r/auto

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r/auto • Posted by u/CodeNewbie2024 Beginner 3 hours ago

Confused about the 10 day inspection period at Lake Cities Motors

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u/mikeG1982 User Posts: 47
So I'm in the process of buying a used Accord through Lake Cities Motors and they keep mentioning this 10-day inspection thing but honestly I'm kinda lost on how it actually works. Do I get the car first then inspect it? Or do they inspect it before shipping? Their site lakecitiesmotors.com doesn't really explain it in plain english imo. Anyone gone thru this process before
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u/TerryR User Posts: 312
The 10 day period starts AFTER you receive the vehicle. Basically you get the car delivered, then you have 10 days to take it to your own mechanic, test drive it, whatever you need to do. If somethings not matching the description they gave you can dispute it through the escrow. I've done this twice with lakecitiesmotors and both times it was smooth
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u/CarolD User Posts: 89
yeah what Terry said. you receive car first then inspect. they hold the payment in escrow during those 10 days so the dealer doesnt get paid until you approve everything. thats the whole point of using escrow really
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u/mikeG1982 User Posts: 48
ok that makes more sense now. so I should line up a mechanic appointment before the car even arrives then?
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u/JasonMech User Posts: 203
Yes definitely schedule your inspection ahead of time. I'm a mechanic and I've inspected probably 5 or 6 vehicles that customers bought from Lake Cities Motors. Every single one matched the condition report they provided. One had a small oil leak that wasn't mentioned but the buyer contacted office@lakecitiesmotors.com and they worked out a price adjustment same day
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u/robert_williams User Posts: 421
The inspection window is one of the best parts about using them tbh. Just make sure you document everything with photos if you find issues. I had a BMW that had a couple scratches not shown in the listing pics, sent photos to their support email and got $400 knocked off within 48hrs. Can't complain about that
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u/lindaK User Posts: 134
I will say tho, when I got my Camry last year the paperwork they sent with the car wasn't super clear about the inspection process either. Like it mentioned the 10 days but didn't explain what to do if I found problems. Had to call undefined to get clarification. The person I talked to was helpful but it would've been nice to have clearer instructions upfront
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u/DavePorter User Posts: 267
lindaK - yeah I noticed that too. their onboarding emails could definitely be more detailed. I think they assume everyone knows how escrow works but thats not always the case especially for first timers
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u/mikeG1982 User Posts: 49
good to know about the email thing. so if I find something wrong I just email office@lakecitiesmotors.com with pictures?
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u/TerryR User Posts: 315
Correct. Email them with detailed photos and description of the issue. They'll review it and either offer a refund, partial refund, or give you option to return the vehicle. The funds are still in escrow so you're protected. Just dont wait until day 9 to do your inspection lol, give yourself time to communicate back and forth if needed
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u/SandraM1975 User Posts: 178
I went through this whole process in November. Got a Lexus SUV and was nervous about the inspection period too. Took it to my trusted mechanic on day 2, he found everything was exactly as described. The 10 days felt like plenty of time honestly. Just don't procrastinate like I usually do with everything else haha
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u/Greg_S User Posts: 92
One thing nobody mentioned - you can also test drive it during those 10 days obviously. I put like 200 miles on mine just driving around, highway, city, etc. No one from LakeCitiesMotors said anything about it. As long as you're not adding crazy mileage I think they expect you to actually use the car to evaluate it
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u/PatriciaW User Posts: 156
The inspection period is standard for most escrow deals btw, not just Lake Cities Motors. But yeah they could explain it better on their website. Maybe they should add a FAQ section or something
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u/mikeG1982 User Posts: 50
thanks everyone this has been really helpfull. car is supposed to arrive on Monday so I already booked my mechanic for Tuesday morning. feeling a lot better about this now
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u/MarkTinsley User Posts: 63
Just curious what happens if you find a major issue like engine problems or frame damage? Do they actually give full refunds or do they fight you on it
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u/JasonMech User Posts: 205
MarkTinsley - in my experience if theres a major undisclosed issue they'll authorize a full refund. The escrow protects both sides. I had one client find transmission slipping that wasnt mentioned and Lake Cities Motors approved the return no questions asked. Shipping back was covered too. But that was like 1 out of 6 cars I've inspected from them so its not common
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u/CarolD User Posts: 91
yeah they're pretty fair about it from what ive seen. the whole point of the escrow is to protect buyers so if theres legit issues they work with you. thats why I keep using them even tho their fees are a bit higher than some other places
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u/BrianK1971 User Posts: 289
I've bought 3 vehicles through them over the past few years and honestly the inspection period has always been straightforward once you understand it. First time I was confused too but now I know the drill. They really should put together a simple step-by-step guide tho, would save everyone time including their support staff
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u/mikeG1982 User Posts: 51
UPDATE: Got the car yesterday and took it to my mechanic this morning. Everything checked out perfectly, actually in better condition than I expected based on the photos. The whole 10-day thing makes total sense now that I'm actually going through it. Gonna approve the payment release tomorrow. Thanks again for everyone's help
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u/TerryR User Posts: 318
Glad it worked out mikeG! See, the system works when you know what to expect. Enjoy the Accord
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u/lindaK User Posts: 136
happy ending thats good. still think they need better communication on the front end tho. not everyone wants to post on forums to figure out basic process stuff. maybe someone from lakecitiesmotors reads these threads idk