Let's face it. Buying a used car can suck. You spend hours browsing for a few cars that fit your price range, sift through a bunch that seem too old, whittle down to a few that hopefully will work out, and then you email and call a bunch of folks to schedule appointments to go see the car. Information's often scant in the description, and you hope you can get enough out of a phone call to justify the big long trip you'll have to make to go see it, possibly having to ask a friend for a ride or tap-dance your way through the web of bus, caltrain and bart routes to get there, because chances are you're buying precisely because you lack one and need one!

Then you gotta deal with a "caveat emptor" assessment of the car and seller, cross your fingers and close the deal, and hope you don't get stuck with any repair "gotchas" that'll show up later on.

Yeah, I've been there, with plenty of stories to tell from my car buying experiences over the years. So I'm going to design this sale to be as easy for you as I can.

The car:

1998 Toyota Avalon XLS
75,300 miles
Clean title, no accidents, no dents
Golden-gray finish, some minor paint dings
19 city / 27 hwy mileage
V6 engine, Automatic transmission
VIN #4T1BF18B1WU263954
$4,600 firm

The background:

Purchased by an Asian mom in Los Angeles who worked from home, it was kept garaged for most of its life and passed to her son (a friend of mine), in 2012 as he moved back from New York to the Bay Area. After a few months, he moved from Mountain View up to San Francisco and started commuting down by Caltrain, leaving this car parked at the covered garage at work. He also bought another car to use as a primary in SF, so this one's seen little use other than for short work-related jaunts. Now that he's transferring to SF for work as well, there's no more need for a secondary car, which is why it's up for sale to anybody needing a comfortable ride in a car that's been kept well, and has the capacity to last as a reliable workhorse for many years. In the interest of avoiding all the work needed to sell it, he's tapped me, a college friend, to help.

The quick summary:

Toyota's top of the line sedan, leather seating and ample legroom in the back. Known to be Toyota-quality reliable, and receives good reviews from the used car community. See for yourself at
http://www.kbb.com/toyota/avalon/1998-toyota-avalon/ , or if you want history on it, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Avalon

This one is well-maintained, drives comfortably. Should prove suitable for a full undergrad/grad student career, be a reliable family wagon with easy cleaning, or simply provide an enjoyable ride for anybody seeking a near-luxury level driving experience out of a sub-$10k price point.

Full photo album with descriptions at
http://imgur.com/a/1qVGT

Inspection:
Yes, having bought three used cars before, I now have a thorough assessment system of my own for spotting issues. I'll save you the effort by giving it the same inspection that I would do for any car I was buying. Over the course of handling smog and a few other pre-sale errands like washing it, I've driven it for 150 miles or so in the last week.

[Engine]
No abnormal noises, runs smooth and starts without any excessive turning. Accelerates smoothly through all gears without delays or slippages.

[Brakes]
Responsive and smooth, no sponginess, pulsing or squealing. Properly-aligned rotors and no warpage. Inspection this week shows front brakes at near-new 90%, and rear brakes at 40+%, which should be good for another year or more.

[Cooling System]
Coolant system was flushed in 2012 as part of standard maintenance, visual inspection showed zero leaks and supple hoses, no cracks. Coolant is of proper clarity and levels, no unusual odors. Fans function normally, respond appropriately to air conditioning activation.

[Starters/Charging]
Battery is clean, no corrosion on terminals. Car starts easily, without any excessive turning.

[Exhaust]
Passed smog, no abnormalities.

[Exterior]
Wipers, wiper fluid both function well, all headlamps, signals, brake lights, tail lights and park lights work.

[Interior]
Heater and air conditioning both work well and regulate temperature as needed, no refrigerant additions needed. All windows, interior lights and seat adjusters work well. Radio works well, all speakers function as expected, no distortion.

[Steering]
Drip leak in power steering system created during fluid flush in 2012. My mechanic's assessment is that it's from the steering rack, which is estimated to be a 3 hour mechanic labor, plus about $120 or so for the parts if you source them yourself from a place like RackDoctor.com

The replacement job need is already factored into the sale price, and I can put you in touch with a fantastic Palo Alto mechanic and coordinate online parts sourcing for you, if you don't have a go-to already. My mechanic charges Palo Alto standard $110/hr, and estimates the job at $400-500.

Steering system itself is responsive and car travels straight on single-hand steering.

[Suspension]
Cushy by design, and well-balanced amongst all four wheels. Car absorbs speed bumps well.

[Body/Paint]
Parking-related paint dings on rear bumper, no fades in finish. Zero dents.

[Tires]
Ample tread on all four as shown in photos, no replacement should be needed for the next year or two.

If this sounds like the kind of car that fits your needs, and you've read through all the details above, email to schedule a test-drive in Palo Alto.

Sale price will also cover an audit at my mechanic of 8 years in Palo Alto (4.5 stars on Yelp, 75 reviews). If you'd like to take it to your own source, or don't need an audit, you can take $100 off the sale price. Adjustments can also be made for any major repair requirements that emerge from the audit. Pricing has been set based on car quality, expected reliability and nationwide inventory comparables. You're free to check for yourself at Autotrader.com.

Other than that, price is firm, and any attempts at horsetrading or bargaining will result in immediate nullification of sale. If there are any issues or hesitations, I'm happy to address them with you by email in advance. But anybody who waits till the very end of the buying process to play pricing games has deliberately cost me scarce professional time and will not be entertained. Period.

That said, my goal is to give you all the information I can upfront so that your buying decision can be easy and hassle-free. You're welcome to email me with any additional things you'd like to know, or any additional photos or videos you'd like me to take.