Hear me out... How excessive is TOO excessive when buying a pre-owned GT

[SensesFail]

Hey ya'll it's been a wild ride. Started with a 2000 Rav4 to a 2010 Toyota Matrix to a 2013 Dodge Dart to a 2016 Mustang v6 to a 2016 Mustang GT to a 2022 TLX to a 2022 Genesis G70 3.3t... aaaaaaaaaaaand I'm back in the market for a Mustang GT. Feel free to browse my previous post history about my old 16 GT and my horribad experience but I had to get out of it. And now I want to get back in but a 2018+ lol. THAT IS NOT WHAT THE POST IS ABOUT THOUGH;

When I go shopping soon, I want to bring my laptop with my diagnostic cables and programs just to see the history and stats, is that weird? Besides physical inspection and test driving, I want to deep dive into the PCM. I imagine the salesperson will be weirded out a bit lol. That being said, is that too much?

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[KingKona]

Yes.

 

[dbtgt]

Hey ya'll it's been a wild ride. Started with a 2000 Rav4 to a 2010 Toyota Matrix to a 2013 Dodge Dart to a 2016 Mustang v6 to a 2016 Mustang GT to a 2022 TLX to a 2022 Genesis G70 3.3t... aaaaaaaaaaaand I'm back in the market for a Mustang GT. Feel free to browse my previous post history about my old 16 GT and my horribad experience but I had to get out of it. And now I want to get back in but a 2018+ lol. THAT IS NOT WHAT THE POST IS ABOUT THOUGH;

When I go shopping soon, I want to bring my laptop with my diagnostic cables and programs just to see the history and stats, is that weird? Besides physical inspection and test driving, I want to deep dive into the PCM. I imagine the salesperson will be weirded out a bit lol. That being said, is that too much?

Many dealers will not likely permit you to do that...

 

[young at heart]

Doubtful anyone will let you do that, whether dealer or private seller. I sure wouldn’t. I personally refuse to deal with anyone I think is being confrontational and what you’re talking about easily gets into that zone.

But hey, give it a try. Who knows?

 

[K4fxd]

Take it for a test drive and hook up to your hearts desire.

If you are in an area where they want to ride along, bring your wife. Not too many sales people are going to want to sit in the back seat.

 

[SensesFail]

Doubtful anyone will let you do that, whether dealer or private seller. I sure wouldn’t. I personally refuse to deal with anyone I think is being confrontational and what you’re talking about easily gets into that zone.

But hey, give it a try. Who knows?

Dang, I was trying to be all gung ho about it. I already know what to look for, I just wanted to see if there are any misfires, tune flashes and stuff before purchase but I can see how it'd be taken that way now

 

[young at heart]

Dang, I was trying to be all gung ho about it. I already know what to look for, I just wanted to see if there are any misfires, tune flashes and stuff before purchase but I can see how it'd be taken that way now

Tell the dealer you want zero tune history and no drastically bad codes and make him put it in writing there are none. If it’s an individual then you should be able to look at the seller, the car, the title, his house, etc. and get context clues as to what’s up with the car. I know I sure could but I’m old and have tons of life experience.

 

[AvalancheSVT]

there is no reason to not permit this. here's how you can get both

1. hey i just want to check the pcm for codes and stuff as part of my inspection

A. guy says okay fine... do your thing

B. guy says no

in the case of B "okay, no problem, but I will need it in writing that I can return the car if i find ANYTHING after purchasing the vehicle when i look in this PCM".

im sure they'll happily let you take a look then. B is actually better because it gives you a blank check for returning the product.

 

[ORRadtech]

I personally wouldn't mind someone showing up with a simple(ish) code scanner to read codes. But something with the ability to alter the PCM, whether that's the intent or not, would be a hard no.
It's pretty much still a sellers market so I doubt telling someone no to that would hurt my long term sale prospects.

 

[SensesFail]

I personally wouldn't mind someone showing up with a simple(ish) code scanner to read codes. But something with the ability to alter the PCM, whether that's the intent or not, would be a hard no.
It's pretty much still a sellers market so I doubt telling someone no to that would hurt my long term sale prospects.

That's fair but I don't have some secret hacker type of intention where I distract the guy and start clackin' away in a minute time frame and hope he doesn't catch me. Up front, simple and transparent is the name of my game

 

[Stymee]

Just get it in writing the PCM has never been previously tuned.

I’ve actually seen car on line with pics of the stock air box in the trunk, that scares me when purchasing a 40k plus certified GT

Or the wrong spoilers or its lowered, if I’m buying a Certified GT it better be un modded just like it was when it left the factory

if the dealer wont give u a cooy and in writing the cars not been modded, I’m gone

 

[Dana Pants]

I have forscan, when my car acts up I plug it in. Like half the modules have codes stored for not real reasons. So be prepared for a lot of meaningless information.

 

[Bulldog9]

I wouldn't let anyone plug a PC into my diag port. A standard code reader, sure, but NOT something with software that could corrupt or effect the ECU. Yeah, you are going too far.

 

[Skye]

You have valid concerns, but...

I would say no for 1) security (you'd be surprised what even a snippet of code can do), 2) logical corruption of the PCM, 3) physical damage (ESD or otherwise).

Having said that, I'm sure you can have a discussion with the salesperson, get a statement/certification, possibly have a service tech do his scan while you watch.

 

[SensesFail]

I have forscan, when my car acts up I plug it in. Like half the modules have codes stored for not real reasons. So be prepared for a lot of meaningless information.

Oh I'm prepared, I've already lived the tale

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