Should I buy this vehicle? Lease return + Auto Auction
05-21-2017, 06:46 AM
#1
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Should I buy this vehicle? Lease return + Auto Auction
Hey all!
In the market for a lightly used S3 and noticed this vehicle is sitting at a used car dealer (very well regarded) about 2 hours away from me in DC. I am going to make them an offer, i believe, but the carfax report is giving me pause. The vehicle only has 1,300 miles on it and seems like it was sold as a personal lease and then turned back in 2 months later, THEN subsequently sold at auto auction and transported a couple thousand miles to this dealer. Since the vehicle basically still has the remainder of its factory warranty intact, how concerned would you be with purchasing the car? The interior and exterior are immaculate. The dealer has had the car for about 60 days, so I wonder if other perspective buyers are concerned about the same issue.
Detailed History
Owner 1
Purchased: 2016
Type: Personal lease
Where: Florida
Est. length owned: 12/28/16 -
3/2/17
(2 months)
Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
Not Reported NICB Vehicle manufactured
and shipped to original dealer
11/12/2016 5 Audi South Orlando
Orlando, FL
407-264-2945
autonation.com Vehicle offered for sale
11/15/2016 37 Audi South Orlando
Orlando, FL
407-264-2945
autonation.com Pre-delivery inspection completed
Washed/detailed washed/detailed
12/28/2016 48 Audi South Orlando
Orlando, FL
407-264-2945
autonation.com Vehicle sold
12/28/2016 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Orlando, FL
Title #0125785476 Vehicle purchase reported
Title issued or updated
Registration issued or renewed
First owner reported
Titled or registered as personal lease vehicle
Loan or lien reported
Vehicle color noted as Blue
01/19/2017 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Libertyville, IL
Title #0125785476 Title issued or updated
Loan or lien reported
Vehicle color noted as Blue
03/02/2017 Dealer Inventory Vehicle offered for sale
03/06/2017 1,418 Auto Auction
Florida Listed as a dealer vehicle
Vehicle sold at auction
Millions of used vehicles are bought and sold at auction every year.
03/13/2017 1,420 Dealer Inventory Vehicle offered for sale
04/04/2017 Audi Manufacturer Safety Recall issued
NHTSA #17V196
Recall # 69Q3 AIRBAG SYSTEM SOFTWARE
Staus: Remedy Available
Locate an authorized Audi dealer to obtain more information about this recall
+Learn more about this recall
05/21/2017 myCARFAX Manufacturer Recommended Maintenance Schedules
In the market for a lightly used S3 and noticed this vehicle is sitting at a used car dealer (very well regarded) about 2 hours away from me in DC. I am going to make them an offer, i believe, but the carfax report is giving me pause. The vehicle only has 1,300 miles on it and seems like it was sold as a personal lease and then turned back in 2 months later, THEN subsequently sold at auto auction and transported a couple thousand miles to this dealer. Since the vehicle basically still has the remainder of its factory warranty intact, how concerned would you be with purchasing the car? The interior and exterior are immaculate. The dealer has had the car for about 60 days, so I wonder if other perspective buyers are concerned about the same issue.
Detailed History
Owner 1
Purchased: 2016
Type: Personal lease
Where: Florida
Est. length owned: 12/28/16 -
3/2/17
(2 months)
Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
Not Reported NICB Vehicle manufactured
and shipped to original dealer
11/12/2016 5 Audi South Orlando
Orlando, FL
407-264-2945
autonation.com Vehicle offered for sale
11/15/2016 37 Audi South Orlando
Orlando, FL
407-264-2945
autonation.com Pre-delivery inspection completed
Washed/detailed washed/detailed
12/28/2016 48 Audi South Orlando
Orlando, FL
407-264-2945
autonation.com Vehicle sold
12/28/2016 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Orlando, FL
Title #0125785476 Vehicle purchase reported
Title issued or updated
Registration issued or renewed
First owner reported
Titled or registered as personal lease vehicle
Loan or lien reported
Vehicle color noted as Blue
01/19/2017 Florida
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Libertyville, IL
Title #0125785476 Title issued or updated
Loan or lien reported
Vehicle color noted as Blue
03/02/2017 Dealer Inventory Vehicle offered for sale
03/06/2017 1,418 Auto Auction
Florida Listed as a dealer vehicle
Vehicle sold at auction
Millions of used vehicles are bought and sold at auction every year.
03/13/2017 1,420 Dealer Inventory Vehicle offered for sale
04/04/2017 Audi Manufacturer Safety Recall issued
NHTSA #17V196
Recall # 69Q3 AIRBAG SYSTEM SOFTWARE
Staus: Remedy Available
Locate an authorized Audi dealer to obtain more information about this recall
+Learn more about this recall
05/21/2017 myCARFAX Manufacturer Recommended Maintenance Schedules
05-21-2017, 12:42 PM
#2
AudiWorld Super User
Seems like you're missing some data points - I can't think of any reason why this car would go all the way to an auction with such low miles. Gut reaction is to dig deeper or walk away.
05-21-2017, 01:33 PM
#3
The miles on it aren't a red flag given the age.
That it came back in so quickly off a lease isn't necessarily a red flag either -- repos happen (particularly in Florida).
BUT: how hard was it driven in those 1,400 miles if the owner didn't intend to keep it long term? And as you note, why did they take it to auction, rather than listing it as a CPO? I know that it costs the dealer money to CPO a car, but one this fresh would presumably have gone for enough to cover that.
Do you have the VIN on the car? You might call the dealership that originally sold it, and see if you get a sympathetic person in the service department to see if there's any records on it. You might even call the sales department, and see if one of the managers will talk to you. They washed their hands of the car when they put into the auction. They have nothing to lose or gain by giving you information -- unless they did something shady like taking a wrecked car or a buy back and dumping it into the system without any notations on the title. So if they tell you something, take it with a grain of salt.
If it were me I'd walk. Deals that look too good to be true usually are. The used cars I've had the best luck with have been purchased from their first dealers (with all the maintenance records), and have been purchased at the end of a standard lease term. Mileage has generally been irrelevant in how they've held up.
That it came back in so quickly off a lease isn't necessarily a red flag either -- repos happen (particularly in Florida).
BUT: how hard was it driven in those 1,400 miles if the owner didn't intend to keep it long term? And as you note, why did they take it to auction, rather than listing it as a CPO? I know that it costs the dealer money to CPO a car, but one this fresh would presumably have gone for enough to cover that.
Do you have the VIN on the car? You might call the dealership that originally sold it, and see if you get a sympathetic person in the service department to see if there's any records on it. You might even call the sales department, and see if one of the managers will talk to you. They washed their hands of the car when they put into the auction. They have nothing to lose or gain by giving you information -- unless they did something shady like taking a wrecked car or a buy back and dumping it into the system without any notations on the title. So if they tell you something, take it with a grain of salt.
If it were me I'd walk. Deals that look too good to be true usually are. The used cars I've had the best luck with have been purchased from their first dealers (with all the maintenance records), and have been purchased at the end of a standard lease term. Mileage has generally been irrelevant in how they've held up.
05-21-2017, 02:47 PM
#4
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Hey -
Thanks much for responding and at least letting me know I'm not overly suspicious - I do have the VIN and will def give Orlando Audi a call and see if I can track down any info. Here is the actual vehicle (let me know if this is against forum rules) - the reviews on the dealership are stellar - they really seem to stand by their products.
Pre-Owned 2017 Audi S3 Dynamic Tech NAV 4dr Car in Manheim #027447 | Manheim Imports
Thanks much for responding and at least letting me know I'm not overly suspicious - I do have the VIN and will def give Orlando Audi a call and see if I can track down any info. Here is the actual vehicle (let me know if this is against forum rules) - the reviews on the dealership are stellar - they really seem to stand by their products.
Pre-Owned 2017 Audi S3 Dynamic Tech NAV 4dr Car in Manheim #027447 | Manheim Imports
05-21-2017, 03:03 PM
#5
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It does seem odd that a car that new wouldn't end up back at an Audi dealer as a CPO. Generally, relatively new and low mileage cars are in high demand by new car dealerships so I'd definitely take that as a red flag as there must be some reason they didn't want it.
05-22-2017, 10:40 AM
#7
Could of been a dealer loaner car that was leased by them? Maybe it was stolen and not reported and maybe why it ended up at the auction?
I'd actually buy it if the dealer includes audicare and if you can, extended warranty or at least cpo the car for a better warranty. So if the car does have problems, you won't have to worry about it. If there are issues, and if you have a lemon law situation, you can just get a refund/new car. AOA most of the time is fairly reasonable if there enough issues surrounding the car and if bone stock.
I'd actually buy it if the dealer includes audicare and if you can, extended warranty or at least cpo the car for a better warranty. So if the car does have problems, you won't have to worry about it. If there are issues, and if you have a lemon law situation, you can just get a refund/new car. AOA most of the time is fairly reasonable if there enough issues surrounding the car and if bone stock.
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05-22-2017, 03:51 PM
#8
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So,
Interesting update for you all, I spent about 10 minutes chatting w/ the Audi of South Orlando about this vehicle, they could not have been more kind and helpful.
Long story short, they sold this guy the car and never saw it again - it did not sell back to an Audi dealership. He did say it still has AudiCare still attached to it, but also cautioned me that his gut tells him it was a repo and to make sure an Audi technician sees it before I buy it because certain unreported incidents could invalidate the warranty - he was even more concerned when I told him carfax had no info on the warranty.
Interesting update for you all, I spent about 10 minutes chatting w/ the Audi of South Orlando about this vehicle, they could not have been more kind and helpful.
Long story short, they sold this guy the car and never saw it again - it did not sell back to an Audi dealership. He did say it still has AudiCare still attached to it, but also cautioned me that his gut tells him it was a repo and to make sure an Audi technician sees it before I buy it because certain unreported incidents could invalidate the warranty - he was even more concerned when I told him carfax had no info on the warranty.
