When a person from a private party is selling a car for whatever reason, do they lie while doing so? How can you tell if the owner is lying, exaggerating or telling the truth about said vehicle. I am looking for a car because my Chrysler Town and Country got rear ended and insurance wrote it off.
Prolly more lies by omission than deliberate falsehoods. Assume that when someone is selling a car, it’s because there is a problem with it. And they are probably not going to tell you (because, you know, they want you to buy it) so you have to go find it.
Thats why you need a prepurchase inspection, dealer or private sale.
Do car owners lie when they sell their car?
Does a bear crap in the woods?
How can you tell if the owner is lying
Ask a lot of questions. Sometimes you can just verify for yourself. If he tells you he replaced the exhaust system, then get under the car and look at it. If you see a rusty mess with just some new tips on it then you know he's full of it.
But most of the time you can't tell, so just assume everything is a lie and plan for the worst, until verified, and you'll be fine.
That's why you've heard Scotty (and us) tell you a thousand times ... always get an inspection. Right?
I think you are really missing the salient point here though ... it makes absolutely no difference if the seller is a liar or scumbag, or just forgetful, ignorant, inexperienced, or whatever. It doesn't matter.
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The bottom line is that YOU are the one buying the car, right? Nobody in the entire universe is responsible for what you exchange your money for, and the decisions you make, except you. You are going to have to drive the car you buy, so be smart (at least smarter than the seller) and make the right choice. Psychoanalyzing the seller or his motivations is a rather pointless exercise. It could be the sweetest, most honest old lady on the entire planet, and you could still end up with a lemon.
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If I, MountainManJoe, am selling something, I'm not going to deliberately hide anything, but I'm not going to volunteer any information. You are the one buying and it's your job to get the information you need, and make sure you get what you expect, not mine. I don't know or care about what you need or are looking for. I couldn't possibly, and it's not my job. I know what I have and I did my job researching what it's worth, and I'm just here for the cash. They can look over my item all they want to find what they need, and I'll give short honest answers to questions that they can't answer themselves. But I'm not a mechanic. I'm just a guy selling a car. I'm not qualified to give expert mechanical opinions, and buyer should never assume that I even know what a muffler is. I don't know what you want, and the buyer shouldn't assume that I do. If you want to buy a jalopy, then it's not my place to stop you. It's not my problem if you can't tell the difference. I'm not your dad. That doesn't make me a bad person. It's just how the universe works.
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I'm going to put it very bluntly because it's a fact of life that I think many don't get:
You deserve exactly what you get. If you don't spot something, or you didn't ask the right questions, then you are the one who will have to live with it. Nobody else. You can point your finger all day long and it won't make one iota of difference, because it's on nobody else but you. So don't rely on, or take anything for granted. Not the government, not other people, nothing. Take responsibility for yourself and your actions. Be smart. Do your research. Knowledge and good sense is power , so arm yourself and you'll do well.
Yes there definitely are many instances in which owners lie about the car and the condition; I've heard lies that I hadn't heard from a dealership to that day. First red flag is if you ask them to bring the car to your mechanic for inspection and they say no. Check under the hood for stuff you can check yourself. While Carfax reports aren't always accurate but it's a good starting point as far as it was in a major accident. Check service records.
and in this crazy used car market there are even more problematic cars compared to before because people want to get the most out of their garbage car.
When a person from a private party is selling a car for whatever reason, do they lie while doing so?
Gee, I'd have to think about that one - what possible incentive would a person selling a car possibly have in lying to a prospective buyer... ??
Surely his top concern is to help ME out!
Is the Pope Catholic?
- Sometimes
