Opinion on purchasing this car

2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA
36,000 MILES • 2.0L • 4 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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KRISTINA BALBON2
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Hi. I am looking to buy a 2004 VW Jetta GLS 2.0L car. It has very low km's, 79,200 and is exceptionally clean. It had a thorough inspection at the VW dealership August 2018 before the current owner purchased it. The dealership changed the timing belt, water pump, and tensioner before selling and the inspection yielded no issues. The current owner has only put 5,000 km's on it since August 2018 bringing the total km's at present to 79,200. I have driven it and runs smooth, no unusual sounds or performance noted. Is it still in my best interest to pay for another $200.00 pre-purchase inspection although the seller has only drove it 5,000 km's since the last major inspection? Obviously, every penny counts. Thanks
Jan 21, 2020 at 11:25 AM
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AL514
  • ✓ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 5,587 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Hello, first congrats on buying a new car. Does the current owner have all the paperwork from the repairs? If it runs, shifts, and isn't leaking any oil or coolant, I'd say forget an extra $200.00 inspection. I mean there's only so much you can tell from a test drive. You seem to know what to look for.
Jan 21, 2020 at 12:10 PM
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KRISTINA BALBON2
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Thank you for the advice. Yes, the seller has all the paperwork from the past inspection and repairs. I don't believe there were any leaks noted 5,000 km's ago. After I test drove, I did not check underneath for leaks. Will be checking.
Jan 21, 2020 at 12:36 PM
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KRISTINA BALBON2
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Do you think the car is worth $5,000.00?
Jan 21, 2020 at 12:53 PM
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AL514
  • ✓ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 5,587 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
It may be worth $5,000.00, you can check the Bluebook value to get a better idea of its value. It's not terrible on mileage.
Jan 21, 2020 at 1:06 PM
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