r/askcarsales • u/nnray • 2d ago
US Sale Buying a used car that was a dealer buyback...
Close to making a decision on a used 2023 Subaru Solterra, and checking over the Carfax report provided free of charge from the car dealer, I see the car was a dealer buyback in NJ in 2024. No details of what the issue was in the report. The next time the vehicle was purchased was a year and a half later (looks like by the dealer selling it now, who isn't a Subaru dealer, just a smaller used car dealership).
In the past I've seen more detail about what happened when there is a backback.... My wife's 2018 VW Golf was a dealer buyback, and the details on that had to do a wiring harness which was reported as ultimately fixed by the dealer after the buyback. Then the car went to auction, was bought by a specialty used car dealer, who I bought it from. A few months after purchase the dash indicators suddenly went crazy, and while it eventually calmed down we had it checked out and a VW dealer discovered poor quality repairs to a certain section of the wiring harness that were causing electrical issues. They asked if the car had been in an accident and there had been no record of any accident and no other evidence of one. We car was still under warranty, so we were able to get the harness replaced and it has been fine since.
Long story short, how do I get the full details of the buyback or lemon situation with the 2023 Subaru Solterra, and is there a way to get a detailed inspection before purchase?
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u/AutoModerator 2d ago
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Close to making a decision on a used 2023 Subaru Solterra, and checking over the Carfax report provided free of charge from the car dealer, I see the car was a dealer buyback in NJ in 2024. No details of what the issue was in the report. The next time the vehicle was purchased was a year and a half later (looks like by the dealer selling it now, who isn't a Subaru dealer, just a smaller used car dealership).
In the past I've seen more detail about what happened when there is a backback.... My wife's 2018 VW Golf was a dealer buyback, and the details on that had to do a wiring harness which was reported as ultimately fixed by the dealer after the buyback. Then the car went to auction, was bought by a specialty used car dealer, who I bought it from. A few months after purchase the dash indicators suddenly went crazy, and while it eventually calmed down we had it checked out and a VW dealer discovered poor quality repairs to a certain section of the wiring harness that were causing electrical issues. They asked if the car had been in an accident and there had been no record of any accident and no other evidence of one. We car was still under warranty, so we were able to get the harness replaced and it has been fine since.
Long story short, how do I get the full details of the buyback or lemon situation with the 2023 Subaru Solterra, and is there a way to get a detailed inspection before purchase?
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u/trentthesquirrel Ford Sales 2d ago
Have you tried asking the dealership that has the vehicle?
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u/nnray 2d ago
Yes, when I called they said the previous owner happened to be there to drop off the title, and could tell me what the problem was, and they said it was a failed AC that was fixed. After I got off the phone, I think the sales guy might not have been familiar with the Carfax history because the buyback happened with the first owner in NJ, not MA.
I didn't quite understand how dealers and owners are reported in Carfax but just looked closer, and under "Owner 1" there are two entries: "Title issued or updated", and "Dealer took registration of this vehicle". Under "Owner 2" it has "Vehicle purchase reported", and "Title issued or updated". Looking at it now, I don't see the current dealer on the report, just two owners, with the original NJ dealer doing the buyback in 2024 under the first owner.
So I don't think the AC issue was the buyback reason (and I just emailed the sales guy to try to get more info).
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u/CorrectPeanut5 2d ago
Call the service department late morning and ask an advisor to run the VIN. "Hey I'm about to buy this vehicle and would be getting it serviced with you. There was a buy back, can you see on the computer what that's about?"
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