Buying used car

[pan93]

I am planning to buy a used Toyota Yaris hybrid 2018 from my friend. Although the car looks in good condition but would still like to get a "mechanical insurance" apart from the bank insurance. When buying from the dealership, they offer a kind of Turva for 1or2 years(covers engine breakdown, transmissions etc). Is it possible to get similar Turva/mechanical insurance when buying from private?

[FinlandGirl]

I am planning to buy a used Toyota Yaris hybrid 2018 from my friend. Although the car looks in good condition but would still like to get a "mechanical insurance" apart from the bank insurance. When buying from the dealership, they offer a kind of Turva for 1or2 years(covers engine breakdown, transmissions etc). Is it possible to get similar Turva/mechanical insurance when buying from private?

Noone offers warranty when you buy a broken car from your friend.

1 year is the minimum warranty in the EU when a used good is sold from a business to a private customer, it would not be legal for a car dealership to offer less than 1 year for a car they sell to you.

You can ask workshops if they offer some kind of check (and repair if necessary) where they provide warranty that the checked parts will work for at least 1 year afterwards. A professional check is in any case recommended if you suspect the car you buy from your friend might have some hidden faults.

[Stephan1992]

The thing is that when you buy it from your friend, there is no warranty (well legally there should be but in practical this is difficult / complex).

When you buy it from the dealer and it is a Toyota approved occasion, you have anyway 1 year warranty which can be extended until the car is 10 years old or has driven 200.000km as long as you have all maintenance and service jobs done at the Toyota dealer at their factory prescribed interval

So now you have to ask yourself, do I buy a Toyota from a friend for less money than from the dealer and take the risk it might break down, or do I buy one from the dealer.

First option is depending (my opinion) on:

• How well do you know your friend and how well do you know how your friend has been driving the car?

• How much has it been driving already?

• Have all maintenance jobs been done on the factory prescribed intervals.

• Have all repairs / part replacements been done with OEM parts.

• Have al the right fluids been used (oil, brake fluid etc.) during maintenance

• Have all maintenance intervals been done at a certified Toyota dealer or a generic garage.

• Because it is a hybrid, you need to know the condition of the electrical drive battery

• When have the brake pads been done,

Only when you have the answers on these questions, then you can make a educated guess if the car would survive like a normal Toyota (that should be very very long).
Then when you are plus member of Autoliito, you can have a "car buying test" done at a testing (katsastus) station like K1 or A1 for a lower fee and better report.
Do this anyway.. even when you trust your friend.

In all other cases, with such a relatively new car, go for a car from the dealer with Toyota approved occasion package and go for a non hybrid Yaris.
Never ever let anyone (toyota or other technician) touch the air-conditioning for maintenance, it will start to fail after that and they will not reimburse you for the repair, because by the time you notice it is leaking, the 3 month warranty on the maintenance has been lapsed. Just do not touch it other than using the cleaning aerosol can on the floor inside the car, once every year to prevent molds from growing in there (even LIDL sells those from the brand W5 = good enough).

One last thing:
Check both sets of tires on thread depth and if there are studded tires included, check how many are missing or have a broken top..!! more than 5 in one spot missing? get new ones..etc etc.

Good luck!