Which Repairs On This List Are Most Urgent?

Hi Everyone,

So I just got a pre-purchase car inspection on a 1-Owner "2017 Mazda CX5 100k miles", and here's the list of issues with the car:
  • Front Brakes
  • Spark Plugs (recommended, not needed)
  • Replace Drive Belt and Tensioner Assembly (belt worn)
  • Brake Fluid Service (smells and is very discolored)
  • Cooling System Service
  • Transmission Service
  • AC System Evacuate and Recharge
  • Remove and Replace Engine Oil Pan (rusted) (slight leak)
Car is for sale at 20k. What do you think?

Thanks!
 
Ya, agree with Tchman, why would anyone recommend or even suggest evacuating and refilling the AC system? Money grab?
Also, why is the oil pan is rusted, on a 2017? Do you live in a snow belt? Anyway, if that's the case, I'd want to have a thorough undercarriage inspection. Put it on a hoist and have a good look underneath. It may be rusted more than just the oil pan.

The more I think of it, looking at the list, the more I'd be inclined to walk away from it.
 
What many people don't understand is, AC systems are closed systems. They don't need maintenance, or recharging, or anything else for that matter unless they fail. And yes, a "low charge" means you have a leak, and that leak needs to be repaired before a freon "top off".

Think of it this way: do you have someone come and "top off" the freon in your fridge every year? Because both the AC in your car and the cooling in your fridge operate in exactly the same way. If your fridge stops cooling, you get it fixed by someone who knows what they're doing. Same goes for a cars AC.
 
The above posts are to the point. However, if you're buying it and asking for prioritization for budgetary reasons to spread out the work over a relatively short period of time there are too many unknowns given your descriptions.

From your descriptions the brake fluid goes to the top of the list. As for the oil pan, that could be moved down the list if the oil loss is in fact slight and you keep topping it off.

Beyond that a lot of questions are begged. If the AC is blowing cold it throws into question the necessity of the other items. Are there any maintenance records from the prior owner? I wouldn't buy a 100,000 mile vehicle without them. How would you know if the guy didn't stretch out oil changes to 10,000 miles or beyond? Are you and the inspector assuming the fluids and plugs have never been replaced and the inspector is including preventative as well as immediate needs? Does the car run good? If so plugs could be moved down the list especially if a visual inspection shows they are not too bad. What do fluid tests or inspections show? How bad are the brakes--mm remaining on the pads, any rotor vibration? Does the drive belt show cracking?

If nothing has ever been done on the vehicle and all this stuff is surely going bad I'd say you need to focus on what makes it stop and what makes it go in the now--brakes and that drive belt--but you can't sleep on the trans, coolant and other items. Personally, if all this stuff is going bad and you're funds constrained you should think about biting the bullet and get it all done with with a credit card.
 
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I think you should spend some time on Kelley Blue book and rethink the asking price. A 2017 Grand Touring, in this area at least, with that mileage is going for 17k in "good" condition. I don't know what model you have or options or where you're from, and you certainly have other issues with the car.
 
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Think of it this way: do you have someone come and "top off" the freon in your fridge every year?
As analogies go that might not be the case with a home AC system. After about 6 years following a new installation my AC stopped blowing cold. The servicer found I was low on refrigerant, down 4 lbs. in an 8 lb. system. He suspected it was a very tiny leak which he could not locate. He topped off the refrigerant and 3 years later it is still operating well. 3 years from now? Probably another top off.

By the way, freon has been banned in all United Nations countries.
 
By the way, freon has been banned in all United Nations countries.
Ooh. Yeah. Um, I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there. Freon is simply a brand name of R134a. And it most certainly is not banned. What you're thinking of is the older R12. That is indeed banned.

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I think you should spend some time on Kelley Blue book and rethink the asking price. A 2017 Grand Touring, in this area at least, with that mileage is going for 17k in "good" condition. I don't know what model you have or options or where you're from, and you certainly have other issues with the car.
Good point. In my area (Buffalo region) the Kelly average trade value on a 2017 GT in red with no options with 100,000 miles and in good condition, shows an average trade value of $13,515. After dealer markup even that $17k would be high.
 
Good point. In my area (Buffalo region) the Kelly average trade value on a 2017 GT in red with no options with 100,000 miles and in good condition, shows an average trade value of $13,515. After dealer markup even that $17k would be high.
Yeah im in buffalo too, I'd be surprised if the dealer went any lower than 18k. I might just look elsewhere.
 
Ooh. Yeah. Um, I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there. Freon is simply a brand name of R134a. And it most certainly is not banned. What you're thinking of is the older R12. That is indeed banned.
I stand corrected.
 
Yeah im in buffalo too, I'd be surprised if the dealer went any lower than 18k. I might just look elsewhere.
Good luck. Upon further review, either Kelley's trade value is very low or dealers are applying huge markups in their asking prices. Looking at some 2017 CX-5 listings within 200 miles of Buffalo that are offered at or under $20,000, the pickings are very slim. For instance:

autotrader.com shows:


cars.com shows:

 
Ooh. Yeah. Um, I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there. Freon is simply a brand name of R134a. And it most certainly is not banned. What you're thinking of is the older R12. That is indeed banned.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

They've just come out with another brand that replaces R134a. Looks like a lot of home A/C units are gonna need replacing. I think the new one is called R450a.
Anybody here see a pattern?
 
Ooh. Yeah. Um, I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there. Freon is simply a brand name of R134a. And it most certainly is not banned. What you're thinking of is the older R12. That is indeed banned.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

They've just come out with another brand that replaces R134a. Looks like a lot of home A/C units are gonna need replacing. I think the new one is called R450a.
Anybody here see a pattern?
The new car stuff that is replacing R134a is called R1234yf, and it is expensive. For home HVAC, different manufacturers are going to be using different stuff to replace the R410a that's currently in use (that fairly recently replaced R22!) Yup, no one standard anymore. Some are going with R1234yf, some are going with R34, some are going with a blend. I'm guessing this may become problematic as time goes on.
 
Hi Everyone,

So I just got a pre-purchase car inspection on a 1-Owner "2017 Mazda CX5 100k miles", and here's the list of issues with the car:
  • Front Brakes
  • Spark Plugs (recommended, not needed)
  • Replace Drive Belt and Tensioner Assembly (belt worn)
  • Brake Fluid Service (smells and is very discolored)
  • Cooling System Service
  • Transmission Service
  • AC System Evacuate and Recharge
  • Remove and Replace Engine Oil Pan (rusted) (slight leak)
Car is for sale at 20k. What do you think?

Thanks!
Agree with alot of the member post comments. However You need to rethink this.

$20 k for 100 k car with a rusted out oil pan??

Sound like they beat this thing up offroad. No way an oil pan rusts out in 5 years.
It had to have been hit/damaged at some point. There could be other unseen damage.

Find another vehicle. Open your options. Don't be set on one car or brand or model.
At this point find something decent for $20 k.

or if nothing in that price range, switch up.
Get a CPO for $27-30k.

Or go opposite direction and just get a 10 year old beater for $7000 to $10k and wait for the market to open up in a few years.

Keep an open mind for any vehicle, expand your search and look harder/longer.
Try looking at carfax.com for cars. Be prepared to drive up to 2 or 3 hours to get the car you want at a decent price. Alot of people are too bothered to drive more than 20 mile from their house. Pure laziness. It's a one time transaction. I once drove 3 hours to get the best deal on a vehicle. Saved me $3000 from the lowest price I could get locally. That came out to $500 an hour for my time. How much is your time worth?
 
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Hi Everyone,

So I just got a pre-purchase car inspection on a 1-Owner "2017 Mazda CX5 100k miles", and here's the list of issues with the car:

. What do you think?

Thanks!
  • This is the order of importance if you were to come into my shop with your list:
    • Front Brakes​
    • Brake Fluid Service (fluid replacement, assess master cylinder and ABS system)​
    • Replace Drive Belt and Tensioner Assembly​
    • Spark Plugs​
    • Cooling System Service​
    • Transmission Service (Filter/pan fluid min run basic TCM check and pressures.)​
    • Remove and Replace Engine Oil Pan (bead blast re-paint if not rusted through)​
    • AC System Evacuate and Recharge (check system operation and assess before concluding anything)

 
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USA only!
I know that this gets debatable in some countries but as a private individual in the USA I am totally legate and legal to sell R12 and still occasionally do in the small 1lb cans. Until I finally runout of my stash. There was a short period that shops had to have a legal document signed where they obtained the R12, I am not sure that is still around. But it has been a couple decades since I sold any to a shop. At one time a 30lb tank of R12 was going for $2000.00. I sold 6. I purchased 12 of them about 2 years prior for about 175 each. :cool:

Oh because I deal with aftermarket vehicle engineering and manufacturing products in several capacities, I have a marketer that has an attorney that always make sure I don't do anything illegal.
 
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Ooh. Yeah. Um, I'm going to have to go ahead and sort of disagree with you there. Freon is simply a brand name of R134a.

]
Ya, it is often thought that from even shops!! They call it all "freon" ?
My personal 30lb Johnsen................... R134 :LOL:
 

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USA only!
I know that this gets debatable in some countries but as a private individual in the USA I am totally legate and legal to sell R12 and still occasionally do in the small 1lb cans. Until I finally runout of my stash. There was a short period that shops had to have a legal document signed where they obtained the R12, I am not sure that is still around. But it has been a couple decades since I sold any to a shop. At one time a 30lb tank of R12 was going for $2000.00. I sold 6. I purchased 12 of them about 2 years prior for about 175 each. :cool:

Oh because I deal with aftermarket vehicle engineering and manufacturing products in several capacities, I have a marketer that has an attorney that always make sure I don't do anything illegal.
My understanding is that R12 is still available abeit expensive. HVAC techs recover it from older home A/C systems when they upgrade the customer to a new system.
 
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