Looking to buy a used car?

How we helped one client avoid a bad case of buyer's remorse

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The 2007 Subaru Forester the Paluches bought for their son.[/caption]Izzy Paluch of Vernon Hills was considering ending the lease early on his vehicle when he found a BMW X3 for sale at a local dealer. When he put it in gear, the "Service Engine Soon" light came on, prompting the salesman to describe it as a "mechanic's special."Being proactive, Izzy scheduled a pre-owned vehicle inspection with Auto Lab. "I needed to know what I might be getting into," Izzy says. And it's a good thing he did. "When I brought it in, they hooked it up to a machine and every code in the world was thrown at that point. It was an entire page full of codes. I wasn't willing to take on all that risk, and I abandoned the project at that point."Shortly thereafter, Izzy's wife bought a 2007 Subaru Forester for their son. Fortunately, this car was in much better shape. "The A/C compressor clutch was going out, but otherwise, it turned out to be in good order," Izzy says. "It's nice to know if something happens to it, the guys are there and will treat me fairly and get it back to me in working condition without cleaning out my wallet. I really like their honest opinion: 'You need this and this. This can wait. This is going to go eventually.' That way, I can prepare."Izzy was in the car business quite a few years ago and knows it's not always black and white. "I know there's gray areas for recommendations," he says. "But I like to know my options from start to finish. What repairs are needed now, and what might be coming down the road. I trust Auto Lab to tell me."What happened with Izzy's quest for a new car? He has 18 months left on his lease and is still looking for his next vehicle.Are you in the market for a pre-owned vehicle? Schedule a pre-owned vehicle inspection for it!