This Seems A Little Fishy...

[ptmeyer84]

I just found an excellent 2-door tahoe, but something has caught my attention. I got a carfax report on the truck (thanks wingnut!) and at 3/8/2007 it was bought at an auction and listed as a dealer vehicle. But the seller is not a dealer, but a private seller. Am I being paraniod or is this a red flag?? Why would a private seller list the truck as a dealer vehicle?

 

Here is the Carfax

http://www.carfax.com/viewEmailReport.do?a...Htli9bDgDaCTSi3

[diehrd]

If the link is right it does say private 1 owner by the way .

 

It was bought at an auction, To buy there someone had to have a dealer license , I bet a friend of his took him to auction and let him get it or he may in fact have a dealer license but had the intention of keeping it for him self ..

[Wingnut]

Or it could be that the "one owner" traded it in, the dealer wholesaled it out, and the new "private owner" hasn't registered it yet, he just bought it to turn a profit.

 

There are lots of auctions around here that dealers sell at, but the public is invited.

[Wingnut]

Or it could be a case of "curbstoning" (look down at the bottom of the Carfax report for the definition of this).

[Mike G]

Buying a used vehicle is tough... This person may have a dealer license, may have a small lot, may not. Sometimes there is a flag on carfax to be sure you are buying it from a dealer. Some guys buy them cheap at auction under dealer pretence and sell them inflated as a private owner. You need to do what you feel is right. If you like the truck, there are no accident indicators or title problems, it runs like it should and the price is good for you, then buy away. May I also say that if you are looking at under 100k miles, you may be looking at older than 99. These things are fun to drive, and we do.....

 

Just my $.02's of course, --Mike

[ptmeyer84]

hey thanks for the replies guys. I am afraid of curbstoning which is why I posted here in the first place. I have emailed the seller and asked if he has a dealer's licence and If he didn't then why is it listed as a dealer vehicle. If he wants more than I think it is worth, and he is unwilling to negotiate, then I will walk away.

 

This looks like a really great truck, I hope that the seller isn't a scammer.

I'll keep you guys posted on what the seller says

[Mike G]

When I see a vehicle from a dealer, I always run the numbers on the car at the "trade in" value, since that's more of an idication of what they gave for it. Now with the private owners, you need to look to market value of course.

 

--Mike

[HyperBuzzin]

To me, it looks like sometime around 02/21/2007 the vehicle was possibly traded in to a dealer (Dealer Inventory Saint Louis, MO)

Then, sold at an auction by that dealer on 03/08/07, which is why it would be listed as a dealer vehicle, seeing as they (possibly) took ownership as a trade in for something else.

 

As far as the 'Curbstoning', seems to me that dealers do that all the time. They give someone squat for their trade in vehicle, then sell the same vehicle for a heck of alot more than the trade in amount. Just because they have a dealer licence they're allowed to do it !?!

[ptmeyer84]

turns out that his is "working on his dealer license" and he had his buddy who is a dealer help him out. I dunno I will have to do some more thinking on this, still seems fishy.....I am not in any hurry to get a new vehicle.

[mcreyaufmiller]

I have a friend who is a dealer and go to the auction with him all of the time to by vehicles. Most of the time I am buying them for my own use, but once in a while I come across a great deal that I cannot pass up on and resale it. Nothing fishy, just capitalism!!!

[Magnumb]

I just bought a 1995 yukon and think I may have bought a wreck truck after changing the oil and seeing a bent frame. Would someone verify this a run VIN#1GKEK13K8SJ730906?

 

Thanks,

Justin