Tips on Buying Cars: Used car warning signs to look for, car checks, pre purchase inspection

Question
Ray, I've read and studied your website and first of all want to say thank you for making all your insight available.

I've come across a used car on Automotive.com that I suspect might be too good to be true, so I'd like to find out anything else I should be on the lookout for when I test drive it (beyond what's already on your site).  The things that are making me suspicious are:
- In the carfax it looks like it sat on the original dealer's lot for 6 months, and it was sold with around 300 miles - how typical is this?
- The first (and only) owner kept the car for only 1.25 years
- It's been offered for sale for almost 2 months now at what looks to me like an attractive asking price

If the car checks out on the test drive I plan to take it to an OEM dealership or private mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection, but I'd rather not spend that money if there's something obvious I can spot myself.

I can send you a listing link privately if that would be helpful.

Answer
Hi Al,

- In the carfax it looks like it sat on the original dealer's lot for 6 months, and it was sold with around 300 miles - how typical is this? TAKE THAT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT, VERY NORMAL,,,I HAVE COME ACROSS SOME BRAND NEW MODELS 2 YEARS OLD.

- The first (and only) owner kept the car for only 1.25 years REPO ? - DISLIKE - WHO KNOWS WHO CARES

- It's been offered for sale for almost 2 months now at what looks to me like an attractive asking price IF ATTRACTIVE PRICE BELOW MARKET VALUE THERE GOT TO BE A REASON THAT NEED TO SURFACE

If the car checks out on the test drive I plan to take it to an OEM dealership or private mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection, but I'd rather not spend that money if there's something obvious I can spot myself. TIME WILL TELL, SEND THE LINK TO [email protected]

Have a Blessed day
From the computer of
Ray Paulsen ^_^  
http://www.usedcartips.org/index.html