Knowing when to sell a car

Do some people have a knack of knowing when to sell a car.

Our 156 we have had under 3 months has just come out of the garage after
breaking down. It has had a new piston, various bearings and a camshaft. Do
they know or are they just lucky.

I wish you could X-ray a car before buying it.

Rick

R D S > wrote:

> Do some people have a knack of knowing when to sell a car.
>
> Our 156 we have had under 3 months has just come out of the garage after
> breaking down. It has had a new piston, various bearings and a camshaft. Do
> they know or are they just lucky.
>
> I wish you could X-ray a car before buying it.

Partly unlucky, partly not knowing how to properly check it over before
you bought it.

--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

"SteveH" > wrote in message
...
>R D S > wrote:
>
>> Do some people have a knack of knowing when to sell a car.
>>
>> Our 156 we have had under 3 months has just come out of the garage after
>> breaking down. It has had a new piston, various bearings and a camshaft.
>> Do
>> they know or are they just lucky.
>>
>> I wish you could X-ray a car before buying it.
>
> Partly unlucky, partly not knowing how to properly check it over before
> you bought it.
>

It ran beautifully and had service history, looked in good nick. I suppose
it was slightly smoky.
When we bought it we decided it was cheap enough to warrant spending a grand
on it and still get a bargain, the work above plus a camshaft position
sensor was done for £650 so im not dissapointed yet.

The last car I bought needed a clutch, it wasn't worn something broke off,
and a brake servo within weeks of me buying it.
The one prior to that had a bearing issue needing a whole new back axle then
the head gasket went.

I seem to buy cars just before they need spending on.

On Fri, 4 Aug 2006 20:44:16 +0100, "R D S" > wrote:

>
>"SteveH" > wrote in message
k...
>>R D S > wrote:
>>
>>> Do some people have a knack of knowing when to sell a car.

It's not a knack..it's usually well calculated. They'll never admit it
though!

Apart from Vauxhall/GM (which just exploded or failed catastrophically
without warning), I've always been able to feel when my cars have had
things not right with them and, mostly, at a point where a mechanic
cannot. Most recently with my MAF. I'm not unique in this *ability*,
just very familiar with my car's behaviour and sounds.

>>> Our 156 we have had under 3 months has just come out of the garage after
>>> breaking down. It has had a new piston, various bearings and a camshaft.

It was slightly smoky though. Engines always smoke for a reason - this
list is that reason. Hopefully it doesn't smoke now.

>I seem to buy cars just before they need spending on.

Of course it helps that Alfas need lots of money spent on them all too
frequently thus increasing your risk!

Maybe you should buy a Jap car? Mind you, a mate of mine just got
stung £700 for a Mazda clutch on an eight month old car. Boy was he
*pleased*. Mazda said he had abused it (I doubt that myself) and
refused to pay - paying lots to keep a car going can happen to anyone,
anytime. You are not alone!

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)

R D S wrote:
> Do some people have a knack of knowing when to sell a car.
>
> Our 156 we have had under 3 months has just come out of the garage after
> breaking down. It has had a new piston, various bearings and a camshaft. Do
> they know or are they just lucky.
>
> I wish you could X-ray a car before buying it.
>
> Rick

New piston indicates faulty/incorrect sparkplug. Did they change it?
Bearings/camshaft indicates lack of oil. Did they change oil/filter?
Both problems could have been found on a thorough pre-purchase
inspection. Enough reliable firms available that can do this, but it
would cosr you though.
At least the previous owner knew when to sell it........

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> R D S wrote:
>> Do some people have a knack of knowing when to sell a car.
>>
>> Our 156 we have had under 3 months has just come out of the garage after
>> breaking down. It has had a new piston, various bearings and a camshaft.
>> Do
>> they know or are they just lucky.
>>
>> I wish you could X-ray a car before buying it.
>>
>> Rick
>
> New piston indicates faulty/incorrect sparkplug. Did they change it?
> Bearings/camshaft indicates lack of oil. Did they change oil/filter?
> Both problems could have been found on a thorough pre-purchase
> inspection. Enough reliable firms available that can do this, but it
> would cosr you though.
> At least the previous owner knew when to sell it........
>

LOL I know what you all mean, I work in a second hand specialist dealership
and the amount of people that trade in their 'best car in the world mate'
vehicles never cease to make me giggle.
Last week a guy phoned us wanting a particular car, he said he had an
'immaculate' 1999 golf gti 2.0 16v in 'unmarked' black. He rolls in and all
the wheels have massive kerbing marks so bad that the car spent a week in
the air! our valeter spent 2 whole days on the exterior and a full day in
the insides!
Some people just cannot be honest!

Alex

I can call you Betty wrote:
> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >
> > R D S wrote:
> >> Do some people have a knack of knowing when to sell a car.
> >>
> >> Our 156 we have had under 3 months has just come out of the garage after
> >> breaking down. It has had a new piston, various bearings and a camshaft.
> >> Do
> >> they know or are they just lucky.
> >>
> >> I wish you could X-ray a car before buying it.
> >>
> >> Rick
> >
> > New piston indicates faulty/incorrect sparkplug. Did they change it?
> > Bearings/camshaft indicates lack of oil. Did they change oil/filter?
> > Both problems could have been found on a thorough pre-purchase
> > inspection. Enough reliable firms available that can do this, but it
> > would cosr you though.
> > At least the previous owner knew when to sell it........
> >
>
> LOL I know what you all mean, I work in a second hand specialist dealership
> and the amount of people that trade in their 'best car in the world mate'
> vehicles never cease to make me giggle.
> Last week a guy phoned us wanting a particular car, he said he had an
> 'immaculate' 1999 golf gti 2.0 16v in 'unmarked' black. He rolls in and all
> the wheels have massive kerbing marks so bad that the car spent a week in
> the air! our valeter spent 2 whole days on the exterior and a full day in
> the insides!
> Some people just cannot be honest!
>
> Alex

This goes for garages too, how many second hand buys get serviced
properly as they often say they have done. They do not even change the
oil, if it's clean oil just send it out . they will never know. But the
service book is always stamped for the record. This is why I take
service records with a pinch of salt.
John, UK.

I can call you Betty wrote:
> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >
> > R D S wrote:
> >> Do some people have a knack of knowing when to sell a car.
> >>
> >> Our 156 we have had under 3 months has just come out of the garage after
> >> breaking down. It has had a new piston, various bearings and a camshaft.
> >> Do
> >> they know or are they just lucky.
> >>
> >> I wish you could X-ray a car before buying it.
> >>
> >> Rick
> >
> > New piston indicates faulty/incorrect sparkplug. Did they change it?
> > Bearings/camshaft indicates lack of oil. Did they change oil/filter?
> > Both problems could have been found on a thorough pre-purchase
> > inspection. Enough reliable firms available that can do this, but it
> > would cosr you though.
> > At least the previous owner knew when to sell it........
> >
>
> LOL I know what you all mean, I work in a second hand specialist dealership
> and the amount of people that trade in their 'best car in the world mate'
> vehicles never cease to make me giggle.
> Last week a guy phoned us wanting a particular car, he said he had an
> 'immaculate' 1999 golf gti 2.0 16v in 'unmarked' black. He rolls in and all
> the wheels have massive kerbing marks so bad that the car spent a week in
> the air! our valeter spent 2 whole days on the exterior and a full day in
> the insides!
> Some people just cannot be honest!
>
> Alex

This goes for garages too, how many second hand buys get serviced
properly as they often say they have done. They do not even change the
oil, if it's clean oil just send it out . they will never know. But the
service book is always stamped for the record. This is why I take
service records with a pinch of salt.
John, UK.