[baron]

I found a pre-owned 2005 GTO at my local dealer. Car has is 6speed and has about 5800 miles. On the internet ad, they are asking for $26.9k. I called up the dealer and right off the bat they are offerring $25.2k.

The salesman said the car is in perfect condition, but according to his records, this is car was purchased from a GM auction. Apparently, GM had bought the car back for warranty issues. According to him, the warranty work was done when the car was new, and it was for exterior stuff like paint and glass. He said the car is accident free and has clean title.

What do you make of this? Does anyone think that there is something fishy with this car? The car still has factory warranty till like 2009 and 36kmi. If I negotiate further, what kind of deal do you think I can get? Or is are there to many unknowns and risk with this purchase?

Thanks,
Baron

 

[MJGTOWISH]

Get a carfax report to see what really happened to the car this is the best place you will need to get the vin from the dealer, But the only thing i can figure out since he said

(According to him, the warranty work was done when the car was new, and it was for exterior stuff like paint and glass)

is they may have scraped the paint really bad in shipping. which would make since they are made in the downunder.

 

[GTO JUDGE]

If the car was a buy back, that more or less means there were some serious issues with the car that the dealer and customer could not work out. GM does not do buy backs on a whim. GM should be able to provide you with verified documentation exactly what the problems were, and what was done to correct the problems. Taking their word that ah.. it was paint issues, and glass issues would not convince me.

I seriously doubt there would be information on a carfax history report of this car since the car was taken back by GM. Besides carfax will not provide you with cosmetic issues.

GM doing a buy back has red flags all over this car. If they can prove to you in verified documentation, and thru satisfied warranty issues that all issues have been resolved, I'd try to get them down further. If they threw out 25.2 with out negotiating that means they can do better.

If they cannot prove to you in verified documentation that this car is now clean of all the issues, I'd be leery. If they can prove to you in verified documentation that all issues were corrected, and are covered in warranty, then negotiate them down further. Again them throwing out a "lowball" price with out negotiating there may be more there than you'll ever know..... Let us know how you make out.

 

[baron]

Thanks for your replies. Your point is a good one. This car may have problems after problems to be bought back by GM. It is still tempting though...

 

[TexasRealtor]

If I understand the "Lemon Law", there had to be a significant problem with a car that cannot be repaired after three attempts in the first 12 months of ownership. The dealer is then forced to replace the car with a comparable one.


Find out what problem couldn't be repaired after 3 attempts.