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hotgreenpeas
Apr 12, 2008
I have a quick, possibly dumb, question. I think this is the right thread for it. My boyfriend has a family member that he claims can get good deals on used cars that your average person cannot because he has some kind of fancy dealer license or certification or something. This isn't really a thing, is it?

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Thwomp
Apr 10, 2003

BA-DUHHH

Grimey Drawer
It's hard to say without knowing more specifics.

It's possible he has access to dealer-exclusive auto auctions where used commercial fleet/rental fleet/etc vehicles are sold off to dealers at rock-bottom prices.

I don't know the particulars about what would be involved but it's possible this person isn't full of poo poo.

LorneReams
Jun 27, 2003
I'm bizarre
Usually the best deals require you buy lots though...my uncle does this and the lots are usually 5-10 identical year and make/model cars (like elantras or civics, etc). They are usually also all the same color. Per unit, they tend to be way below the market price. I got my first car this way actually.

The Dipshit
Dec 21, 2005

by FactsAreUseless
Proposed Budget under 30k
Type of car: Sedan->compact range (used or new)
To be used for: Daily driver, occasional road trips
Primary goals: Mileage, comfort


Anybody have experience/recommendations with non-Prius Hybrids? I've tried out a Prius, and they just don't feel right in terms of visibility. I'm 6'1 and pretty wide/fat at 240, so comfort would also be up there for me.

This is in an "eventually" stage for me, as a post doc, I don't get paid much, but if I do go into industrial r&D it pays well enough for 30k or less cars, and I have a preference for used cars, as I can do some basic work on them (up to installing a clutch, or needing a winch in general).

Applebees Appetizer
Jan 23, 2006

hotgreenpeas posted:

I have a quick, possibly dumb, question. I think this is the right thread for it. My boyfriend has a family member that he claims can get good deals on used cars that your average person cannot because he has some kind of fancy dealer license or certification or something. This isn't really a thing, is it?

That probably means he has an auction license, it's generally a good idea to stay away from auction cars unless you know what you're doing when it comes to inspecting cars with a fine tooth comb. If you can't do that stick to known reliable cars with known histories. It's usually impossible to get any kind of history from auction cars so you have to know your poo poo before you even think about buying one.

Costello Jello
Oct 24, 2003

It had to start somewhere
Proposed Budget: $6,000-$8,000 (up to $11,000 if really necessary)
New or Used: used
Body Style: 4 door compact SUV or hatchback design
How will you be using the car?: daily driver
What aspects are most important to you? AWD, reliability, and decent MPG

I currently have a 12 year old Ford Focus that's still in good shape, and I'm not someone who cares about having a fancy car. However, I'm about to move to an area of the country that gets between 40-85 inches of snow a year.

I have a friend who formerly lived in this area and says that you really want to have a car with AWD to deal with the winter road conditions.

I have very little experience dealing with snow, having lived in the South most of my life. I lived in Michigan for a year, with a winter that got 32 inches of snow, and my Focus did NOT do well at all. My girlfriend had a Honda CRV with AWD, and the difference between our cars was night and day.

I may just tough out this first winter in my current car, buy snow chains and potentially grippier tires, and see how it goes. I don't have a big budget obviously, and I'm seeing that used cars with AWD come with a premium compared to the 2WD version of the same car.

But does anyone have more experience in these types of weather conditions, and have car models to recommend that I look into? I'd prefer a car with more of a compact SUV/hatchback design, that would support a roof rack well.

Guinness
Sep 15, 2004

Real snow tires make WAY more difference than what your car's drivetrain configuration is. The presumably mediocre all-season tires on your Focus would do nearly as poorly on a Subaru as they would on your car in real snowy conditions. I'm an avid skiier and run Blizzaks in the winter on my RWD car and they do great in snowy mountain passes.

In snow, AWD really only helps you get moving (which, to be fair, is a good benefit), but once you're moving your turning/stopping ability depends almost solely on your tires regardless of AWD/FWD/RWD.

If you otherwise like your Focus, a second set of wheels with good snow tires (Bridgestone Blizzaks, Nokian Hakkepeliittas, etc.) will be MUCH cheaper and less headache than buying a new car. If you're going to live in a snowy region, you're realistically going to want snow tires for whatever car you have regardless of drivetrain configuration. You can get a second set of wheels and snow tires for less than $1000 most likely.

Of course, an AWD car with real snow tires is going to be king, but an FWD car with snow tires shouldn't have any problem getting around.

Guinness fucked around with this message at 19:27 on Aug 29, 2012

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





nm posted:

^^^
yeah, the ranger is basically the solution to all cheap small truck problems. They made a million of them and they are cheap and durable.

Indeed. Really, all the budget change does for you if you still want a 'small' truck is either open up the field to more overpriced Tacos / Frontiers and maybe the Colorado (which I have never really heard much about, positive or negative) or allow you to get a newer, nicer, better-optioned Ranger.

Which, in reality, won't drive that much differently than a decently maintained 10-year-old one with a quarter million miles.

Costello Jello
Oct 24, 2003

It had to start somewhere

Guinness posted:

If you otherwise like your Focus, a second set of wheels with good snow tires (Bridgestone Blizzaks, Nokian Hakkepeliittas, etc.) will be MUCH cheaper and less headache than buying a new car. If you're going to live in a snowy region, you're realistically going to want snow tires for whatever car you have regardless of drivetrain configuration. You can get a second set of wheels and snow tires for less than $1000 most likely.

Thanks for the information. I'm going to stick with my Focus and buy a set of rims with good snow tires and see how well that does for me.

How long do your snow tires last before wearing out?

Guinness
Sep 15, 2004

Costello Jello posted:

Thanks for the information. I'm going to stick with my Focus and buy a set of rims with good snow tires and see how well that does for me.

How long do your snow tires last before wearing out?

It will depend on how much you drive in actual snow/ice versus on bare pavement, since the soft winter compound will wear out faster on bare pavement and barely wear at all on snow. For my Blizzaks I think they are quoted by Bridgestone to last about 15k miles before the "enhanced" compound wears out.

That might not sound like a lot, but considering that you only run them for 4-5 months of the year they should last you several winters if you drive an average (~15k miles/yr) amount. The other thing to keep in mind is that you also will have to replace your summer tires less frequently since you won't be using them for those same 4-6 months, and it opens up your options for purchasing summer tires since you won't have to worry about the winter performance.

I did some quick snooping on tirerack.com and it looks like you could get a set of Blizzaks and 15" steelies for a 2000 Focus for $600-700 including mounting and balancing the tires on the wheels and shipping to your door. Or you could spend a bit more to get fancier alloy wheels.

Here's some more info on winter tires from tirerack: http://www.tirerack.com/winter/index.jsp

BDM05
Sep 28, 2004

Dillon, Texas
Home of the panthers
Hi, so I've had a common problem with my past few cars, bent tire rods. I know that hitting potholes and curbs don't help things any, and they have all been 100k+ mileage cars that I've probably pushed a bit too hard. No racing or anything, but I could be kinder.

This problem has crept up again, is this simply a matter of driving better? Or is there anything to look for in a new car specs, additional feature, or aftermarket parts to help prevent this further?

Budget: Budget
New or Used: Used unless I can find a 3k-clunker-trade-in deal.
Body style: compact/mid-size sedan.
Uses: Suburban/city commuting. Needs enough trunk for tool bags.
Aspects: See above. Low budget & efficient MPG.

PS: Found This site (on the car I'd love but dunno if it's right). It has a fuel-cost-per-year right on the site and that's wonderful for me, I might even go as far as to suggest it for the OP.

Twerk from Home
Jan 17, 2009

This avatar brought to you by the 'save our dead gay forums' foundation.

BDM05 posted:

Hi, so I've had a common problem with my past few cars, bent tire rods. I know that hitting potholes and curbs don't help things any, and they have all been 100k+ mileage cars that I've probably pushed a bit too hard. No racing or anything, but I could be kinder.

If you keep bending tie rod ends, keep fixing them. The only way to bend tie rods is to hit things. If a car has decent alignment and no other broken suspension components, a new car will bend tie rods just as easily as an old one.

The cheapest option is definitely going to be to fix whatever you are driving right now if it only has a bent tie rod end. If you keep hitting curbs and breaking them, you could get a jack and jackstands and learn to replace them yourself. You could be getting old used cars which have bad tie rods already, in which case replacing them will make sure they don't break again without abuse. They do go bad with natural wear and tear anyway.

Edit: If you are bending inner tie rods, quit crashing into things quite so hard. That's a harder, more expensive repair.

Twerk from Home fucked around with this message at 23:16 on Aug 29, 2012

BDM05
Sep 28, 2004

Dillon, Texas
Home of the panthers

Weinertron posted:

If you keep bending tie rod ends, keep fixing them. The only way to bend tie rods is to hit things. If a car has decent alignment and no other broken suspension components, a new car will bend tie rods just as easily as an old one.

The cheapest option is definitely going to be to fix whatever you are driving right now if it only has a bent tie rod end. If you keep hitting curbs and breaking them, you could get a jack and jackstands and learn to replace them yourself. You could be getting old used cars which have bad tie rods already, in which case replacing them will make sure they don't break again without abuse. They do go bad with natural wear and tear anyway.

Edit: If you are bending inner tie rods, quit crashing into things quite so hard. That's a harder, more expensive repair.

Dunno about the old ones, this one was an Outer. My car also needs 4 new tires soooooo....

Rhyno
Mar 22, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!
She won't give up.


Is there a point where "New" Beetles stop being a pile of poo poo? We might get a little help from her father towards a down payment so we can look for a newer car and she is absolutely fixated on loving Beetles.

Applebees Appetizer
Jan 23, 2006

Get a brand new one then at least you'll have a warranty and you'll know it's history. The current gen are much better too, build quality wise IIRC. Might wanna research it, but if you can get a good percentage rate buying a new Beetle over a used one is a very smart move.

[edit] either that or buy a used one and keep extra money on the side for inevitable repairs, like at least a few grand. And make friends wit the local VW repair shop.

Applebees Appetizer fucked around with this message at 00:54 on Aug 30, 2012

Rhyno
Mar 22, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!

leica posted:

Get a brand new one then at least you'll have a warranty and you'll know it's history. The current gen are much better too, build quality wise IIRC. Might wanna research it, but if you can get a good percentage rate buying a new Beetle over a used one is a very smart move.

[edit] either that or buy a used one and keep extra money on the side for inevitable repairs, like at least a few grand. And make friends wit the local VW repair shop.

We saw a 2007 for $10K tonight, only 75K miles and it was fully loaded with the 2.5. It's a bit more than I ever wanted to spend but since there's outside funds possibly coming in I don't think it would be the end of the world.

The Wizard of Oz
Feb 7, 2004

I need a new car after my poor beloved 1999 Toyota Tercel got smashed by a guy who took a left turn immediately in front of me going in the opposite direction. I'm willing to go up to the $2.3k (Canadian) I got from insurance, but a deal would be better. My priorities are reliability and easy maintenance, which I'll be doing exclusively myself.

So today I went out and looked at 5 cars, and am now stuck thinking about three of them. The contestants are, in order encountered:

2002 Saturn SL2, $1500, 122Mm (thousands of kilometres)
Cons: Scratched-up front bumper cover, front tires need replacement, engine light is on (he says it's due to the oxygen sensor in the gas cap and that he has documentation for it, I haven't seen that).
Notes: Performs perfectly fine. I must absolutely see that documentation before anything happened or we'll run it down to Mr. Lube and get them to read it, but I heard nothing wrong with the engine in the test run. No logs.

1991 Toyota Tercel, $1600 soft, 226Mm
Cons: Old as gently caress, some rattling of the valves when cold, a little bit of tugging during coasting (like it's getting pulled back), made a little white smoke out the exhaust when revved when cold, and peeling on the plastics.
Notes: Complete maintenance records going back to 1991 when he bought it new. Spotless exterior, no rust on the panels, underside looks great, clearly driven properly and maintained well. His asking price was too much, but when I suggested $1600 (I know, I should have said $1400, I'm too nice) he immediately said okay, so I think I can bring it down more.

1996 Ford Taurus, $975, 238Mm
Cons: It's a Ford car, suspiciously cheap, some minor scratches and a bit of paint torn off that's been painted over, rust in both rear tire wells, lots of replaced parts in the engine, really really harsh and random gear changes in the slushbox when revving up hills and some increasing rattling when approaching just 60kph - I think the transmission needs replacement, antenna motor don't work.
Notes: He claims they're moving to Ontario in two weeks, so they want to get rid of their cars quick. gently caress, I could just buy it and sell it again for a profit, if there's nothing seriously wrong with it. I would really like a station wagon.

So what do you all think? I'm not hooked on any of these, I could keep looking, but they all seem quite meritorious.

nm
Jan 28, 2008

"I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."
The Taurus almost certainly has a dead AT. A common problem. The good thing is that a used transmission is extremely cheap if you do the install yourself.

I would never spend more than $1000 for a 91 tercel.

Ramrod Hotshot
May 30, 2003

Anybody got the scoop on Labor Day sales? I'm in the market right now (your basic, reliable Civic/Corolla type of vehicle) and up until now had convinced myself that new cars were overpriced (although I'm finding that that's a thin margin with Civics and Corollas because depreciation is so low) and now my family is trying to convince me that I can save big by looking for deals this Labor Day weekend, that dealers will be dying to get rid of extra stock so they can make room for '13 models. Since buying a car doesn't work the same as buying a TV (30% off!) it's pretty hard to research how much I'd be saving without going to a dealer first. Is the Labor Day hype true? Any experiences either way?

remeez
Jan 10, 2007

Proposed Budget:10-12k
New or Used: used
Body Style: SUV/Crossover/ if it handles snow I don't care
How will you be using the car?: Daily driver for 8 mile drive
What aspects are most important to you? Just needs to be a beast in the snow and other awful conditions, I live in New England on a giant rear end hill and I have to get to my job regardless of the weather outside.

positech
Jun 26, 2011
Proposed Budget: 25-35 with wiggle room

New or Used: used

Body Style: SUV or sedan

How will you be using the car?: Daily driver, work vehicle.

What aspects are most important to you? comfortable, reliable, spacious. I drive 3500-5000 miles a month for work and need space for about 2 yards of luggage. I'm also a "do it yourselfer" and would like to avoid having to constantly rent a truck from Lowes to haul materials home. my current vehicle is a ford explorer, which I love, but at 135,000 miles she's giving me too much trouble. she isn't very comfortable either.

as for extras.. as I said, comfortable is very important. I like leather, good sound system, in dash GPS a plus, sunroof, I like luxury options and brands

Grumpwagon
May 6, 2007
I am a giant assfuck who needs to harden the fuck up.

Ramrod Hotshot posted:

Anybody got the scoop on Labor Day sales? I'm in the market right now (your basic, reliable Civic/Corolla type of vehicle) and up until now had convinced myself that new cars were overpriced (although I'm finding that that's a thin margin with Civics and Corollas because depreciation is so low) and now my family is trying to convince me that I can save big by looking for deals this Labor Day weekend, that dealers will be dying to get rid of extra stock so they can make room for '13 models. Since buying a car doesn't work the same as buying a TV (30% off!) it's pretty hard to research how much I'd be saving without going to a dealer first. Is the Labor Day hype true? Any experiences either way?

I saw a commercial for what looked like a national $2k extra cash off '12 Focuses, which would be my recommendation for you.

Throatwarbler
Nov 17, 2008

by vyelkin

positech posted:

Proposed Budget: 25-35 with wiggle room

New or Used: used

Body Style: SUV or sedan

How will you be using the car?: Daily driver, work vehicle.

What aspects are most important to you? comfortable, reliable, spacious. I drive 3500-5000 miles a month for work and need space for about 2 yards of luggage. I'm also a "do it yourselfer" and would like to avoid having to constantly rent a truck from Lowes to haul materials home. my current vehicle is a ford explorer, which I love, but at 135,000 miles she's giving me too much trouble. she isn't very comfortable either.

as for extras.. as I said, comfortable is very important. I like leather, good sound system, in dash GPS a plus, sunroof, I like luxury options and brands

Look into a 3 or 4 year old Infiniti QX56 or its sister vehicle the Nissan Armarda. Meets all your requirements, almost all of them did come with nav, plus power folding third row seats, maybe even adaptive cruise control. Around 2008 when the economy tanked and gas prices went up Nissan dealers were desperately trying to get rid of these, people were getting them for like $40k off MSRP. They're reliable but by all accounts only adequately engineered for their purpose, so daily commuting should be fine but I wouldn't try to do any crazy towing or anything like that.

If you *do* want to do crazy hauling, go for a Toyota Sequioa. For the same year mileage they are more expensive but much better built with massively over-engineered drivetrains. To give you an idea Toyota sells an add-on supercharger kit for the 5.7l V8 that takes power to 500+HP while maintaining factory warranty. They also have more off-road capability.

Applebees Appetizer
Jan 23, 2006

remeez posted:

Proposed Budget:10-12k
New or Used: used
Body Style: SUV/Crossover/ if it handles snow I don't care
How will you be using the car?: Daily driver for 8 mile drive
What aspects are most important to you? Just needs to be a beast in the snow and other awful conditions, I live in New England on a giant rear end hill and I have to get to my job regardless of the weather outside.

Any Subaru in your price range. The Outback and Forester have the most ground clearance if that's important.

Or if the snow gets REALLY deep I'd say a Jeep Wrangler/Cherokee/Grand Cherokee.

Applebees Appetizer fucked around with this message at 18:11 on Aug 30, 2012

Agronox
Feb 4, 2005

Ramrod Hotshot posted:

Anybody got the scoop on Labor Day sales? I'm in the market right now (your basic, reliable Civic/Corolla type of vehicle) and up until now had convinced myself that new cars were overpriced (although I'm finding that that's a thin margin with Civics and Corollas because depreciation is so low) and now my family is trying to convince me that I can save big by looking for deals this Labor Day weekend, that dealers will be dying to get rid of extra stock so they can make room for '13 models. Since buying a car doesn't work the same as buying a TV (30% off!) it's pretty hard to research how much I'd be saving without going to a dealer first. Is the Labor Day hype true? Any experiences either way?

There might be some truth to it. I just picked up a Mazda 3 last week for $2,800 below invoice.

There are some pretty good lease deals out there too.

Uncle Jam
Aug 20, 2005

Perfect

Claverjoe posted:

Proposed Budget under 30k
Type of car: Sedan->compact range (used or new)
To be used for: Daily driver, occasional road trips
Primary goals: Mileage, comfort


Anybody have experience/recommendations with non-Prius Hybrids? I've tried out a Prius, and they just don't feel right in terms of visibility. I'm 6'1 and pretty wide/fat at 240, so comfort would also be up there for me.

This is in an "eventually" stage for me, as a post doc, I don't get paid much, but if I do go into industrial r&D it pays well enough for 30k or less cars, and I have a preference for used cars, as I can do some basic work on them (up to installing a clutch, or needing a winch in general).

I've driven a lot of HEV, or PEV and most of them don't feel as good as a Prius. I dunno if the reason is that they are originally designed for a different power train or what but they aren't fun to drive. I haven't driven EVERY hybrid so don't take this as an absolute.

If you are looking to accommodate a large frame then have you checked out the small hybrid SUV/crossovers? Also, what about non-hybrids?

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

Throatwarbler posted:

I really like the look of these cars too, but the huge slab of wood trim on the dash kind of looks outdated.

These had *all aluminum* bodies, so you'd think they've finally solved the British car rust problem, not to mention it was like ~800lbs lighter than a contemporary BMW 7 series, but they were held together by steel rivets, an apparently during the stamping process bits of steel were left in the press and got into the bodywork under the paint.

http://dandmbr.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=bodywork&action=display&thread=297

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=85&t=889637&nmt=

So they actually managed to make a car *entirely out of aluminum* that still turns into a pile of oxidation barely out of warranty. :britain:

Man I love that fuckin walnut tree trunk. That's one of the key selling points for me.

I had no idea about the rivets that's hilarious.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

Chin Strap posted:

Proposed Budget: 10-15k
Type of car: Used Truck
To be used for: Hauling poo poo and as a second city driver.

I previously asked about getting a much cheaper truck to just haul poo poo, but have thought about it for a while and decided that our current second car, which is a 93 Mazda sedan, is getting lots of rust and starting to show its age. We don't constantly use a second car, but we definitely want to have two. It won't be driven daily.

We would still like something to haul poo poo in (nothing too heavy duty, mainly gardening stuff like dirt and mulch), and would like it to be reasonable gas mileage, so one of the lighter weight trucks. But we have upped the budget to make this a replacement for the Mazda.

Previous a Ranger was suggested by multiple folks, but that was for a much lower budget. What would you suggest at this price range? I'd prefer something certified maybe because I don't want to have to worry about too many issues with the car.

How much are you actually going to drive it, mileage wise? If you are mostly hauling it behooves you to Not Give A gently caress Bout No Gas Mileage as the drivability more than makes up for it and you'll work the engine less hard.

A used 1500 series Ram or Silverado or an F150 are good options. They came in work truck variants which were pretty stripped down and had a bench seat for ultimate truckiness. If you really want small, the Nissan Frontier is also a pretty credible alternative to the B-Series/Stranger suggestions.

Trucks are pretty goddamn simple and reliable so don't bother with CPO. I don't even know anywhere you can get a CPO truck.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

Costello Jello posted:

Proposed Budget: $6,000-$8,000 (up to $11,000 if really necessary)
New or Used: used
Body Style: 4 door compact SUV or hatchback design
How will you be using the car?: daily driver
What aspects are most important to you? AWD, reliability, and decent MPG

I currently have a 12 year old Ford Focus that's still in good shape, and I'm not someone who cares about having a fancy car. However, I'm about to move to an area of the country that gets between 40-85 inches of snow a year.

I have a friend who formerly lived in this area and says that you really want to have a car with AWD to deal with the winter road conditions.

I have very little experience dealing with snow, having lived in the South most of my life. I lived in Michigan for a year, with a winter that got 32 inches of snow, and my Focus did NOT do well at all. My girlfriend had a Honda CRV with AWD, and the difference between our cars was night and day.

I may just tough out this first winter in my current car, buy snow chains and potentially grippier tires, and see how it goes. I don't have a big budget obviously, and I'm seeing that used cars with AWD come with a premium compared to the 2WD version of the same car.

But does anyone have more experience in these types of weather conditions, and have car models to recommend that I look into? I'd prefer a car with more of a compact SUV/hatchback design, that would support a roof rack well.

32 inches of snow ahahahaha.

Tips for winter driving (where I learned to drive is in the 110-140" a year range):

1. If you are in a situation where you need chains, seriously reconsider driving.
2. In fact, if it's snowing at all significantly, consider the following: Is what I'm about to do actually essential? If the answer is no, don't go driving.
3. Unless you're a serious loving skiier, or an EMS/first responder, or you Absolutely Can Never Take Off Work Ever, gently caress AWD. It's a great way to spend more money to get worse gas mileage and have increased complexity in order to have slightly better capabilities for maybe four days out of 365 (in your area).
4. Snow tires. Get them. They will insure that you wear your normal tires less, since you're using them less of the time. They will also make your focus dominate snow.
5. Carry a blanket, flares, a shovel and five pounds of sand or ash in your trunk at all times. If you have a come along might as well keep that there too.
6. Don't buy studded snow tires. They are noisy, bad for the pavement, the studs wear down and they're worse on snow than normal snow tires. They're only good on ice. You don't drive on ice in a way that they matter, I promise.
7. Chains are fine to have but I have used them maybe twice and that's only when driving a pass which has a chains requirement.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

Rhyno posted:

She won't give up.


Is there a point where "New" Beetles stop being a pile of poo poo? We might get a little help from her father towards a down payment so we can look for a newer car and she is absolutely fixated on loving Beetles.

Do not buy a current (2012) Beetle.

Later model years are better. The thing didn't change on a fundamental level throughout the model run so newer the better.

The 2.5 is pretty bulletproof as is the 2.0 crossflow 8 valve. Do not buy the 1.8t.

Good luck, buddy. Learn to replace the window regulators.

edit:

leica posted:

The current gen are much better too, build quality wise IIRC. Might wanna research it, but if you can get a good percentage rate buying a new Beetle over a used one is a very smart move.

They're not, I promise.

Kibner
Oct 21, 2008

#1 Pelican Fan
My current car (2008 Honda Civic) got caught in a flash flood and the water is high enough that I am assuming my car will be totaled when I can bring it to an appraiser. So, I would appreciate some advice in getting another vehicle.

Proposed Budget: 10,000 - 15,000
New or Used: Used
Body Style: 4-door car
How will you be using the car?: I have a long commute to work. About 40 highway miles each way. I put on about 30,000 miles a year. I occasionally will make long road trips for vacations, as well.
What aspects are most important to you?: MPG and reliability are the most important to me. I live in a fairly isolated place so the less often I have to bring the car into town, the better. Cruise control is a must. I do not need anything like GPS or satellite radio built in. Power locks and windows would be nice.

I actually really liked my Civic. I would get between 36 and 38 MPG on my normal work commute, so I would like something comparable.

Twerk from Home
Jan 17, 2009

This avatar brought to you by the 'save our dead gay forums' foundation.

Agronox posted:

There might be some truth to it. I just picked up a Mazda 3 last week for $2,800 below invoice.

There are some pretty good lease deals out there too.

I would greatly appreciate some new-car buying advice on how people pull off these deals. I previously had thought that economy cars and cars with very few options had less wiggle room on the price, but then my dad picked up a 2013 Kia Soul+ for $1200 under invoice and I have no idea what a good price target is anymore.

I'm doing my best to research, but have no clue how to pick a price target because there's such huge variance. How can you know when it's OK to walk up and offer them 25% under their sticker on it like you did there and when an offer like that will get you laughed out?

Professor Shark
May 22, 2012

How will you be using the car?: Driving to work, a couple hours/ 200km round per day on twisty coastal roads.
What aspects are most important to you? Reliability, good MPG, low main/repair.

That said, any thoughts on the 2012 Chevrolet Spark?



I've been looking for small fuel-efficient cars, and this one came up as the best price, and while there is no review for the 2012, the 2013 gets good reviews on Intellichoice. I checked one out today and was surprised at how comfortable it was (and was completely sucked in by the "digital monitor inspired by computer games"*.

Good idea or not?

*Car and Driver

Professor Shark fucked around with this message at 00:42 on Aug 31, 2012

Ramrod Hotshot
May 30, 2003

I loving hate car salesmen, so http://carwoo.com/ looks interesting. From the looks of it, I guess you bid for a car online or something? I guess the only problem I could see is you end up paying more than you would in person. Anybody tried it?

jonathan
Jul 3, 2005

by LITERALLY AN ADMIN
loving tire chains grrrrrr I put on and take off 6 sets of tire chains daily. 1 steer, 4 drive triples, and 1 for the trailer. In the middle of the loving summer. gently caress Alberta Mud it is the worst of anywhere. (Yes I've seen the russian video)

Applebees Appetizer
Jan 23, 2006

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

Do not buy a current (2012) Beetle.

They're not, I promise.

Huh, with all the raving about how VW finally got the GTi right you would think they could make a decent Beetle, guess not. Isn't the current Beetle based on the GTi platform?

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

Weinertron posted:

I would greatly appreciate some new-car buying advice on how people pull off these deals. I previously had thought that economy cars and cars with very few options had less wiggle room on the price, but then my dad picked up a 2013 Kia Soul+ for $1200 under invoice and I have no idea what a good price target is anymore.

I'm doing my best to research, but have no clue how to pick a price target because there's such huge variance. How can you know when it's OK to walk up and offer them 25% under their sticker on it like you did there and when an offer like that will get you laughed out?

No offer is going to get you laughed out. They're there to sell a car to you. You don't need to earn their respect.

edmunds.com is useful.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

leica posted:

Huh, with all the raving about how VW finally got the GTi right you would think they could make a decent Beetle, guess not. Isn't the current Beetle based on the GTi platform?

Oh, the car itself drives pretty well and it looks good inside and out. There are just... issues... related to the body style.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

Ramrod Hotshot posted:

I loving hate car salesmen, so http://carwoo.com/ looks interesting. From the looks of it, I guess you bid for a car online or something? I guess the only problem I could see is you end up paying more than you would in person. Anybody tried it?

If you're buying new and you hate salesmen, and you know approximately what you want (in terms of model) email the internet/online sales managers of the dealers in the area, let them know what you want and tell them to make you an offer. Then shop the guys against each other. They'll typically make good, no bullshit offers because a) it's their job to deal with online inquiries and b) you already know what you want, so they don't have to sell you on the car and c) they can move cars pretty quickly without too much trouble.

If you can't get down to a couple hundred over invoice pretty much hassle free, I'd be shocked.

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Melting Eggs
Jul 17, 2006

Quis custodiet custodes ipsos?
Proposed Budget: $5,000-$6,000 or less
New or Used: used
Body Style: whatever
How will you be using the car?: daily driver, road trips
What aspects are most important to you? Low TCO (fuel, maintenance, repair, etc.), reliable

Looking at the ~2000 Chevy Prizm. Any other cars worth looking at that fit the above criteria? I know I'm looking for a unicorn of sorts.

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