Hey all - This is my first post on the forum - I stumbled upon you guys by Googling. I am interested in buying an Accord Coupe (an upgrade from my old Civic Si), but I do not know what to look for and what to watch out for.

I would really like to get a 2004 - 2006 Accord EX Coupe V6-6MT, but they all seem to be around $19,000 in this area (with some above $20,000, which is insane in my opinion). I stumbled across a company in Virginia that has two 2005 EX V6-6MT for around $14,000 (with about 25,000 - 26,000 miles each). I called them up and asked them why the price was what it was, and they said because they are a wholesaler. I do not know what that means, but I did not push it any further. They have a lot of other vehicles as well - some Accord sedans, a Pilot or two, a Scion, some Acuras, et cetera. They did not have maintenance records for either of the 2005 coupes they have, but I am thinking I can run a Carfax to determine where the car was sold (perhaps it was serviced where it was bought or around there). With that, I might be able to piece together the maintenance records myself.

From the few pictures of the car on their site, it looks like it has a Virginia Inspection tag in the windshield. So either it was just inspected and passed, or the original owner had the car inspected, and that is the existing sticker. From the free Carfax I ran against it, it said the car had one owner, it was always in Virginia, and the basic stuff checked out (odometer rollback and all of that). It said no accidents or airbag deployments too, but I gather I cannot really trust that.

This is my first time buying a used car, and I am not sure what to look for. I am pretty sure they would let me drive the car to a local mechanic, but since I am not from Virginia (I live in Maryland), they would probably not let me take the car across the border to the mechanic I know. So I was thinking of taking it to the local Honda dealer down there. I also know next to nothing about what to look for when I go down there and test drive the car and inspect it visually.

So my question is, should I drop the $30 to get the Carfax for both cars (despite what people say about it being so unreliable)? Or should I just avoid this whole thing altogether given the price is so low? Also, if I do decide to pursue this, what are some tell-tale signs that something is wrong and I should run away? I read the thread on what if the price is too good to be true, but I am still left wondering (especially with all of the problems with Carfax).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, since this is a big purchase, and I want to get it right.

Thanks a lot

-- Oxygen

ehh. carfax can only show so much, ive had a friend do my car before. You don't get much out of it. Your best bet is to go and test drive it and maybe bring it to a honda dealer to fully inspect it.

I stumbled across a company in Virginia that has two 2005 EX V6-6MT for around $14,000 (with about 25,000 - 26,000 miles each). I called them up and asked them why the price was what it was, and they said because they are a wholesaler.
-- Oxygen

I'll bet you found these vehicles, which are on autotrader: AT-D9D086F & AT-D9D08F4. They may be too good to be true, like these: AT-D98E17B & AT-D816F59

The problem with the "Wholesale" argument is that wholesale is what THEY pay to get their vehicles. No matter what, they are in it to make money.

I'd be highly suspicious, but I'd check it it out if you don't live too far away. Call the BBB, Google the dealer to find complaints, and DEFINITELY pay for an inspection. $100 to $200 to inspect a $15,000 purchase is insignificant compared to the piece of mind you'll get. If it checks out, pay very close attention to the paperwork, get your own financing and don't get talked in to 'extras' like insurance and warranties.

If it doesn't check out, print the ads and use them as a negotiating tool on a better car.

At least that's what I plan to do when I'm ready.

Yup - those are the cars. I am thinking I am going to save up some more money and buy one from a more reputable source (like a certified used one or perhaps a private party that is cool with me taking it to a mechanic I know). The Civic still has a little life left in it I think (it is an 89 - it has been around a while), so the need for something new is not absolutely immediate.

Thanks a lot for the response - it confirmed what has been going on in my head. I am thinking that spending a few thousand dollars for peace of mind would be worth it. I found a bunch of other Accords from dealers (some certified, some not) which were $17,000 - $19,000 - it might be worth trying to see if I can negotiate anything with them.

Thanks again!

-- Oxygen

As Digital mentioned, a Carfax is something I would not use as a decision maker and I would not pay for one either. If it's free then so be it.

I don't know if it will be that easy to take the car to a mechanic or Honda dealer to have it checked out. If you are dealing with a private car lot they might not let you "borrow" it long enough for you to do this. I'm not too sure a used car dealership would allow this either although I could be wrong.

If you can make a friend at your local Honda dealer, you might be able to get some assistance from them by checking the VIN number in their data base for records. They could check the history to see if any recalls have been completed and any other maintenance records they might have on file. They won't give you any information on previous owner, but they might fill you in on some of the blanks on the cars history.

Since this is new to you and I'm guessing that deciphering maintenance or mechanical issues is not something you are comfortable with, I would recommend taking someone along with you who is good at looking over a vehicle. Maybe a friend or mechanic that you are on good terms with would go along with you. Heck, just tell them it’s a road trip. I’ve had several friends and family members who have borrowed a few hours of my day to help them with this.

Some things to pay attention to when you do look at one are:

1. Listen very carefully to the car running. Do you hear any knocking or ticking? A slight ticking around the intake is usually the injectors which is normal. Any hard knocking is usually a bad sign. Listen for squeals as well. Not only do you want to hear it at start up, but let it sit idling for a bit and check again for noises. Listen to the exhaust. Does it sound like it is missing?

2. Check the fit and finish. Look carefully at the seams of the body parts. Do they match up properly? Misalignments could indicate body work. Look for overspray. Check under the hood for paint overspray. A lot of body shops don’t take the time to fully mask off a work area before painting fenders and hoods and this usually gets on engine components. This a sure sign of body work.

3. Drive-train. Inspect this carefully. Look under the car. Check the suspension parts for worn or failing components. Check the uni-body frame rails. Make sure none of them have creases. This will indicate frame work and you want to stay away from those. Check the tires. Are they balding in spots, sides, or feathering? Could be signs of an alignment problem.

These are just a few of the major things to look for. I hope this helps you a little in checking one over. Good luck in you purchase.

go certified-used. you get a 12-month 12k bumper-to-bumper (from the day you purchase) and 7years/100k powertrain coverage (from then the car was first bought new).

I think the car must be <5 years old and have less than 80k miles.

If you find a used honda that meets the criteria on a Honda dealer's used car lot, they can certify it for $600 if not already done. I got brand new floor mats, transmission fluid changed, new wiper blades, and resurfaced rotors.

Wholesale dealers buy the cars that new car dealers wouldn't sell on their lots usually.

We were going to trade in my godmothers Odyssey this weekend and they flat out told us they would be selling it to a wholesale dealer because of an accident.

Hey all - This is my first post on the forum - I stumbled upon you guys by Googling. I am interested in buying an Accord Coupe (an upgrade from my old Civic Si), but I do not know what to look for and what to watch out for.

I would really like to get a 2004 - 2006 Accord EX Coupe V6-6MT, but they all seem to be around $19,000 in this area (with some above $20,000, which is insane in my opinion). I stumbled across a company in Virginia that has two 2005 EX V6-6MT for around $14,000 (with about 25,000 - 26,000 miles each). I called them up and asked them why the price was what it was, and they said because they are a wholesaler. I do not know what that means, but I did not push it any further. They have a lot of other vehicles as well - some Accord sedans, a Pilot or two, a Scion, some Acuras, et cetera. They did not have maintenance records for either of the 2005 coupes they have, but I am thinking I can run a Carfax to determine where the car was sold (perhaps it was serviced where it was bought or around there). With that, I might be able to piece together the maintenance records myself.

From the few pictures of the car on their site, it looks like it has a Virginia Inspection tag in the windshield. So either it was just inspected and passed, or the original owner had the car inspected, and that is the existing sticker. From the free Carfax I ran against it, it said the car had one owner, it was always in Virginia, and the basic stuff checked out (odometer rollback and all of that). It said no accidents or airbag deployments too, but I gather I cannot really trust that.

This is my first time buying a used car, and I am not sure what to look for. I am pretty sure they would let me drive the car to a local mechanic, but since I am not from Virginia (I live in Maryland), they would probably not let me take the car across the border to the mechanic I know. So I was thinking of taking it to the local Honda dealer down there. I also know next to nothing about what to look for when I go down there and test drive the car and inspect it visually.

So my question is, should I drop the $30 to get the Carfax for both cars (despite what people say about it being so unreliable)? Or should I just avoid this whole thing altogether given the price is so low? Also, if I do decide to pursue this, what are some tell-tale signs that something is wrong and I should run away? I read the thread on what if the price is too good to be true, but I am still left wondering (especially with all of the problems with Carfax).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, since this is a big purchase, and I want to get it right.

Thanks a lot

-- Oxygen

First note, before you head to the dealer, search on google and www.howstuffworks.com for buying new vehicles. Theres two articles, while I can't name the latter, that gives buyers the difference between getting scamed, such as one person did on an earlier thread and getting a new car without worries and full of happy faces.

Oh! On top thing before you do test drives. Photo copy your drivers license and right on it: "The government.............................department fines dealer ships 2,500 dollars for unauthorized credit report checks"

Don't pay for carfax look right here on this site.

http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13963

I would really like to get a 2004 - 2006 Accord EX Coupe V6-6MT, but they all seem to be around $19,000 in this area (with some above $20,000, which is insane in my opinion). -- Oxygen

I found 7 EX V6 manuals from 2003-2004 ranging from $15,147 - $17,599.

The good thing about Carmax is that they'll transfer the car to where ever you are located for a small fee. BTW, you mentioned a Virginia dealer, but didn't specify your area.

Good luck!