shortened this story:

So I found an orig owner one on CL and looked at it on monday night, drove it around the block and came back, seemed fine to me but it was dark out and it was hurried.

I go back and see it on tue and looked ok cosmetically, then negotiated back and fourth and bought it, it had some service records for it. I go back tue night and go pick it up and form a 4th gear roll at 35MPH, noticed clutch started to slip, I was like damn!!!!

Then I made a few threads asking for shops and reasonable prices and they all seemed to be around $750ish.

So I go to smog it today, and driving there, I start smelling the oil burning from the engine compartment through the vents! I get to my smog guy and he says, yea I can't smog it its got a leak somewhere and not going to pass visual. I was like F*#&$^&!!!!

So I drove it back to the owner told her about the problem and told her when I bought it that I had wanted her to smog it and she did n't really wanted to so I said if it doesn't pass I am coming back.

After about 10 minutes, she agreed to give me my money back and wanted to write me a check, and I was hesitant on that, so she ended driving me to the bank since we both bank at the same place, and she refunded me minus $50 for a "rental" fee for me having the car sit in front of my house for 2 days!!!!!!

I was so relieved about this whole thing and I have bought a lot of cars before bit I have never returned a car to anyone!!!!! So lesson learned, from now on, If I ever buy from private party, I will make sure they give me a smog certificate!!!!!!! WHEWWWW!!!!!!

I don't even want to know how much it would have cost me to fix whatever oil leak coming from the turbo side of the engine bay and having to replace the clutch!!!!! I am not handy enough to do all that work by myself.

I got really lucky because she probably could have told me to sorry and closed to door on me!!!

 

she was supposed to smog the car BEFORE selling it. seller is responsible for that

California DMV Paperwork When Selling a Car | DMV.org

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1...smogfaq#BM2537

"California has very strict laws for vehicle inspections. As the seller, you are legally obligated to provide the buyer with a valid smog certificate at the time of sale. The buyer should be informed that smog certification is only valid for 90 days after the date it's issued."

 

What year and how much?

 

it was an 02 wrx wagon $6500

 

Lol...do I smell a buyer?!?

 

prob would be a good car for a person that can wrench on it

 

I think I would have gone back to her, and negotiated. Said "give me back 3250, and I keep the car. I will take it in and have it repaired and smoged."


That would have made the car a screaming value, and worth the investment of a new/used JDM engine and new clutch.

 

If both parties AGREE, the buyer can do the smog, but it has to be smogged in order to be transferred. If they don't have the smog cert already, then you need to ask that question. Anyone buying a used car should know this already. Live and learn.