Hi. Looking at getting a ppi done with a car that is being sold by a dealership. Never had one done before. Does the potential buyer typically drive the car to the ppi shop and back? The shop is about 30 minutes away.
The dealership says "they want to agree on price" before the ppi is done. They are not being clear on what exactly that means. I keep asking if they are saying I need to sign something or verbally agree on a price but have not gotten a clear answer on that. Did you have to sign some documents before taking the car for a ppi? Tks

 

Depends on what a "PPI" includes. I'd not let a potential buyer start removing the valve cover, plugs, etc. or do anything more than test drive it and put the car on a lift and look underneath. I can't imagine a "dealer" would either. BTW, what kind of "dealer?" Used car? Honda?

"Agree on price" seems to be a conditional PPI. You agree on the price IF it passes inspection. Year, mileage, price?

These are all used cars discarded by former owners and the newest is 11 years out of the factory.

-- Chuck

 

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/invent...ting=244504891

The paint has taken a bit of a beating. Transfer, scratches, one dent etc. You can't tell in those pics. And yes the PPI I had in mind would involve taking quite a bit apart ( compression test for example). I just don't want to buy a car and later find out it has major issues like it was driven to 9k with low oil or some other issue.

 

In some states when purchasing a car from a dealer, the agreement may or may not include a 2 day return policy. If you sign off on it then you will not have the ability to return the purchase you made. I am just saying this because sometimes you find a car you want at a very good price and then it could be gone before your next step. Easier to sell to someone not doing a PPI. Unless that person intending to PPI is paying more than the asking price.

If you do have any kind of return policy, buy it, have it checked out, keep or return.

 

Carmax has that but I doubt this dealership does. I’ll look into it though.

 

The dealer is trying to make sure you don't use the findings of PPI to negotiate the price. Like if PPI finds issues, you can't say lets take $1k off the price so I can fix this or that. They want to make it so you can only use the PPI report as a dealbreaker, not a negotiator.

Its kinda silly, because its still negotiable. You say sure, here is agreed price. But PPI turns up an issue, and you say no way, unless you lower the price. Dealer can either accept tbe lowered offer or not. Nothing forces them to stick to the agreed price.

But I would do this. Tell dealer you will agree to Pre PPI price, IF dealer will fix any 'major' issues found during PPI. If dealership says no, then its possible they know the car has issues and are trying to hide it.

 

Good point, but I'm not sure this dealer would know how to work on an s2k, and if they did, not sure I trust them to do it correctly.

 

Treat it like buying a house. Seller has an asking price and the buyer makes an offer that the seller accepts subject to inspection.. Unless the sale is "as is" the seller is expected to correct all the defects found by the inspector. Seller can either fix or offer a price reduction which the buyer can accept or refuse.

Regardless never make a deposit.

-- Chuck