buying a 5-7yr old car

[chubbysan]

hi

i need some advise from the car experts. Are there any risk buying a 5-7yr old car in Hong Kong? or rather, is it too risky, like frequent breakdown, car being too old, etc.....

Thanks for your inputs!

[Boris]

hi

i need some advise from the car experts. Are there any risk buying a 5-7yr old car in Hong Kong? or rather, is it too risky, like frequent breakdown, car being too old, etc.....

Thanks for your inputs!

If it has FSH ( full service history ) . Maybe dealer serviced . You have it inspected by an experianced PROFFESIONAL - not a mate " who knows about cars ". Then in a private sale you should be OK.

If buying through a dealer, get a warranty package.

HK is a good environment for car longevity. No corrosion issues. 5 - 7 yrs is a relative youngster, considering the low milage in the second hand market.

[Skyhook]

Hmm, how long is a piece of string. Can anybody possibly answer your question ?

It really depends how experienced you mechanical knowledge is, if you are not mechanically tuned, buy a new car.

If you have a keen sense of mechanical knowledge, via experience, then in my opinion, only buying a vehicle off the first registered owner is the way to go.

5 to 7 years, ( my car is 6 years old now, Im the second owner (1) listed on the rego document means 2 owners, o owner = 1st owner ) is the perfect age range for first owners, providing your potential car has got complete service records.

If you are a novice, I'd also get an inspection done by the HKAA, for any signs of accident damage under a hoist, you should have no problems like us.

We purchased our Toyota 8 seater MPV a year ago off the first registered owner, vehicle had complete service books from Crown Motors ( Toytota HK ), which I ran the vin and was able to see proof of its service history. Although in my case, I didnt have an inspection report conducted, I did that myself and thoroughly checked area's that I know are costly / inconveniant to repair and used common sense to evaluate the vehicle.

Cars that show low mileage should drive like they are low mileage cars, not feel loose like high mileage cars.. If they feel like high mileage cars, chances are it is, another clocked odometer, a practice that is rife in HK...



I have never had a problem with our car to date, the vehicle drives like new, but I know plenty of people who purchased cars that had the mileage altered by a large amount and they drove around with a timing belt ready to snap and subsequently it happened, costing engine replacements at massive $$$, often worth more than the cars original purchase price..

Honesty is the key here, and in HK, you really have to check every detail and compare it to whats true and what isnt, 9 times out of 10, its not....

[chubbysan]

thanks for the quick reply. will consider myself as a novice, will prob get HKAA help for inspection should we decide on any 2nd hand car.

thanks!

[miata]

dear expats, there are a lot of scams around and not only in HKG. recently was looking at a 2nd hand car which was mechanically sound and was near perfect at a steal of a price. The story is the owner moved home and has left the car with a dealer but all negotiations was with the owner via mobile phone. Little did i realise this was a con and i remembered skyhooks advise to be 100% satisfied before parting with your money. In actual fact these guys have been working alot of expats and in hopes of them parting with a deposit by dangling a beatiful carrot. Because all communications are done via mobile and 3rd party is there to show the car only, once you part with the cash your will not see them again. I still see this car being advsertised in a popular expat webpage so hence the caution.

cheers.