They say that if a deal sounds too sweet, think twice. This is the most underrated saying when it comes to buying cars. If someone is selling you a vehicle less than its market value, it might be due to two things. It's a distress sale, and they are looking to solve a financial problem, or they are simply looking to get rid of the car due to a terminal issue.
Sam of Samcrac's YouTube channel knows this too well. He's been a victim of such before, but as the saying goes, 'old habits die hard.'
Recently, a viewer contacted him about selling a twin-turbo V10 VW Touareg for $5,000. Its current market value is anywhere between $15,000 to $33,000. While it was too good of a deal to pass, there was a problem. His fan lives 2,000 miles (3,218 kilometers) away.
They struck a deal. If he drives the car all the way from Arizona to Florida (approximately 2,000 miles), Sam will pay for his air ticket back home.
If you know anything about old European cars like the VW Touareg, they come with hefty maintenance costs. Fixing a tiny problem like a broken plastic piece will cost anywhere between $400 to $800.
While the Touareg runs fine with zero engine issues, Sam was concerned about a few quirks. Three out of four windows had problems, and the glove box didn't close, meaning the interior lights remained on at night and, as a result, drained the battery.
"Mechanically, it's in really good shape, but cosmetically, it's a bit rough around the edges," Sam revealed.
The previous owner's repair history slightly put Sam off. He feels the dealerships took advantage of the previous owner and charged exorbitant prices for simple repairs.
"That was the original sale listing of the car and a few receipts totaling well over $20,000 in fixes to that Touareg TDI," Sam said.
The VW Touareg is a very needy car, which explains why they are so cheap. Let's hope he doesn't experience any more issues with the car.
We recommend watching the video below, you can learn a thing or two about inspecting and maintaining older European vehicles.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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