I'm looking to buy a 2002 or 2003 Honda Civic. One option is to go to
an auction and buy one that has just come off a lease. I'm concerned
that, if I buy a car this way, it's more likely to have been
mistreated by it's previous owner and have hidden problems. One person
has suggested that, so long as it's been inspected, I shouldn't worry
that much about major problems popping up down the line. I'm still not
sure. Can you find information on whether or not this is something I
should be worried about? If so, how much of a problem is it?


This is in follow up to some comments on the question "when do the
2004 honda civics come out?"

Dear Gremlin, 

Thank you for your question. A leased car is a type of a used car, and
in that effect, the first thing you have to make sure, is that you've
checked all that there is to be checked when buying a used car (see
bellow). The opinions on leased vehicles are disputed as they could
be.

However, leased cars also pose a unique problem. There was a joke in a
field office I used to work in: "which type of car could drive through
all kinds of environment? The leased one!" That means that by buying a
leased car you might be exposing yourself to more problems than usual.
However, if it came from a fleet, you have less to worry about, since
big firms with fleets take usually good care of the vehicles. On the
other hand, as this car is about a year on the road, this could be a
sound investment - if it does come from a fleet and passes your
mechanic's test.

If you want to buy a cheap leased car, remember: 
(1) To find a maintenance history on the vehicle if you can
(2) check the car (at a qualified mechanic) before purchase.
 
By the way, I know it doesn't answer this question but the former
ones, but according to the Honda forum, the best time to buy last
year's Hondas is two weeks after the new ones have arrived, which is
Sept/Oct (that is, around Sept/Oct 2003, you'll find 2003 models for
sale) (see http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=quz_8.62%24DN4.42947%40news20.bellglobal.com).

Read more
---------
Buying a Used Car (Edmunds)
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/78387/article.html?tid=edmunds.h..advice..3.*
- tips and advices from Edmunds

Consumer Guide on Buying a Used Car (FTC) -
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/autos/usedcar.htm 0 A guide from
the Federal Trade Commission

Good As New - http://www.goodasnew.com/ - an online book on how to buy
a used car

Car Buying Tips http://www.carbuyingtips.com/ 

How to Check a Car's History - http://www.samarins.com/history/ 
Used Car Checklist - http://www.samarins.com/check/checklist.html 
[Both from Samarins.com]. 

rec.autos.marketplace -
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=rec.autos.marketplace
- discussion group on buying cars.

rec.autos.makers.honda -
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=rec.autos.makers.honda
- a discussion group on Hondas

Thread: Buying a Used Leased Car:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&th=ee8a3b0eb9b529ae&seekm=3c55c314_1%40corp.newsgroups.com#link10
- you'll see that some advice against, some think it's no different
than any other used car.

Buying Last Year's Model:
http://www.foxphiladelphia.com/goodday/cybercents/car/new_car.html

I hope that answered your question. I searched for terms such as: 
"buying a leased car"
"used leased car"
"buying a used car"
"last year's model"
If you need any clarifications on this answer, please let me know. I'd
be pleased to clarify my answer before you rate it.

This is the only way that I'll purchase a vehicle, although I would
not touch a car that is coming back from fleet usage (rental, taxi,
etc . . .)  I don't think you'll have a problem in this regard with a
Civic.

Leases generally run for 24 to 36 months, so you should be looking at
2002 Civics or older at this time.  I would not purchase a car with
over 12,000 miles per year coming off a lease.  Too many miles in too
short a time, which could be a source of problems.

Meet with a Honda dealer, and provide exact specs that you require. 
If you are serious about a purchase, they will go to the auction
looking for a car that meets your needs.  It's a win for them. 
They've got a sure transaction for very little effort - scanning the
vehicles that come up at the bi-weekly sale.

They may say that they can't commit to an auction purchase before you
put money down.  Don't believe it.  They can move any car off their
lot in a couple of months, especially a late model Civic.  This may be
different if you request an uncommon engine/transmission combination. 
In that case, the vehicle may be harder to find and later, to sell.

You purchase the car from the dealer, with the normal return policy,
certified mechancics, etc . . . and the rest of the warranty on the
vehicle.

When we bought our car this way, they could not guarantee the color
that they'd find at the auction.  We gave them one definite NO (brutal
blue), and said we'd take anything else.  It worked out great for us.

Good Luck

cogsie96 says they wouldn't buy a car that had been part of a rental
fleet. Why not? I saw several comments in a link politicalguru gave me
which said just the opposite - those people thought fleet cars were
more likely to have been well maintained than cars leased to
individuals, so they were a safer bet. Is fleet cars vs. leased cars
one of those issues where there is no consensus as to which is better?

Dear Gremlin, 

I agree. Fleet usage is much safer than private lease. Of course, each
case is unique - if it is from rental, it would be a good advice to be
suspicious (most of fleet cars are not ex-rentals, which is completely
different category, but served firms). In any case, you should check a
car before you buy it.

Good luck.

Trying to guess and speculate about the use of a prior-leased car is
just that--guessing and speculation.  For examples, one comment
mentions being leery of a car with lots of miles on it, but it's also
imaginable that the car had lots of highway miles, sometimes much
kinder to the car than city wear and tear.   Fleet maintenance varies
widely, as does individual driving patterns and car histories, even
within the same fleet.

Skip the speculation game--unless you enjoy it--and go with the
assessment of a trusted mechanic judging the condition of the car
you're interested in.

another thing that you should consider doing is purchasing an extended
service contract (it's relatively inexpensive for a newer model honda
civic).

here's some links:

AUL Administrators Service Contract
http://acacars.com/products/AUL.pdf

Wynn's Extended Care
http://acacars.com/products/wynns.pdf

Western General New and pre-owned Mechanical Breakdown Protection Plans
http://acacars.com/products/westerngeneral.pdf

Automotive Select Vehicle Extended Service Contract
http://acacars.com/products/automotiveselect.pdf

good luck to you!