Pre-purchase inspection - Vic.

[track_addict]

Yes I've seen that one forsale. I'd prefer a stock car as a clean slate and its much much easier to get a stock car rego'd. Thanks for sharing though!

[93_Clubman]

UVP is void once you reach the destination listed on it

UVP differ from state to state, but Vic UVP can (or did in 2011) be obtained without nominating a destination - you just need to stipulate the type you want when you apply for it.

Or where necessary list the address or suburb of SA Transport.

Also a well priced standard SE on Gumtree:
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/st-kilda ... 1026822101

[track_addict]

In SA it is void once you reach the destination. When I spoke with Service SA yesterday thats what the girl told me. SHe said If I can go past an inspection centre and get the rego sorted before heading to the address listed, then that's fine. It's a pain but not really a big deal.

That one looks good but I'd prefer a lower kms car. I'm being very picky with this purchase and (trying) to use my head not my heart, like I have with my past 3 cars haha.

[Mr Morlock]

I reckon using your head is a good plan. Getting a written inspection like RACV or SA etc can be very useful. Getting someone ie familiar with MX5's to drive a car around the block is useful but its well short of a proper inspection where you pay. Some might say that verbal advice is not worth the paper its written on. When i bought my car I had a known expert drive it but the car still had a faulty clutch- which I missed in a not longer enough drive- still no regrets love the year - I replaced the clutch. Incidentally the more MX5s you drive will give you an idea of how the cars should feel- same applies probably for any car.

Well done for checking the rules- " our" advice can be wrong and you can see the differing opinions. One thing to consider is that dealers are often a safer bet than privateers and with warranties and clear title .

Good luck

[93_Clubman]

In SA it is void once you reach the destination. When I spoke with Service SA yesterday thats what the girl told me. She said If I can go past an inspection centre and get the rego sorted before heading to the address listed, then that's fine. It's a pain but not really a big deal.

Don't doubt what she said, but she's familiar with SA UVP, not Vic ones - the point being a destination address doesn't have to be put on a Vic UVP.

Getting a written inspection like RACV or SA etc can be very useful. Getting someone ie familiar with MX5's to drive a car around the block is useful but its well short of a proper inspection where you pay.

So called proper inspections where you pay don't always come with a guarantee of accuracy or correctness, hence rely entirely on the assessor & their accuracy at the time. Worth noting & worth checking if you're expecting some sort of recourse if whatever car is purchased is a dud.

[Mr Morlock]

An RACV report is not a so called report - it is a report on condition and done by people deemed responsible and employed by the organisation. Its entirely up to the person who pays for the report to decide whether to proceed with the purchase and to be aware of what may require attention etc.

[fastfreddygassit]

An RACV report is not a so called report - it is a report on condition

Do you even know how the RACV conducts it's condition report?

The vehicle inspection is based on a visual external examination of components only.

It is no different to getting an experienced enthusiast to take it for a spin and have a look at it.
Bodywork can be assessed by eye, touch/feel, using a magnet on the ferrous panels.
Compression testers are cheap, look at the condition of the oil, check the service history, look for coolant leaks, use micrometers to check disc thickness....
And so on and so forth....There is enough information on the interweb to set up your own pre-purchase checklist.
Take your clutch issue. You could very well have discovered that if you tried to do a standing hill start in second gear.
That will indicate clutch slip.
But we are getting off-topic....

The original post was:

Looking at buying an SE from Victoria but I live in Adelaide. Is the RACV the best place to get an inspection done? Or are there other places/good mechanics who do as good a job? The car is being sold by the mechanic who says the car is A1 but I want an independent inspection done regardless. Last thing I want is to fly over and find out its a dud!

In my opinion the only MX5 pre-purchase report worth paying money for is from Dick Richey at the MX5 factory. I am disappointed that morlock is not advocating this
instead of the RACV report.

At the end of the Day, Ash is going to do whatever he wants. Having a second set of (impartial) eyes look at the car is always good
as they will not be blinded by "OMG its my new car" syndrome. Doing your research and finding out known trouble/issues with that
model will also help.
It may well be that he flies over and is disappointed once he checks it out.
It is a 9yr old second hand car. It is not going to be perfect.

*Disclaimer*
I bought my SE based on the condition report I received from Minx and Steampunk in QLD who test-thrashed my car for a few hours.
There is no substitute for an experienced enthusiasts opinion.
I also did my research. But I still allocated money for stuff that invariably goes wrong.

[track_addict]

I hear what you guys are saying about paying a motoring group to carry out an inspection versus doing a proper check yourself. FFG has kindly offered to check it out next week and if he thinks its as genuine as the seller is saying/not falling apart I'll more than likely get state roads to do an inspection (yet to speak to them about it). The seller isn't willing to drive to MX5 factory unfortunately since it will take a big chunk out of his day. Which I understand as he is trying to run a workshop at the same time.

I didn't get a chance to get a hold of Vic roads today so that still leaves the rego/uvp questions un-answered. But once I have spoken to them about that amoungst other things I'll post my findings.

I think at the end of the day, SE's are typically owned by older people and not stance idiots who hack cars up just to look cool. But that doesn't mean I should just jump on the first car I see.

[Mr Morlock]

I have not seen an RACV report for years but I have arranged it in the past and the reports were very good- have they changed? If the RACV cannot put together a worthwhile report I would be surprised but its possible. So maybe someone on the forum has had a report done recently by RACV or someone else in Melb.

Not everyone has much idea about car mechanics- I know plenty of enthusiasts that never do any work on their own cars .

Incidentally I never mentioned that my clutch was slipping - it was not. I am well aware of how to check for slipping clutches- thats one of the first things you learn when almost all cars were manuals and most were rockets because we could not afford anything better.- the expert missed it as well.

The transfer papers from Vicroads actually has an excellent check list of what both buyer and seller need to do.

[93_Clubman]

...done by people deemed responsible and employed by the organisation. Its entirely up to the person who pays for the report to decide whether to proceed with the purchase and to be aware of what may require attention etc.

Many stuff-ups are by people deemed responsible by organisations - it's called human error. Now that might come as a surprise to you, but it doesn't to most of us. If it's entirely up to the buyer & there's no guarantee of the thoroughness of the inspection & the accuracy of the report, then buyers need to be aware that they are not eliminating risk.

I have not seen an RACV report for years - have they changed?

It was either the RACV or the NRMA that a few years ago was found extremely wanting in relation to their vehicle inspections, when irrate customers purchased cars on the basis of the inspection & report, & then found the cars were duds. They also found they had no recourse to RACV/ NRMA as when the fine print was read no guarantee in relation to the inspection & report was offered.

[Mr Morlock]

Well if we believe all those things then there is no point any getting any reports or any drive tests etc because you cannot rely on any of them but someone who knows little about cars ,and no one can know it all,perhaps can just throw a dart I suppose. Risk can be reduced by taking the right measures. The Govt reduced the risks in buying cars by putting check processes in place and if people choose not to order the PPSR then so be it. Incidentally human error in business - manufacturing etc is improved by process and procedures- planes still fall out of the sky on human error but I am glad they have training and written processes.

[93_Clubman]

manufacturing etc is improved by process and procedures- planes still fall out of the sky on human error but I am glad they have training and written processes.

Indeed, there are often systems & processes to follow, but the problem is people don't always comply with them for various reasons. In 2007 Barbara Bennett, the then CEO Comcare, advised that a particular department had great systems & processes, but the problem was a lack of compliance by personnel.

[fastfreddygassit]

Deposit taken on car.
But not by our man.

[KevGoat]

Deposit taken on car.
But not by our man.

I always look on that as a "wasn't meant to be" moment ... often works out for the better

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk

[track_addict]

A bit disappointing but Kevgoat is right on the money. Just wasn't to be. Its only been 2.5 weeks of not having a 5 and I'm really, really missing it!

FWIW I remember reading on either an RACV or stateroads inspection that they give a 30 day guarantee the workings of the car. There would obviously be more involved but its better than nothing.