Quote:
Originally Posted by rchase
The unfortunate reality is you can't predict the future. Cars break and its impossible to predict which ones will cost more to maintain. Mechanics inspections and service records are just as effective as waving a chicken bone over the roof and doing a voodoo dance for determining the future.
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Doing anything has risk involved. Buying an older car has a lot of risk involved. Good service records tell you not only what work was done, but who did the work and what level of quality was used. Then, the car's overall condition, the previous owner's personality, and the service records can give you a clearer picture of the life the vehicle has had in the past, which DOES minimize the risks you might face in the future.
Will an alternator or compressor fail? Possibly. But if the records show that an MB dealer put in all new AC parts within the past two years, then you've minimized more risk. Without records, you wouldn't know that. If the car was well-maintained, then it will last longer and perform better.
The risk is there, it always is, but mechanic's inspections and service records are not voodoo. They are a method of minimizing the risks you take when you buy an older car. If you buy the car and the failed compressor makes you feel like you got screwed because no one can see the future, then you didn't really understand and accept the risks of owning an older car in the first place - you should have bought a 2003 Toyota.
08-27-2006, 11:40 PM
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