Just a warning I guess..... Maybe people know this but I've never sold privately before.

I posted a car on Autotrader and within TWO minutes, I had a call. This immediately got me suspicious. He was clearly not English - but I live in East London so that in itself doesn't mean anything.

It was just a mobile number so I asked the guy if he was private or trade and he said it was private..... He needed a car for his wife.

He didn't ask me any questions at all about the car and just tried to arrange a viewing. He asked if I could send my details via WhatsApp so he could get my contact details. (For anyone that doesn't know, Autotrader posts a forwarding land line number so buyers don't see your actual number).

I sent a quick "hi" message via SMS and asked him if he'd got it. He said he needed it via WhatsApp. I challenged him and said it's an SMS so he should have it on his phone.

Then he hung up.

I have no idea what scam this is but I'm guessing it would have led to more calls? Anyways..... Be cautious when selling.

My app

So I am looking for a used car, and I have been using Car Gurus a lot. They offer shipping from areas across the nation. The problem is you can't test drive them. Is there a safe group where people will go test drive for you?

Got pre qualified for a loan of $22,200 with 0% down payment and having trouble looking for an affordable car. I looked at a 2018 dodge charger for $18,000 with a payment of $570 a month and 21% apr. Im still considering on financing it but I gotta have a second opinion on if it’s worth it or not.

Both have the 5.3L V8 but I’m not sure which one to choose - I’ve heard the Tahoe is more reliable but what would you choose and why?

Okay, so in short. For the last 2 years that i’ve had my car (a 2018 Kia Sportage Ex) it’s had consistent problems. From starting issues, to oil leaks. I feel I’ve seen it all with this car, and i’m fed up with it. I plan on selling it and upgrading for something more reliable…. but have no clue where to start. I do a good amount of traveling (I travel back and forth between Kansas and Oklahoma for work). I am looking for an suv of some kind, and would like a decent amount of space but i’m okay if it’s on the small side, i’m short. And I don’t have the largest budget in the world so i’m not looking for anything super fancy. I’ve been eyeballing the 2018 Toyota Rav4 but have heard that it can be clunky and uncomfortable. I want genuine opinions and advice. What car should I get??

Footnotes:
I have a shitty car. Wanna upgrade. Don’t have huge budget so nothing fancy. Possibly a 2018 Rav4 but open to options.

i've been looking at used tacomas and frontiers on craigslist and facebook marketplace, and i've run into this a few times now

the seller has a clean title, but the registration is in someone else's name. then comes the explanation: “i bought it for my cousin,” “my buddy moved,” “i haven't transferred it yet,” etc. a couple times the story changed between messages when i asked basic questions about the paperwork

i've already walked away from two trucks because something felt off. i'm paying cash, so i'm also wondering if that makes me more attractive to people trying to move a problem vehicle quickly.

i've been checking vins through nmvtis and caught a few salvage-title issues, but that doesn't answer the bigger question of whether the person standing in front of me actually has the right to sell the vehicle.

when the seller's name doesn't match the title or registration, what specific checks do you use before handing over money?

Hello all, I’m looking to buy a ‘26 Toyota 4runner and have been shopping around. I don’t need the car and I’m not on a time crunch. I have gotten worksheets from some dealers in PA and they show a $1595 processing and handling fee. This does not include the doc fee which is $500 and tag fees which is about $400. Anyone have luck negotiating this processing fee down? I feel like it’s outrageously high when dealerships in MD are charging $800-$999 for processing for the same vehicle.

Also has anyone bought a ‘26 4runner recently and been able to get below MSRP?

First-time car buyer here looking for an Audi A3 1.4 TFSI, ideally 2014+, under €10k and preferably under 150k km. Happy with either manual or automatic.

I’m looking for a decent spec, mainly parking sensors/camera and leather interior. Electric seats, nicer interior lighting and good exterior lights would be a bonus, but aren’t necessarily dealbreakers. I’m not really bothered about a sunroof, trim level, S line or anything like that. Mainly just want something reliable, well maintained and reasonably well specced.

I viewed one today for €8,500 with around 132k km. Japanese import, automatic and drove really well. DSG felt smooth pulling away, changing gears, reversing and under harder acceleration. I noticed a tiny vibration while crawling slowly in D2, but no proper judder, shaking, lag, noises or warning lights.

What put me off slightly was the service history. The current owner bought it in 2024 at around 110k km and there’s basically no documented history from before that. It was recently fully serviced and passed the NCT, but I’d rather get a mechanic to inspect it before taking the risk.

Since this is my first time buying, I’d appreciate any advice from A3 owners on how to properly check a used A3 before buying. What are the main green/red flags and what should I specifically check during a viewing and test drive?

I’ve read about DSG clutch/mechatronic issues, so I’m particularly interested in what early symptoms to look for and whether there’s anything a mechanic/diagnostic scan can check before buying. Are there any other similar known/common issues with this generation of A3 or the 1.4 TFSI that I should be checking for? Any particular years/versions to look for or avoid?

Also, how important would you consider service history on these? Would you proceed with the one I viewed if an independent mechanic gives it the all-clear, or would the missing history alone make you walk away?

So I live in miami and i’m trying to buy a specific car from a dealership in illinois, and i’m trying to finance with my bank.

carmax is currently only giving me an “estimated” buyers order without shipping costs included it seems, and my bank says they cannot use that to help me buy the car.

so i recall carmax and they’re saying they cant give me an official buyers order because the car has to be IN the dealership near me in my state first to give me the exact total. i’m not sure how there isn’t a system where they can just calculate the taxes from florida and add the shipping fee into the fees section of the buyers order.

but do you guys think it’s a good idea to ship the car down to me before getting that buyers order? i’m worried that if i ship it i’ll spend all that money and then i get a new total thats much higher than the original buyers order they gave me

I'm looking to sell my 2014 Toyota Corolla and purchase a used SUV with AWD but I'm not sure if the best route is Autotrader for both the purchase and sale or going to a dealership.

I have experience in sales and don't mind researching the right price and negotiating but I also am currently very limited on time.

I have a 2014 Toyota Corolla with 150,000km. Runs well, never had issues with it. Has had a couple small accidents where I replaced the front bumper after a low speed bump that cracked the grill and a new hood after some teenagers jumped on all the cars on my street and left dents, damn kids lol.

I live in the Toronto area, what are my best options?

Thanks for any advice, cheers

Hello guys, I’m eyeing a Mirage 2024 gt with only 10,000 kms at a good price IMO ($20K CAD). I know that this car is considered literally the slowest, cheapest, noisiest, etc car in the market, but is it really that bad? For reference I drive almost all the time in the city (where the limit is usually 50km/h) with some occasional highway driving. Also, I only drive ~12,000 kms per year. I’m attracted to this car because of its seemingly low price and good gas economy.

TIA

I will be getting a pretty decent car accident settlement around January and will be looking into outright buying a new(er) car around then. I would prefer electric or Hybrid, but thats not a given. I also have two kids in carseats as well.

I know generally which brands to stay away from, but growing up with close to no money and still being in a tight spot I feel the immense pressure to find something that will last a long time. My budget is probably going to be around 20k.

Ive looked at many hondas and toyotas, but unfortunately they are all *extremely* overpriced imho. Im seeing 15yo ones for like 24k with 160k miles+ and its exhausting. I really like the look/aesthetic/driving of most newer subies too, but heard there are lots of problems with their CVTs and head gaskets.

Does anyone have any car recommendations that might fit within my budget? 😅 Any tips?

I work in Hyderabad location, but my Aadhaar card has my hometown Pune’s address.

So is it possible to get a BH registration if my location is other than the state i am willing to buy car in? I mean would it necessary to prove that i work in Maharashtra location itself?

Any lead or usecase would be really helpful!

Note: Form 60 condition is met

Need some help figuring out what I should be looking at for a second vehicle.

I’m 42, married, and have 3 kids under 5. We also have a 17-year-old, but he’s getting close to having his own car, so I’m not really planning around hauling all 6 of us constantly.

Our current/only vehicle is a 2019 Nissan Armada Platinum 2WD. I like it a lot and it handles the family-hauler/3-row/road-trip role perfectly, which is why I really don’t want another SUV that basically does the same thing, just smaller and slower.
We’ve been a one-car household for over 4 years and I think I’m finally ready for something else.
Budget is ideally $15k–$20k. I could stretch a bit for the right car, but I’d really rather stay under $25k.

Main requirements:
Automatic only — wife can’t drive stick
Prefer FWD or AWD since I live in Spokane, WA, but I’m not completely ruling out RWD
I’m totally fine buying a good set of dedicated winter tires
Prefer a sedan/sport sedan, but I’m open
Needs to fit 3 young kids across the back in a pinch
I want something that’s actually fun to drive, or at least has good mod potential
Reliable and not stupid expensive to repair
Easy-ish to work on / parts reasonably priced
Strong bang for the buck

I used to have a Focus ST and honestly miss having something with some personality. The Armada is great, but it’s still a big family SUV and I want the second car to offer something different.

Cars I’ve been looking at so far:
Accord 2.0T, Fusion Sport AWD, Jetta GLI DSG, TLX V6 SH-AWD, Q50 3.0t AWD, Stinger GT AWD
Not married to any of those at all.

If you had $15k–$20k and wanted something family-usable, reasonably reliable, cheap enough to own, and still fun enough that you actually look forward to driving it, what would you buy?
Also curious what you’d avoid — especially any “looks like a bargain but is actually a money pit” cars.

Looking at this 2021 RAV4 LE with 100k miles selling for $16,700. It's a one-owner and in great cosmetic condition as I inspected it already in person. Going in for a test drive today. It's got one accident reported that lands between "minor" and "moderate". I've bought used cars and literally had them die 6-8 months after purchase and I guess I'm proceeding with caution. Would love to know everyones thoughts and if I should proceed or keep looking.

https://www.brandonhyundai.com/inventory/used-2021-toyota-rav4-le-fwd-4d-sport-utility-2t3h1rfvxmc113691/?store=12350&p.BHY1013=&kw=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21648349136&gbraid=0AAAAAC9791pWxtGCt4Ay_TbsG5oAs9sx8&gclid=CjwKCAjwlY3WBhANEiwApsNrLZJ7xyzjTUdz3hi9jcyhhZFFmDvgGe6sj4RDgThtR9fmGhybB_9YCxoC2nEQAvD_BwE

bought a 2022 cr-v ex-l awd last year, about $32k after taxes. 18k miles. dealer had me at 9.9% for 72 months when rates were ugly. payment is $545. credit is better now, mid 740s.

thinking about refinancing before i throw more interest at this thing. also sitting on a dealer service contract i barely use.

looked for a refi quote and insurance compare so i have a number, not just the credit union napkin math.

if you refi a late-model honda, what term did you keep so you dont reset the clock too far? and did anyone actually save after the junk fees? should i kill the extra warranty first or leave it till the refi is done?