Bored buying used vehicles nonsense

[drakon543]

so quick back to the fact i sold my tahoe and bought a mercury mountaineer this year. so buying used cars regardless of thier apparent condition always has that chance of ending up being aggravating.
to my mountaineer we went and checked it over took it for a test drive all the usual mumbo jumbo and i felt comfortable with the purchase. within 3 days we started having trouble with it that was very sporadic and was very hard to pin down. 2 mechanics later and me throwing parts at the problem finally got to the solution. previous owner had replaced the ignition coil and mount with a cheap part and it failed shortly after me buying it. new problem about a week ago tps fault so it was easy to pinpoint as thats a pretty specific fault. i pop the hood and go to unplug the tps to remove it and found the problem. as to my best geuss someone who shouldn't have been touching a vehicle was trying to diagnose a problem and stripped the 4 wires to the tps. failure to follow up ended up with those 4 wires being left bare and just waiting for the chance to touch. easy fix but regardless annoying and leaves me scratching my head. also just as a mention as this is mainly a chevy forum the tps and wiring is on the back side near the firewall. wouldn't have caught it unless i was looking for it for those wondering why i didn't notice it when i bought the truck.
anyway hoping i dont have anymore stupid problems that come out and bite. anyone got any good wtf stories on used vehicles you have purchased?

 

[OR VietVet]

Not on any that I have bought but I ran shops and a lady brought her new to her used S10 pickup truck that just had a new engine installed and wanted to get it checked out, AFTER she already bought it. No running problems but I found at least a dozen wires that had been cut and cobbled back together and wrapped with duct tape and 3 vacuum hoses that were patched with the same tape. I pointed this out and she said she had no driving problems and would fix later. Away she went.

The biggest thing I used to see over and over again, in KC, Mo where salt is used on the roads, was rusted badly frames and suspensions.

 

[Tonyv__]

I could go on and on about all the used cars I’ve bought lol. But one that stuck out was this Audi A4 I bought for $900. I strictly bought it because it was 5 speed and awd. Had some fun in the snow with it. But it had a constant on and off misfire. I spent a little money here and there (ignition coil. Plugs, wires, fuel filter ect.) no luck. One day I dumped the clutch and snapped an axle and called it quits lol. When I took the car to the scrap yard and hacked the cats out. They were almost completely blocked up with what I would assume is carbon buildup? Looks like that may of been the answer to my misfiring lol

On the other hand. I had some great buys. A square body s10 for $350. 5 speed. Cleanish exterior but the interior needed work... thing ran great! But unfortunately after a few months I chose to trade it for a jet ski. I guess I traded up and it was worth it. But I wish I still had the truck lol

 

[drakon543]

I could go on and on about all the used cars I’ve bought lol. But one that stuck out was this Audi A4 I bought for $900. I strictly bought it because it was 5 speed and awd. Had some fun in the snow with it. But it had a constant on and off misfire. I spent a little money here and there (ignition coil. Plugs, wires, fuel filter ect.) no luck. One day I dumped the clutch and snapped an axle and called it quits lol. When I took the car to the scrap yard and hacked the cats out. They were almost completely blocked up with what I would assume is carbon buildup? Looks like that may of been the answer to my misfiring lol

On the other hand. I had some great buys. A square body s10 for $350. 5 speed. Cleanish exterior but the interior needed work... thing ran great! But unfortunately after a few months I chose to trade it for a jet ski. I guess I traded up and it was worth it. But I wish I still had the truck lol

ya most of my used car purchases have been great. i either bought it having already found the real issues the seller was selling it for so i end up getting it cheap. that or just ending up with a great vehicle that was dependable.

 

[wjburken]

I like to think that I am pretty through when buying a used vehicle, but every time I've done it, either private or from a dealer, I find something new that I should have checked and add it to the check list.

Latest was the 1997 Chevy K1500 I bought for my son. Never thought to test the windshield wipers so when we were driving home after making the purchase, it sprinkled a little bit and no wipers. It was a quick fix to replace the module under the hood, but one more thing on my list.

Another was checking to make sure the 3rd row seats fold/unfold properly. This was on a 2008 Yukon XL Denali that I purchased from a dealer in Indiana with 95K on it. Got it home (4 hours away) and found that the seats wouldn't fold properly. Had a heck of a time getting them to unfold again and just avoided folding them down.

 

[Doubeleive]

a few years back I bought a used 91 Maxima it was cheap I think I paid $500-700 for it, I bought it because it was cheap and looked good enough to be a halfway decent fixer upper when I went and test drove it, drove real nice but the idle was pretty high around 1000 he said it needed a idle control valve but otherwise it drove fine and the cel was on when I scanned it sure enough it had a code for idle control, I thought no big deal I can fix that, lol. So I went ahead and ordered the part put it in and damit same problem idle at 1000 so did a little research and people said well it takes a little bit for it relearn or have the dealer do it, so I drove it a bit and some more and the dam thing wouldn't relearn the idle, so back to doing more research come to find out on those dam maxima's that there is a chip in the bcm that literally pops (fries) when the idle control goes bad and it takes a another part out also (can't remember the name of it) and basically you have to replace all 3 parts at the same time or it just continues the cycle of ruining each part. I did manage to fix it by finding a non blown out bcm at the junkyard (noting while searching that most of them were blown out) because you can literally pull the bcm out and shake it and if it rattles inside you know the chip is popped, but you still have to pull the cover off and look to be sure it isn't burnt as well. After replacing all 3 parts at the same time you then have to call a locksmith and have him reprogram the chip key because it is tied to the bcm. going thru all that rigamoro ******** was a learning experience, the idle control goes on the intake which is also connected the cooling system with a thin gasket so if that gasket leaks you get coolant in the intake, yep I did that lol was blowing white smoke like a mother ****** haha I was like dam I thought for sure the engine was toast, but I just crossed my fingers replaced the gasket and drove it and the dam thing still drove like a top. then after I fixed all that it decides to throw a transmission code for a solenoid at that point I said screw it and sold it. The Maxima's and there higher end line infinite use the same bcm from like 89-93 amazing that something like that wasn't subject to recall.

 

[Tonyv__]

I like to think that I am pretty through when buying a used vehicle, but every time I've done it, either private or from a dealer, I find something new that I should have checked and add it to the check list.

Latest was the 1997 Chevy K1500 I bought for my son. Never thought to test the windshield wipers so when we were driving home after making the purchase, it sprinkled a little bit and no wipers. It was a quick fix to replace the module under the hood, but one more thing on my list.

Another was checking to make sure the 3rd row seats fold/unfold properly. This was on a 2008 Yukon XL Denali that I purchased from a dealer in Indiana with 95K on it. Got it home (4 hours away) and found that the seats wouldn't fold properly. Had a heck of a time getting them to unfold again and just avoided folding them down.

my current express van. I bought it from a small lot. Negotiated with the sales man. Laughed while signing papers And jokingly said “damn I forgot to check the horn”. We laughed. I paid for the van. On the drive home damn sure that horn didn’t work lmao... the clock spring behind the steering wheel was damaged. Easy fix but hours of diagnosing

 

[Tonyrodz]

my current express van. I bought it from a small lot. Negotiated with the sales man. Laughed while signing papers And jokingly said “damn I forgot to check the horn”. We laughed. I paid for the van. On the drive home damn sure that horn didn’t work lmao... the clock spring behind the steering wheel was damaged. Easy fix but hours of diagnosing

I had the same issue with my 01. I just bought a button and tapped into the horn wires--done.

 

[Tonyv__]

I had the same issue with my 01. I just bought a button and tapped into the horn wires--done.

Lol my fancy aftermarket button is attached to my train horns. But I really went for the clock spring because I noticed my airbag wires were damaged so it fixed 2 issues and PA vehicle inspectors are jerkoffs. Idk how thrilled they will be if the horn doesn’t work as factory designed

my wife’s from NJ I know you guys are spoiled with your inspections. She’s appalled that her car has to go to the shop every year here in PA

 

[Tonyrodz]

Lol my fancy aftermarket button is attached to my train horns. But I really went for the clock spring because I noticed my airbag wires were damaged so it fixed 2 issues and PA vehicle inspectors are jerkoffs. Idk how thrilled they will be if the horn doesn’t work as factory designed

my wife’s from NJ I know you guys are spoiled with your inspections. She’s appalled that her car has to go to the shop every year here in PA

I used to live in Pa--E Burg and Bushkill--Jerkoffs is an understatement. I had an 89 Bonne SSE. Car was great, no resl issues with it. I went to Kost Tire to get it inspected. Guy takes it in, little while later he comes out with an "Estimate" sheet. Says I needed over $1200 worth of work to pass inspection. I remember he wrote rear bushings were ng and the battery hold down was missing. Funniest part--"Wanna do this work now"? I laughed and said not now. Went a mile down the road and got my inspection with no issues! In Jersey as long as the cel isn't on you pass. I used to do state inspections--cars came in with literally no brakes--metal on metal, broken cracked windshields, bald tires, no lights or even missing lights--as long as the cel wasn't on they'd pass. Wasn't always like that tho.

 

[OR VietVet]

I used to have to do those state inspections every year in KC, Mo. when I was in shops there. I hated them and they were a racket. So many shops would take money under the table and just write up an AOK slip.

 

[OR VietVet]

I used to live in Pa--E Burg and Bushkill--Jerkoffs is an understatement. I had an 89 Bonne SSE. Car was great, no resl issues with it. I went to Kost Tire to get it inspected. Guy takes it in, little while later he comes out with an "Estimate" sheet. Says I needed over $1200 worth of work to pass inspection. I remember he wrote rear bushings were ng and the battery hold down was missing. Funniest part--"Wanna do this work now"? I laughed and said not now. Went a mile down the road and got my inspection with no issues! In Jersey as long as the cel isn't on you pass. I used to do state inspections--cars came in with literally no brakes--metal on metal, broken cracked windshields, bald tires, no lights or even missing lights--as long as the cel wasn't on they'd pass. Wasn't always like that tho.

Tony, true story. Guy comes in for inspection, too many cracks in windshield in the wiper area. He literally went across the street in an abandoned parking lot and busted out the entire windshield. Came back in for a re-inspection. The law said nothing about NO windshield. I passed him with an AOK asap and laughed the whole time he was standing there while I wrote it up. I shook his hand and congratulated him on his smarts.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Tony, true story. Guy comes in for inspection, too many cracks in windshield in the wiper area. He literally went across the street in an abandoned parking lot and busted out the entire windshield. Came back in for a re-inspection. The law said nothing about NO windshield. I passed him with an AOK asap and laughed the whole time he was standing there while I wrote it up. I shook his hand and congratulated him on his smarts.

Lol got it on a technicality.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yea, he came back for that re-inspection beaming with pride that he figured it out. Thankfully it was summertime so he did not freeze on the way home. I told him I was going to tell that story many times going forward and he was again, proud of that. I never ever suggested anyone else do that but it made for a great beer drinking story with the guys.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Wait a minute--where did the new inspection sticker go? They usually go on the windshield.

 

[Bill 1960]

Bought an old Grand Cherokee a few years back to build a project. Got it for cheap, mechanical defects were numerous and plenty of electrical gremlins but zero rust and a good body. It had been the typical run down soccer mom vehicle. Nasty interior from kids with juice, soda, whatever.

It was only in the process of removing interior parts and cleaning that I found it had a cockroach infestation. I felt like setting it on fire.

In the end I got it all cleaned out and eradicated the bugs, but I hated that task more than all the mechanical and electrical problems.

Moral of the story: don’t buy cars from people who eat in them.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yes, it typically did but all I could do is hand it to him without peeling the sticky cover off of it. I punched the dates as required. I felt ok because I read the laws closely and no where does it say that the vehicle has to have a windshield in it, so if he got stopped and the cops came to see me, I was pretty sure it would be ok on my end. Hell, I was young and dumb and full of *** at age 28-30 and I was willing to risk it. I already had my speech prepared for the cop if they showed up. "Well, what would you do"? If the cop said he would have called the state inspection people at the highway patrol and asked about it I would have told him that in the classes given to us to get our license, they always said to not bother them and all we ever needed to do was read the guide book.

 

[OR VietVet]

Wait a minute--where did the new inspection sticker go? They usually go on the windshield.

See answer above.

 

[89Suburban]

PA vehicle inspectors are jerkoffs.

You can say that again neighbor. I had to get rid of my last squarebody Suburban because of their ********.



She now resides with some young buck in northeast Maryland somewhere.

 

[Tonyv__]

You can say that again neighbor. I had to get rid of my last squarebody Suburban because of their ********.



She now resides with some young buck in northeast Maryland somewhere.




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Sometimes you just have to find “a guy” that will pass the vehicle. Which can be hard to find. Even my guy that works with me sometimes will peel the tint off my wife’s headlights every year.. rules are rules I suppose