Trustworthy seller?

Asked by Feomatar Mar 26, 2017 at 08:17 PM about the 2009 Volkswagen Eos

Question type: Shopping & Pricing

Hi,
I'm a German PhD student wanting to buy my first car; I'm unexperienced with buying cars, especially in the US. I'm interested in buying a 2009 VW Eos, mileage 140k, from a private seller (found online). I met the guy today and had a test drive. The car looks great and drives well. However, I'm unsure about a few things:
- The seller's name is not on the title. He said it's his father-in-law's car. However, the name on the title is female. He said it's his father-in-law's ex-wife, who got it after their divorce. The title transfer to this woman was just 2 months ago.
- He showed me a mechanics report, done 2 days ago, which however looks really unprofessional. It does make sense, though (it said the front tires are a safety issue, which the seller didn't mention to me, but definitely seems to be the case)
- He will try to find documentation about past repairs, however is unsure if he will be able to get it
- the price (5000, negotiated down fairly easily to 4600) seems low for a nice car like that. He said he has interested buyers, so why did he easily lower the price?
- He also suggested to put down a lower selling price on the title so that the sales tax will be lower.

I'm sorry about being distrustful, but I'm just uncertain as its my first buying experience. I would appreciate your feedback!

Thanks,
Philipp

7 Answers

Thanks for your answer. Could you please elaborate? The garage that did the report is actually reputable (tons of positive reviews). Would you say I should not buy even if another garage would confirm that the car is fine?

The title issue tells me there is funny business going on. The car may be stolen.

1 people found this helpful.

Tell them you want to transfer title at the DMV!

1 people found this helpful.

Thanks F_O_R! Speaking of "stolen" - how could I ever be sure a private seller doesn't come to my place and access the car with a spare key?

13,600

this sounds like a flipper selling a car he bought from someone else who left the title blank, run a carfax on the car

Your Answer:

Eos

Looking for a Used Eos in your area?

CarGurus has 36 nationwide Eos listings starting at $3,995.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Scott Sr.
    Reputation
    160
  • #2
    Kelly Mayo
    Reputation
    80
  • #3
    Gary Trexler
    Reputation
    70
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Volkswagen Beetle
12 Great Deals out of 171 listings starting at $4,490
Used BMW 3 Series
65 Great Deals out of 1,229 listings starting at $2,500
Used Volkswagen Jetta
73 Great Deals out of 1,964 listings starting at $2,495
Used Honda Civic
195 Great Deals out of 4,054 listings starting at $440

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.