Would you buy a TDI from out of state un-seen?

[MyTDIRocks]

I turned in my beloved 2012 Jetta TDI SEL 6sp a couple of weeks ago and I've been looking steadily online since August for a 2015 TDI SEL 6sp (also Jetta) but I can't find any near me with specs I'm looking for. Those I find are all 900+ miles away. I don't have deep pockets so paying $16-$17K for a car plus shipping plus all the other fees that go along with it is not my idea of a good deal.

I have found a few in other states but I can't afford to fly out there to see the car & test drive it. Having driven my TDI for 6 1/2 yrs I know the car and how it feels. How much different can the exact same car in 2015 version be?

All that being said, would you buy a used TDI from a dealer (CPO) unseen and un-test-driven? I'm really reluctant to do so because I've seen a few bad reviews with dealers who were less than ethical and sold car with issues and then refused to make it right - but I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place if none of the dealers in my area will offer any.

Any thoughts or suggestions on this?

 

[flargabarg]

I bought my Touareg sight unseen as a CPO. Ask them to do a FaceTime with you, then put a deposit down and fly to the car. The CPO process is pretty good and the warranty is great.

 

[2010TDI]

Buying a CPO sight unseen should not be that big of an issue, it should be mechanically sound but you could/should at least ask for a Carfax, maintenance records for when they did the CPO inspection to see what they did to it, a copy of the CPO inspection form, and as many in-focus pictures as you need to judge the looks of the car.

With the CPO it seems like the biggest issues will be any/all cosmetic issues. They are not going to repair small scratches/dings/nicks etc. and things like that will be hard to judge from pictures. After cosmetic issues, I would say whether or not the car still has all the OEM equipment, you don't know what the person kept when they did the buyback and if the dealer took the time to figure it out and replace it.

You would hope a dealer would be willing to drive it to another shop to have a pre-purchase inspection done at your expense if you are worried about your last point, volume dealers might be less willing to work with you on something that takes time, but you don't know if you don't ask.

It also is a good idea to get an itemized copy of the out the door deal in writing before you make any moves on the car, find out what their documentation/dealer fee is and if they are passing on the CPO fee, etc., on top of the listing price.

 

[Mythdoc]

I agree with the other responses above. Taking sensible precautions and having done my research, I’d move ahead. What you are looking for is not easy to find just anywhere.

 

[akjdouglass]

If you are not a smoker, buying a car sight unseen leaves you with the risk of being stuck with a foul-smelling, trashy car that may otherwise be in top condition.

I drove several hours to look at a pair of low-mileage cars that appeared to be in excellent condition in the online pics. Mechanically both were as expected, but I didn't even need to drive the one with burn marks on the A-pillar and the perfume smelling interior. Those scents can only cover up the true smell for a short time.

 

[Yukon4Runner]

I’d advise against it.

Although it would be a CPO, this does not guarantee the condition of the body or the interior. You would need to rely on the dealership to accurately and honestly disclose any scratches, bumps or dings.

I just purchased a 2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI. I ended up buying from an out of state dealer but was able to travel there by train for $70.

I visited quite a few dealerships in driving range and found many TDIs with quite a bit of body scrapes and dings. Some of the damage looked like it might have been from shipping post “turn-in”. Also, one of them I test drove had clearly been abused pre turn in.

Good luck with your search!

 

[flargabarg]

There are mobile pre purchase inspection services available which will give you a detailed report of condition for about $200. If you want the highest confidence do one of those. They will have no interest in the car so the report should reveal most everything.

 

[06bluebeetletdi]

I would want to see what was done to the car as far as maintenance. I would read reviews for the dealer as well, you could also ask here about experiences with a particular dealer. I would not buy one from an independent dealer, the cpo warranty is too good to give up in my opinion.

 

[petetsai]

I'd be leery after going through a quick buying spree to replace my 2011 Jetta TDI SE with a 2015 CPO Jetta SEL. First dealership I went to had one in the color I wanted with 16,9k miles and CPO for $16500. I went on a very snowy day and drove over to look at it, car drove fine but I knew I would get a PPI if I was serious about getting it. Next day I drove back out, took the car friends shop and immediately he said there are big problems, drivers rear 1/4 had over 18 on the paint meter, should read 3-5 on a clean paint job. over 1/2 the panels had been resprayed on both sides and the entire front end. Were it just one panel I'm might have still considered the car, but after that I drove it right back to which this VW dealership manager made no apologies and just replied that its certified (which yes it was CPO and it had a clean carfax with low miles, but goes to show you that you can't trust things). Zero remorse for trying to sell a car with that level of paintwork and damage and they never did pull it from being listed. The next day after I drove to another VW dealership in Indiana and bought the exact same car with 0 defects and only 5300 miles on it after asking their staff to inspect the car for any paintwork which they did and said they couldn't see any. I took my shops Paint meter with me and tested every panel which came up at 3.5-4 everywhere. So I would be very much buyer beware because what the dealerships imply about a car being CPO and what they will sell you aren't inline. At the very least I would request your salesman go around with their paint meter and video it if they are willing to stand behind the idea the car has no damage.

 

[flargabarg]

Sometimes cars are repainted at the factory. A paint meter does not necessarily indicate anything negative. It is your right to skip them, of course.

 

[unique_name]

I turned in my beloved 2012 Jetta TDI SEL 6sp a couple of weeks ago and I've been looking steadily online since August for a 2015 TDI SEL 6sp (also Jetta) but I can't find any near me with specs I'm looking for. Those I find are all 900+ miles away. I don't have deep pockets so paying $16-$17K for a car plus shipping plus all the other fees that go along with it is not my idea of a good deal.
I have found a few in other states but I can't afford to fly out there to see the car & test drive it. Having driven my TDI for 6 1/2 yrs I know the car and how it feels. How much different can the exact same car in 2015 version be?
All that being said, would you buy a used TDI from a dealer (CPO) unseen and un-test-driven? I'm really reluctant to do so because I've seen a few bad reviews with dealers who were less than ethical and sold car with issues and then refused to make it right - but I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place if none of the dealers in my area will offer any.
Any thoughts or suggestions on this?

traded my 12 for a 15 that was in another state. saw the pics online, called and spoke with the salesguy about it and asked him to take and send me some more pics. then i drove to see it and bought it. a couple more twists and turns before i could pick it up because i then scheduled my buyback with the same dealership for a couple weeks later. the out of state dealership was very accommodating and great to work with.
as far as a car comparison, i loved the 12 but i have to say, after putting 40k on the 15, i feel it drives smoother and it's better on fuel. if you liked your 12, the 15 is an upgrade.

 

[eddieleephd]

I would find a guru in the area and party then $20 to call and tell me if it's worth anything, might cost another $40 for mechanical review. At least with a guru, or possibly other forum member, you are sure they know what the heck they're talking about.

Sent from my Armor_2 using Tapatalk

 

[MyTDIRocks]

Thanks everybody for your input and suggestions!

Most of these cars I'm finding are 900+ miles away. Flying out there and driving back is not an option unfortunately (believe me, if I could, I would).

eddieleephd: Love your idea of finding an expert in the area and paying them to check the car out - why didn't I think of that? I just might consider that, hopefully they'll be honest.

Unique_name: Thanks for letting me know that you prefer the 2015 version - very reassuring esp. since I was in love with my 2012.

Overall, I'm well aware that CPO doesn't guarantee that the dealer isn't hiding something. I've been reading reviews from the dealerships and it's always a mixed bag hence the apprehension but with the necessary precautions, I'm going to have faith that I'll find something.

 

[andreigbs]

As an option, consider using Carvana. They'll deliver the car to you, and if you're not pleased you can return it within 7 days for a full refund.

That's the route we took and our 2014 Jetta TDI "Premium" was a great experience.

YMMV

 

[sootchucker]

bought my 2015 golf SEL from the auction unseen other than the inspection report. as described

be careful buying from dealers sight unseen...... do not recommend.

 

[MyTDIRocks]

As an option, consider using Carvana. They'll deliver the car to you, and if you're not pleased you can return it within 7 days for a full refund.
That's the route we took and our 2014 Jetta TDI "Premium" was a great experience.
YMMV

Funny, I've been looking on Carvana on and off for months and my search always came up empty (no cars matching my search). I might have to keep trying. I like the idea of the return policy with full refund. Do they refund the shipping cost too? (wouldn't that be nice )

 

[andreigbs]

No refund on shipping, no.

And I had to tweak my search to find them too. In some cases, not spelling out "TDI" or "diesel" in the keyword search helped. Then I could refine using the filters on the left side where you can select fuel type. Instead of "gas, electric, or hybrid," select "other."

This should bring up all diesels. Doing it this way just now brings up pages and pages of VW TDIs (and other diesels).

 

[upsbroke]

Cpo

I purchased my '13 CPO JSW with 57k miles which was in very nice condition inside and out. When I got home and put it up on my four post lift, I was very surprised to see a lot of rust on the underneath suspension. As a result, I spent the weekend wire brushing rust and undercoating afterward. Lesson learned.

 

[SoCalJT]

I recently bought my '12 JSW TDI with 61k on it out of state... I flew from SoCal to Portland, OR and then drove it home. Wasn't easy finding a '12-14 white manual black interior jsw with a sunroof.

Used car lot, they took it to have it inspected for me at shop of my choice (only way I'll buy a car sight unseen... as I've bought many out of state) and the owner told me if I got there and for any reason I didn't want to buy it for what we agreed on, then he'd pay for my plane ticket there and back.

So far, have put about 4k miles on it and has been a great car.

 

[bizzle]

Getting the seller's skin in the game seems to be one of the factors for increased success. The dealership I got my buddy's golf from came out of AZ but we meet them on the border, which was nearly a three hour one way trip and two vehicles for them. Cuts down on the shenanigans.

 

[rams2500]

I would recommend going to see it. I just flew 900 miles to buy my 2015 passat. 43,000 miles. Looked at a couple near me but wasn't what I wanted. I was surprised how many flaws these cars can have being so young. I really wanted a 6sp manual. Mine was a cpo car. Figured it was a pretty low risk trip but I was surprised when I drove it. Needed front rotors. Not a big deal but not thrilled about working on a car I just bought that's certified. Don't know if that was pencil whipped but I wasn't gonna let that scare me away. And over the weekend so no service help. Overall I'm pleased with the experience but just be careful out there. My brother lived nearby so that made the trip more worthy to me as well. Good luck!