Used car shopping from non dealership | GTAMotorcycle.com

Used car shopping from non dealership

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mimico_polak

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Hey all,
So still on the lookout for a new toy to replace the Volt. Narrowed it down to the BMW 1 Series, 228i, or the GTI and just wondering and looking for advice on used car lots. I’ve always been conditioned on buying from a dealership, but unfortunately the cars I’m looking for (esp the 1 Series) are few and far in between from an actual BMW store.
Any recommendations on stores? What to look for? Where to stay clear of? Third party warranties worth it or not? I’m almost leaning towards buying private as I assume less ******** then a used car lot. Not all are bad I know but just tough to break the years of conditioning.
Thanks!
 
if buying a used BMW I'd really like to see the maintenance history
used dealers getting most of the cars from auction are not likely to have that

if it were me I'd prefer private sale
and try to find a geek that was in love with the car
and will talk your ear off about how well he's loved it
 
Common sense is king. You can have a good/bad experience with either so due diligence is key regardless where you chose to shop.

Private is fine if you’re comfortable with buying a vehicle and really know what to look for. At least with used car dealers you are still covered under omvic regulations.
 
blackcamaro said:
At least with used car dealers you are still covered under omvic regulations.
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There's dealers around (cough, cough, LooLoo's) that consider fines from OMVIC part of doing shady business.
 
At least the cars your considering aren't really rare and hard to come by so don't buy the first one you see, take your time.
 
I tried to buy replacement rear brake pads for my 5 year old Toyota in Kingston today, the parts guy told me they were "special order"
Brake pads, you :censored: gotta be kidding.

:censored: dealerships
 
Special order in Kingston...in stock in the GTA. Just bought a full set of pads and rotors for my 2006 Toyota.
 
FullMotoJacket said:
There's dealers around (cough, cough, LooLoo's) that consider fines from OMVIC part of doing shady business.
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Too bad...did some reading after your post and they don't have much of stellar reputation....they've got some cars I've been interested in though.
 
mimico_polak said:
Too bad...did some reading after your post and they don't have much of stellar reputation....they've got some cars I've been interested in though.
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They're one of the more well known barbers in the GTA ("car's had a haircut" is industry slang for rolled back odometer).
 
Lubrico Warranty is pretty good if you have all the necessary coverage. Make sure you get your oil changes done on time and keep the receipts.
 
FullMotoJacket said:
They're one of the more well known barbers in the GTA ("car's had a haircut" is industry slang for rolled back odometer).
Click to expand...
Lol - first time I've heard the term.

OMVIC won't just fine you for doing things like that, they can and will pull your license.
Why any dealer would take that risk is beyond me.
 
I cant help you with the bmws, but have some knowledge of vw. Are you planning on auto or manual? Tuned or stock power? Recent Vw clutches do not appreciate any extra power. If you plan on getting manual and tuning it, i would consider one thats already there. Selling a tuned car is tough so you may be able to get a vehicle with lots of the expensive work already done for roughly the same price as a stock car. As others have said, finding one with maintenance records and an owner that cared is important. Vw has been running 15K oil change intervals for a while which is pretty long if you beat on it daily.
 
@GreyGhost...was originally planning on manual but my wife said she would like to drive the car as well at some point in time...meaning we may mover towards an auto. If I go with the 1-series then definitely the 135 with the DSG as the regular 128 comes with a cheapo transmission (allegedly).
Not planning on putting in or tuning anything beyond the normal. I like my cars stock and don't put money into add-ons to increase anything.
Wife is getting into the minivan / wagon more and more so we have some window shopping to do.
 
Sometimes people can get maintenance record by going to the dealer or calling the corporate office. I had the maintenance records emailed by Audi on a car.
 
Be aware that there is enough of a frequency of timing chain failure on higher mileage VW/Audi 2.0 turbo motors that there was a class action lawsuit. My brother was affected by this on his second-hand GTI and needed an engine replacement. I heard it could be because of improper oil change intervals but I've never really looked too closely into it. Make sure you do your research if you plan on getting one, and whichever car you intend on buying, try to find a mechanic that specializes in it. And no, I don't mean a dealership.
 
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