Would re-spray put you off buying?

[Peroni]

Been looking at a 2011 2.0 l manual XS, Forester, 89k miles, FSH, 2 owners, for sale in small dealership ( portakabin office, chain fenced lot )

Car seems to have been re-sprayed on passenger side. Some "orange-peel" paint, slight overspray inside wheel arch. Dealer asking £8,600 

Would signs of a partial re-spay put you off a car this age?  It's easy enough to get a bad scrape across passenger side, I've done it myself.  Hard to know what it's covering though.

( The last Forester I was about to buy, in Wales turned out to need a cam-belt, even though advertised as "Cam Belt Done" "FULLY SERVICED" ( they didn't mention it was 5 years ago), rear exhaust box rotted & repaired with gum and was also a grey import from Canada, again not mentioned in advert) I'm getting weary.

[Jay762]

It wouldnt put me off if the rest of the car was fine  -panels aligning etc, it could just be carpark dings or someone keying the car, If the panel was full of filler with a big dent the window would not go down, door opening mechanism fouling etc.

[Mr B]

when you can see how poor the paint finish is on a internet picture it a pretty cheap cheesy repair .

Main issue is you don't really know why it done thus it a risk and the price really not reflecting body work state .

Your main issues will be future paint issues of cracking peeling oxidising, slight rust if edges not finished well (they not stripped trim to spray properly)

I would be looking at panel fit and tyre wear, and steering behaviour on a test drive, lot of cars won't be recorded for smaller prangs with no other party involved as if don't go via insurance and take to small bodyshop it not going be recorded .

I wouldn't pay much for example like that, main thing you got do when buying a used car is not give in to haste, keep calm and keep looking or be sure anything less than perfect is bargain price and you prepared except it or get it sorted as needed .
From my experience the biggest piles of junk and biggest prices ever seen always been via dealers and man do they lie and waste your time .

Decent panel spraying is expensive and none of it matches factory paint for durability so reflect on that before parting with your hard earned .

[Mr B]

Due to fact you can see overspray under arch also possibly indicates work quite fresh as generally light overspray soon worn off or covered by dirt build up pretty quickly .
Every time I view a car with panel repairs it makes me laugh how a dealer will say pretty normal have paint repairs then become expert on picking out the panels yet when I ask this question before physically viewing they not experts and always state looks likely all original 🙂

[Peroni]

Yes, Mr B,

That annoyed me when I asked about possible re-spray, dealer says "I can't see what you are talking about, where do you see re-spray?"  ` I point out "orange peel", missing scuff protector on one rear wheel arch ( probably removed to aid re-spray) but still present on other side, overspray on plastic wheel arch liner. Then he says "Don't know, I suppose it's possible", "Must be a good job if I can't see it"

Straight away you are into a dishonest relationship and you both know it. What's it going to be like if a fault develops later?

Your point about patience is a good one.  It's as much a philosophical game as anything. Knowing a good car will turn up eventually. Every time I've bought something I wan't sure about, in haste, the "perfect" car has turned up the following week. 

Frustrating as hell looking at all these mis-described cars though.

[Peroni]

Edit: I got the price wrong above. Dealer seeking £6,600.

[Mr B]

In over 30 years trade experience I found used car dealers are some of biggest !Removed! I ever come across in a professional business .
Ideally you don't want build up any real relationship, I got no interest in any warranty even when buying for customers as I know it pretty much a waste of time and my best approach is always stick to initial plans on what you accept as faults and be prepared put odd minor niggles right yourself .
Even my nearest subaru dealer has pushed some junk used and repairs they done and shortcuts awful (I see the work as many turn up in my shop with the new owners and tales of frustration and lies and some sloppy work from fitted poorly to plain parts missing )

I've driven several hundred miles view cars for customers and myself to be shocked at what seeing within 30 seconds and only go after contacting dealers/private owners first, I always state I trade and ask questions on body condition/repair (I know they know a sprayed panel/accident repair as well as i do), interior and engine/gearbox along with confirming owner and service history and I been lied to almost every time .
Immaculate order no signs of repair = collision repair to very poor standard and alignment still out
1 owner = 5 owners .
engine/transmission good = bottom end knocks and synco issues .

Main thing is staying calm and realising this pretty normal if you want proper tidy used car .
Subarus like forester legacy and outback get used hard and some abused so fair bit of scruff around and most dealers interest is markup thus scruff with cheap as possible tlc = max profit .

Pretty much all my best cars are found private or big dealer trade in and dealer selling back to trade as mileage/age not what they want trade themselves (warranty and finance not possible) .

Just don't feel rushed or forced take a car you not happy with, only way I compromise is if price that cheap the faults can be over looked or resolved and have a bargain .

If you not happy with car first viewing it only going bug you more if got see it every day 🙂

stay calm and keep looking . good luck ....

My main trick these days reduce wasted time when viewing not local is get good images or walk around video and between looking at images closely and vibes on seller from conversion only go if absolute no initial suspect doubts, Anything more local worth you going just build up knowledge and get better at evaluating vehicles condition. the more you see and test drive the better you are at rating the final car you buy and getting accustom to dealer nonsense  .

[Peroni]

Thanks for sharing your experience Mr B. ( Couldn't find me a car could you?) 

Delving further, it looks like the older 2002-'08, FG, 2 litre XT turbos can tow 1800kg which is very interesting!  That would probably meet my needs and would mean a wider range of cars opening up. Plus the old XT's have high spec, leather, Sat nav, reversing camera ( which is great for getting hooked up to a  trailer fist go, on your own) 

Weirdly, the data base I found shows the 2.0 XT Auto as having a higher towing limit than the manual? Which makes me doubt the accuracy of the data base, unless the auto has a special trick that lets it tow more? maybe it's just a heavier car?

[Peroni]

Have to say, I much prefer the look of the older '02-'08 models, or even the one before that. More estate and less generic SUV, jelly mould shape.

[Mr B]

Yes so do I, the earlier SF forester was best built era, 2002 to 2006 SG also fairly good but bit more plastic fantastic .

I think earlier SF sport or turbo also might be 1800kg but you need confirm that as fact .

you lose the low range on turbo .

earlier SF ones quite hard find tidy and solid as 20yr old awd station wagons get proper used at some point .

I have found more tidy Sport SF forester and XT SG foresters as lot of them tend stay more as family run around rather than a farm runaround .
Best clean older foresters have pretty much always been automatics, not sure if you wanting an auto but it does up your chances .

Prices are pretty low on these for what they are and general basic parts cheap, easy sourced and more private sales which good .

[Peroni]

1 hour ago, Mr B said:

you lose the low range on turbo .

Ahhh. didn't know that. The low box is good for reversing trailers and general low speed manoeuvring with a trailer. 

I'd look at an Auto if I thought that table I posted earlier was accurate; i.e. 1900kg towing limit.  I'll need to dig around. It can be hard to get accurate info on towing capacity for older cars. 

I'm being a bit of a perfectionist here really, hoping I can find one car that will do for my work and also family car. I don't want to own/pay for two cars.  Wife usually uses trains and now kids are grown, a lot less mileage being done, so an auto with higher fuel costs is bearable.

Also considering a Jap import 2.0 XT if I can fine one ( they all seem to be STi, JDM hot rods) but again, not sure of legal issues of towing with a grey import if Japan has a ludicrously low weight limit like USA for towing.  I am becoming a Subaru Forester obsessive!

[Mr B]

Forester is a good all rounder at potentially low costs .

I was under impression actual tow weight not exact legal figure but just easier have insurance and prosecution if police pull you or you in an accident and you above the guideline figures .
I think the higher hp engines got higher limits as match the gradient pull off tests but I no expert in towing requirements so you need do some due diligence on that get the facts .

XT auto SG's are cheap considering budget you got so you be able pick best market go offer plus have plenty left for good service, decent tyres, minor fixes/extras etc and still be quids in .

[Brack]

I dont know if this would be good or bad for you but a 4 speed auto like mine will creep up to around 5mph + when driving from standstill on the flat without touching the accelerator pedal so sometimes I'm on the brakes before even touching the gas pedal.

Another point is that the car travels far too fast in 1st downhill (not using brakes) - so when the snow comes low range would have been ideal but there we go.

Hope you find a nice one 🙂         

Edited July 25, 2019 by Brack
(not using brakes) added

[Siluro]

On the opposite side of that my WRX was in a bump which required whole new wing and paint job. As a buyer you can see the evidence in the gutter of the wing when you lift the bonnet (one side shiny other original matt), and would put me off. I know it is not problem and would by the car again all day long. Tricky but in your case the fact there is overspray and the orange peel it has been done on the cheap. What else has been done on the cheap? If you feel they are covering it up then stay away. Subarus cost enough to run without issues and nothing is worse than a cosmetic issue like it has as it will always annoy you. From reading the whole post I would look for another.