# Trying to buy a used car from a dealer. Are they insane or off or just me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 6, 2024, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536 "2024-06-06T00:34:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2024, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/101 "2024-06-09T22:38:06Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > My dealership’s service department used to have a sign behind the service desk listing their price for several common service items and that of several other, independent shops in town, making the point that they were competitive, cost wise. Used to? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/102 "2024-06-09T22:40:05Z")
The dealership moved twice since they were in that location and are under different ownership. I haven’t been there in more than a year, so I have no idea if they still have the sign. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/103 "2024-06-10T00:29:59Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > FWIW the cost I showed is more than just an oil change. It’s a whole inspection thing (which they video and send the video to you so you can see the issues they identified). Yeah, my guy does all that too- fills all the stuff, etc etc. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/104 "2024-06-10T00:33:12Z")
Your less than $100 oil change is a 20-point inspection of belts and brakes and alignment and whatnot? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/105 "2024-06-10T00:34:26Z")
Yes. Any decent mech does that, and it doesnt take long. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/106 "2024-06-10T00:46:43Z")
I’m pretty sure that even a chain like Jiffy Lube will check most of that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/107 "2024-06-10T00:51:55Z")
I’ve been to Jiffy Lube. And they did nothing of the sort. The video I got had my car up on the lift and wheels off checking brakes and so on. What Jiffy Lube does that? It’s fine they do not. They don’t pretend to do anything other than change your oil. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/108 "2024-06-10T00:53:49Z")
It’s been _decades_ since I used Jiffy Lube, but, no, they don’t lift the car. Instead you drive over a pit in which the service tech works on it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/109 "2024-06-10T00:55:42Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > What Jiffy Lube does that? > **[What Does an Oil Change Do? | Jiffy Lube | Jiffy Lube](https://www.jiffylube.com/resource-center/what-does-an-oil-change-do)** > > You know motor oil is affordable and available. But what does an oil change do? Learn more about the benefits of an oil change and how Jiffy Lube can help today! _your car will receive a complimentary, multi-point inspection that includes a check and fill of the following:_ \*\* Tire pressures\* \*\* Transmission/transaxle fluid\* \*\* Differential/transfer case fluid\* \*\* Power steering fluid\* \*\* Windshield washer fluid\* \*\* Battery water (excluding sealed batteries)\* _The technician will inspect key components including:_ \*\* Antifreeze/coolant reservoir levels\* \*\* Engine air filtration system\* \*\* Serpentine belts\* \*\* Brake fluid level (in transparent reservoirs)\* \*\* Wiper blades\* \*\* Exterior lights\* \*\* Chassis (lubricate when applicable)\* NOT that I am suggesting a Jiffy Lube, as they also try to upsell you stuff you dont need. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/110 "2024-06-10T00:57:05Z")
Same here (decades for me too and my experience was the same with the pit). Their whole thing was changing oil. That was it. They’d drain the oil and pour new oil in and maybe change the oil filter. It is actually something I know how to do but the disposal of the oil is a hassle for me at home so Jiffy Lube saving some time and hassle for me is worth it. But I do not remember them inspecting anything on my car (maybe washer fluid?). ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/111 "2024-06-10T00:59:51Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m pretty sure that even a chain like Jiffy Lube will check most of that stuff. You’re lucky if a chain oil-change place can even manage to do the oil change right. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/112 "2024-06-10T01:02:17Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > But I do not remember them inspecting anything on my car (maybe washer fluid?). Tell ya what- you likely wont see the guys at the dealer doing any of that stuff either. You get the car up, and while you are changing the oil you look around a bit, maybe wriggle a few things. Refill the fluids- and she’s ready to go. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/113 "2024-06-10T03:24:58Z")
I’ve never gone to a chain oil joint and NOT had them top off the various fluids, check the tire pressure and pull the air & cabin filters to show me. Likewise inspect the various lights and wipers. It’s all in the name of trying to upsell me on a $30 bulb or $40 cabin filter but they’re doing it. Can’t remember the last time I didn’t have all that happen. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/114 "2024-06-10T05:03:39Z")
The idea that you do not have a clear idea (to the nearest $0.01) what you loaf of bread, cup of coffee or car will cost before they ring it up is uniquely USA-ian and profoundly stupid. You’re just begging the retailer/hotel:restaurant/car dealer to fuck you over. Image your actual dealer charging you 15.85 for a 10$ bag. What idiot would stand for that? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/115 "2024-06-10T05:31:05Z")
Are you saying an Aston Martin DBS costs the same to service in Europe as a Fiat 500? FWIW, all work and the cost for that work was sent to me for approval before the service was done and I could reject any bit I wanted (apart from the initial $200 but that, too, was clearly spelled out when I dropped the car off). ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/116 "2024-06-10T10:15:26Z")
I go to Grease Monkey and they have spotted issues. One was mine - luckily it was an easy, cheap fix. The other was some woman’s car. They told her we noticed X, you need to get it fixed at a garage. She argued (and argued and argued) that since they found the issue they need to fix it. He explained for ten minutes that they are not trained and do not have the necessary equipment to do so. I watched this and boy, she got angry. She finally left in a huff and, like, lady. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/117 "2024-06-10T11:21:49Z")
The local mechanic I take our cars to is a good guy. He charges enough to make a living, but way less than a dealership would. If he gives me a quote and I hesitate, he’ll look for ways to do it cheaper. I’ve referred a bunch of business his way. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/118 "2024-06-10T11:28:58Z")
You can ask. Most dealers will lie. They’ll mention the $999 dealer fee but not the $500 licensing charge (“it’s not a fee, it’s a tax!”) or the “mandatory” add ons. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/119 "2024-06-10T13:08:44Z")
The bit about “resort fees” in Niagara Falls mentoned that some places tried to call it a tax. Since it’s not something for the government that the dealer is mandated to collect - a “tax” - then calling it so is misrepresentation and fraud. When I first thought about buying a BMW some 24 years ago, a fellow who had one warned me that the biggest issue was that service would cost substantially more each visit than the typical Toyota or Honda, I guess this explains the free services warranty for the first X years - by the time you get sticker shock it’s too late. But I have/do take my BMW for dealer service, first because as mentioned by others, they know these vehicles and (theoretically) are best trained on the specific and complex vehicle. Also because if something goes wrong, they are more likely to accept responsibility if they can’t point to other mechanics. How many independent mechanics can afford all the different manufacturer training to say they are technically qualified to work on that model? I assume for things that are covered, for insurance or warranty repairs, etc. there’s a manual saying how many hours labour are allocated for a particular service and that’s what the business gets paid by big insurance or the manufacturer when they foot the bill. Generally, that seems to be what they charge when the customer pays too - although I suspect the hourly rate is less from the manufacturer because… 800lb gorilla. Many years ago I worked with a fellow who lived in a small town; his wife was on the city council. He wanted to buy a particular car, an older Cadillac or such, from the local dealer. The guy wanted $3000. (Did I mention this was a long time ago?) He saw that there was a similar model for sale at a dealer 50 miles away, 2 years younger, for $1700. The local dealer refused to haggle, so he bought the other car. The dealer made a stink about “she’s on city council touting ‘support support local business’ but they go out of town to buy a car.” He had a good laugh, because the CBC news picked up the item, which he found out when his brother who lived two hundred miles away calls him and says “I hear on the news you bought a car…” ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536/120 "2024-06-10T22:16:19Z")
I posted in another thread about my experience at dealer. I’m 67 and this was my first experience with a dealer. To make the story short - the price was reasonable and we got him come down some. He did try to slip in a $1000 add on, something to do with car talking directly to Toyota or GPS/theft recovery or something. I said, “Take that back off and we have a deal”. He did without any pushback. No extended warranty pressure or anything. We some minor issues in the first couple of weeks which they took care of promptly and provided us with a free loaner. It went so well, I think I must have overpaid. It’s not supposed to work like this, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-buy-a-used-car-from-a-dealer-are-they-insane-or-off-or-just-me/1002536.md?page=7)