Used car still under warranty- will they fix engine vibration sounds? (best, buy)

[Workaholic?]

I am in the market for a used car. I have decided to purchase a used car that is still under warranty so I can get it fixed by the dealer for the first year or so.

Here is my dilemma: Many of the used cars I have been test driving seem fine but when I stop at a stop light I notice they idol roughly or have a vibration sound coming from under the hood. The dealer sales person who is driving with me first tells me that I am imagining the sound and he does not hear anything. Then when pressed he said, well yes, I hear something but don't worry if it bothers you in the future the car is still under warranty, they will fix it.

But will they? It is not a repair of something that has broken down, but instead, it is a vibration sound, or a sense on my part that the idling is rough. What will they say if I complain about vibration sounds and try to get it fixed as part of the 36000 mile bumper to bumper warranty?

[BookerEast]

run the carfax. it will tell you about the details of the warranties, if it applies only to the original buyer or not etc or you can just google it

[bobman]

Are you serious ??

You are thinking about buying a car with what you perceive to be a fault ?
And certainly you should never listen to the salesaman. They'll promise you everything to conclude the sale.

I think you might be looking at the wrong cars if all of them have the same problem.

Try test driving some more, even ones which are out of your price range. If they all still have the same fault, then it's likely you are imagining it.

If not, then walk on. Try anoth er dealer.

[Workaholic?]

Good reply but that does not really answer my question. What if the irritating vibration noise happened after I bought the car but it was still under warranty. Because I can't prove something is actually broken, it is just an irritating sound, would the dealer fix it at their expense as part of the warranty?

Originally Posted by bobman

Are you serious ??

You are thinking about buying a car with what you perceive to be a fault ?
And certainly you should never listen to the salesman. They'll promise you everything to conclude the sale.

I think you might be looking at the wrong cars if all of them have the same problem.

Try test driving some more, even ones which are out of your price range. If they all still have the same fault, then it's likely you are imagining it.

If not, then walk on. Try anoth er dealer.

[jambo101]

That salesman will tell you anything to allay your worries,then once you buy the car he will all of a sudden remember nothing about that concern you had on the test drive.
Walk away from this one and find something that has no noticeable problems. Take any potential car you want to buy to an independent mechanic for a total check up,might cost $75 but its money well spent as buying a problematic car can cost thousands in repair bills..If the car seller refuses to let you take a car to an independent mechanic? walk away..
Craigslist for your area will be the best place to look for a car, avoid dealers and used car lots,
Buying private is the best option as regular people selling a car arent necessarily out to make a profit and you can tell a lot by the demeanor of the seller.buy from some one who has taken care of the car and preferably has records of maintenance.

[bobman]

It depends what's making the noise.

If it's a serious defect, then possibly, but if not, then no, I think it's unlikely you'll be covered.

Best bet, if you don't know about cars, find someone who does and take them with you and have them look over the car for you. Alternatively, make rrangements to take the car to an independent to have it checked over

When you buy a car, used or new, you can never be 100% sure it doesn't have faults.

Just remember the golden rule. If in doubt, walk away.
Even if you have to look at 200 cars to get the right one, it's better than buying the wrong one in a rush

See the other thread in this forum about Carfax too, it's possible that things will not be recorded on a Carfax.

Originally Posted by Workaholic?

Good reply but that does not really answer my question. What if the irritating vibration noise happened after I bought the car but it was still under warranty. Because I can't prove something is actually broken, it is just an irritating sound, would the dealer fix it at their expense as part of the warranty?

[motormaker]

Originally Posted by Workaholic?

Good reply but that does not really answer my question. What if the irritating vibration noise happened after I bought the car but it was still under warranty. Because I can't prove something is actually broken, it is just an irritating sound, would the dealer fix it at their expense as part of the warranty?

Tell them fix the problem and then You will talk about buying.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by motormaker

Tell them fix the problem and then You will talk about buying.

Correct. You by it and bring it in with your complaint and they will say it's perfectly normal. When the engine dies prematurely after the warranty is up you have to pay for a new one or rebuild. Minor noises usually mean a big problem down the road but are hard to prove to a warranty service writer.

[walter curtiss]

all gas engines have vibrations the fan blade changes pitch when driving or standing still on older cars ,newer ones have a electric drive cooling fan.90 % of salespeople are honest if your buying car fax thats a joke,publicity the reports have such a lag time and all repairs mech or damage are not allways reported.if it's a issue take a pass.get a new one the interest rates are lower.

[johnfrisco]

Forget about this dealership. They sound shady!