4 is buzzy and not really adequate for a ‘sports car’. The GXP engine remedies this 2.0 turbo; a MUCH better engine.
– Trunk is non-existant. There’s a trunklid, but all that’s in there is gas tank. Seriously… take a look.I’ve owned eight BMWs and will tell you that they’re wonderful cars; the ride and drive is superb. On the other hand they are more expensive to maintain because of the design. BMWs (Mercedes, Audi, Porsche) are capable of being driven 100+ mph all day long on the autobahn, provided they are serviced correctly by trained mechanics with the correct parts, fluids and tools. The newer cars are full of expensive electronics. Japanese cars like Toyota and Honda are designed to be worked on with common tools and are very reliable, provided they get serviced decently. If you were serious about a BMW then I’d suggest going the national club website (bmwcca.org) and browse cars for sale there. The cars listed there are far more likely to have been maintained properly.
Since the trunk of the solstice and 350 z are so small is it possible to install a Uhaul trailer thing to haul my stuff? I’m sure these have strong horse power so it can haul a little bit?
I’m sure it’s possible, but I don’t know the towing capacities of them. Buying a car that still has a loan of lien on it is always a little nerve wracking. I would personally walk away from it unless it’s exactly what you’re looking for. Also, I wouldn’t look at the $3k stereo as a way for him to inflate the price; usually, aftermarket stereos are more of a burden than a blessing in newer cars.
Out of curiosity, where are you located? There are many Mustangs around me for well under $15,000 that are 3-4 years old.
I like the car. It’s a 350z. It looks well maintained. What I meant by him inflating the price is that he says he owes money on the car, maybe it’s just 10K or less but he is selling it for 11K obo. It is a 2005 Nissan 350z manual, with 90,000. Someone told me this should only go for 8K. If this was dealership I’m sure it would be 15K, who knows. The sound system thing is nothing more than to make the car marketable if you like sound system stuff, which I don’t, but it comes with the car so I’ll take it. The sound system does look about 3K with its big sound system that filled up the trunk and the dashboard installed receiver with gps and other things all in one.
The Mustangs I’ve seen are all dealerships. I’m in Maryland.
The Solstice, I just found out has 42,000 miles so it’s pretty good for a 2006 model car. The dealership has to inspect it first before they come up with a price. Not sure what kind of price they will sell it for. It resembles a BMW z4. I looked up more info. about it and it was said to be a runaway hit car when it first came out selling or having advance orders of 7000 cars within 10 days. In other words it’s a likable car.
[quote=”itgogitrev” post=104970]
Since the trunk of the solstice and 350 z are so small is it possible to install a Uhaul trailer thing to haul my stuff? I’m sure these have strong horse power so it can haul a little bit?
I’m sure it’s possible, but I don’t know the towing capacities of them. Buying a car that still has a loan of lien on it is always a little nerve wracking. I would personally walk away from it unless it’s exactly what you’re looking for. Also, I wouldn’t look at the $3k stereo as a way for him to inflate the price; usually, aftermarket stereos are more of a burden than a blessing in newer cars.
Out of curiosity, where are you located? There are many Mustangs around me for well under $15,000 that are 3-4 years old.[/quote]
just signed up for carfax. The BMW have gotten in 1 accident before but no airbag deployment which is why I don’t see much damage on the front of the car, owner must have rear ended another car without damage.
The 2005 Nissan 350z have had 5 owners. The seller told me only 3 owners. It’s a weekend car so I can understand having its 5th owner already.
I also just checked my own car’s history for the first time. it is showing that it was originally a “corporate” owned. Not sure if that means someone used that car employed in a company, or it’s a company car. It shows it had 5 owners already while owner 4 and 5 was me since I moved in 2 states it is showing. So I guess the situation with the 350z is it was possible the previous owners moved to other states which is why it is saying there was 5 owners already yet the seller only knew it as a 3rd owner car.
If you are seriously considering a BMW of that vintage, make sure that the cooling system has been redone. The original water pumps are known to fail rather spectacularly, the plastic radiator necks are known to become brittle and break, and engine driven fan is known to seize up and fling plastic shards all over the engine bay.
If it hasn’t had this done, then bank on spending $1-2000 on getting it done. It’s cheaper of course if you DIY it.
a 2003 BMW z4 3.0 is vintage? I had no clue.
[quote=”MfromVan” post=105158]If you are seriously considering a BMW of that vintage, make sure that the cooling system has been redone. The original water pumps are known to fail rather spectacularly, the plastic radiator necks are known to become brittle and break, and engine driven fan is known to seize up and fling plastic shards all over the engine bay.
If it hasn’t had this done, then bank on spending $1-2000 on getting it done. It’s cheaper of course if you DIY it.[/quote]
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