Trustworthy seller?

Asked by Feomatar Mar 26, 2017 at 08:17 PM about the 2009 Volkswagen Eos

Question type: Shopping & Pricing

Hi,
I'm a German PhD student wanting to buy my first car; I'm unexperienced with buying cars, especially in the US. I'm interested in buying a 2009 VW Eos, mileage 140k, from a private seller (found online). I met the guy today and had a test drive. The car looks great and drives well. However, I'm unsure about a few things:
- The seller's name is not on the title. He said it's his father-in-law's car. However, the name on the title is female. He said it's his father-in-law's ex-wife, who got it after their divorce. The title transfer to this woman was just 2 months ago.
- He showed me a mechanics report, done 2 days ago, which however looks really unprofessional. It does make sense, though (it said the front tires are a safety issue, which the seller didn't mention to me, but definitely seems to be the case)
- He will try to find documentation about past repairs, however is unsure if he will be able to get it
- the price (5000, negotiated down fairly easily to 4600) seems low for a nice car like that. He said he has interested buyers, so why did he easily lower the price?
- He also suggested to put down a lower selling price on the title so that the sales tax will be lower.

I'm sorry about being distrustful, but I'm just uncertain as its my first buying experience. I would appreciate your feedback!

Thanks,
Philipp

7 Answers

Thanks for your answer. Could you please elaborate? The garage that did the report is actually reputable (tons of positive reviews). Would you say I should not buy even if another garage would confirm that the car is fine?

The title issue tells me there is funny business going on. The car may be stolen.

1 people found this helpful.

Tell them you want to transfer title at the DMV!

1 people found this helpful.

Thanks F_O_R! Speaking of "stolen" - how could I ever be sure a private seller doesn't come to my place and access the car with a spare key?

13,440

this sounds like a flipper selling a car he bought from someone else who left the title blank, run a carfax on the car

Your Answer:

Eos

Looking for a Used Eos in your area?

CarGurus has 331 nationwide Eos listings starting at $4,800.

ZIP:

Own this car?

Share your experience with others.

2009 Volkswagen Eos

Review another car

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Scott Sr.
    Reputation
    160
  • #2
    Kelly Mayo
    Reputation
    80
  • #3
    Gary Trexler
    Reputation
    70
View All

Know more, shop wisely

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Volkswagen Beetle
145 Great Deals out of 1,703 listings starting at $1,500
Used BMW 3 Series
1,135 Great Deals out of 12,792 listings starting at $996
Used Jeep Wrangler
3,216 Great Deals out of 58,825 listings starting at $2,700
Used Volkswagen Golf GTI
143 Great Deals out of 3,874 listings starting at $2,995
Used Ford Mustang
923 Great Deals out of 22,585 listings starting at $783
Used MINI Cooper
362 Great Deals out of 5,663 listings starting at $875
Used Volkswagen Passat
339 Great Deals out of 4,217 listings starting at $800
Used Volkswagen CC
35 Great Deals out of 518 listings starting at $650
Used Volkswagen Jetta
672 Great Deals out of 17,354 listings starting at $1,600
Used Volkswagen Tiguan
919 Great Deals out of 23,907 listings starting at $925
Used Honda Accord
1,487 Great Deals out of 29,326 listings starting at $500
Used Toyota Camry Solara
31 Great Deals out of 386 listings starting at $2,500

Used Cars for Sale

2016 Volkswagen Eos For Sale
17 listings starting at $12,450
2015 Volkswagen Eos For Sale
27 listings starting at $8,532
2014 Volkswagen Eos For Sale
31 listings starting at $7,999
2013 Volkswagen Eos For Sale
5 Great Deals out of 48 listings starting at $6,495
2012 Volkswagen Eos For Sale
91 listings starting at $5,995

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.