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So my wife's 96 Rav 4 just kicked the bucket so it looks like I'm now sitting in the used car market; the problem is I don't know jack about cars and I don't want to rush into a purchase but we could definitely benefit from having another vehicle as soon as possible. I'm not in a terrible financial situation, We can afford to spend up to $5k but I'd prefer to spend as little as possible. Actually, I just want a beater. What I need to know is what makes/models are the most recommended for someone say in Cornholio's past situation? What's a fair price for such a vehicle? What are some things I should be concerned about? What questions should I ask the owner? Should I ever go to a used car dealership? Actually, any useful information about purchasing used cars would be appreciated. I'm lost.
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Apr 4, 2011 18:56
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 13:49 |
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Thanks for the responses.skipdogg posted:What kind of car do you want? 4 door compact? Small SUV? 1. Small truck or a sedan/compact. Preferably the latter two. I looked into the "What's up with the used car market" topic after making my post and learned about the inflated pricing which should have been obvious to begin with but I've never been in this situation before. I'm hoping there may be some deals out there, looking on auto-trader and I let everyone I know, know to keep me in mind if they see a deal. 2. Cracked head. Mechanic quoted the repair at 1400, It also leaks oil (Not sure if it's worth fixing the leak. Not even sure where the oil is leaking) and if I'm going to spend 1400 replacing the head I'd prefer to get the leak fixed as well which I haven't received a quote for. You're probably right but I'll continue looking for a replacement for the moment and keep that option in mind if the market turns out to be dry. quote:In general you want to find a small 4 door compact sedan from an import manufacturer. Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, they all made solid cars in the late 90's to early 00's Thanks for your suggestions, I currently own a 2009 Hyundai Sonata (Sweet car) which the wife drives; surprisingly in this market it seems that the car is actually worth more than what I currently owe on it (and not too far from the original selling price). However I remember reading that older Hyundais need to be avoided like the plague, is this still true and if so when did Hyundai turn around? I've been looking for Hondas/Toyotas and I will continue to keep them in mind but like others have said their prices seem to be a bit inflated atm. Great Advice CH, will add those to my list. The hardest part about this experience is keeping the wife convinced that we need to be patient. Sephiroth_IRA fucked around with this message at 00:14 on Apr 5, 2011 |
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Apr 4, 2011 23:41
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Leaked (dripped) oil before the head cracked and I was topping it off on a weekly basis. Edit: It's never really been determined if the head was actually cracked however all signs seem to point to yes according to the mechanic and a few of my educated friends. The car was overheated and the check engine light came on. The thermostat was checked and replaced but the issue continued. When I filled the radiator with anti-freeze it would boil out of the radiator and continue to overheat http://i55.tinypic.com/1tqa2c.png Considering heading out to test-drive this tomorrow. It's been listed for a few weeks now on CL and AT so I'm hoping the dealer may give me some room to haggle over it. Low miles for a 1999. Please tell me why this is or isn't retarded. Speaking of mileage, how often does odometer tampering occur? I actually know a few people that have admitted to messing with their odometers in the past. It makes me feel safer going through a reputable dealer based on that. ~I apologize if I've hijacked this thread. :| Is it more kosher to start a thread on AI or to post here? Sephiroth_IRA fucked around with this message at 03:51 on Apr 5, 2011 |
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Apr 5, 2011 01:26
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1992 Geo Prism Cylinders: 4 CYLINDERS Transmission: Automatic Body: 4 Door Color: White Int. Color: Red Miles: 156,825 Price: $1,495 :| Seems like a good deal; I checked out the dealer and he seems reputable. I think I'll have a hard time convincing the wife why we should purchase an older vehicle but I really doubt this thing could depreciate further at all. Have to wait until Thursday to test-drive and inspect it though 
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Apr 5, 2011 19:49
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drat. I'm assuming "Why are you selling the car?" is a perfectly fair question to ask someone when you're purchasing a vehicle because so far I've only found one person that took offense to it. "Why am I selling the car? Why are you BUYING the car? Mind your own business, I don't like that question I'm not going to answer it." The reason why I ask is simply because it gives some insight into the possibility of reducing the price. If the seller says "My wife and I just got pregnant" chances are they'll be willing to reduce the price if they need the money in a hurry; if the seller says "My 16 year old daughter needs a car and she's not interested in driving a sedan" I can assume he'd be less willing to sell the car below it's actual value. Impulse post but I'm also re-posting age old advice I received from the Millionaire Next Door.
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May 11, 2011 18:48
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Yeah speaking of which I just got off the phone with a guy selling a used 2000 Prizm. Asked the same question and basically got his life-story about how he's a foreign exchange student and that he'll be returning to his home country in a few months. Stats on the Car: 2000 Chevrolet Prizm 4D Sedan Engine: 1.8 L 4 cylinder Mileage: 155.000 Transmission: Automatic Exterior Color: White Cruise Control New Tires purchased in 2010. Initial Price 3100; stated he was open to negotiation. I found a similar Prizm for sale that's going for 3400 from a dealer w 115000 miles. I'll probably be bringing that ad with me. Also a print-out of the kbb value. Edit: Also I've heard that Prizms are basically Corollas so why is there such a kbb price difference between the two? Is it simply brand recognition? Also going to admit I'm new to the whole car haggling thing. How much do you think I should expect to lower the price of the above car? What strategies should I implement?
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May 11, 2011 19:10
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I attempted some of the more risky hyper mileing techniques way back and realized pretty quickly the majority of them were too dangerous so I stopped. However, I've always wondered about how long a car has to idle before it uses as much gas as it takes to start it. The main reason why I'm bumping this topic after a few weeks of inactivity is to report that I finally got the 2000 Chevy Prizm (Thanks CH and others for the advice) and to also ask for a few pointers on my current problem, which is selling the Rav 4. To refresh your memories my wife currently owns a 1996 Toyota Rav 4 with over 225k miles. It has a cracked head, leaks oil (Drips) and no AC. We were quoted 1400 to repair the head. The repairs won't include fixing the oil leak or the AC. Edit: I'm considering selling the car or donating it for a tax credit; probably through the NPR Car Talk Vehicle Donation program. I've been reading Publication 526 and it appears you're supposed to use the cars "Fair Market Value" from a source like KBB to determine how much you can deduct; however, I'd also have to take into account the expected repair costs. How would I go about doing that? I suppose my other option is just "Put it up on craigslist and hope for the best". Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Sephiroth_IRA fucked around with this message at 01:24 on Jun 21, 2011 |
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Jun 21, 2011 01:09
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So here's my current auto/financial dilemma: Back in 2008 my father and I cosigned on a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. I forget the initial principal but I currently owe about $8500. According to KBB, the car is currently worth 12500. I feel I should take this opportunity to try and get rid of it and get some equity out of it. Here's what I'm planning. Pay the car off completely. Allow the car to remain titled to my father and I. -Start looking for a replacement car. -Purchase replacement car. -List the Sonata on craigslist. -Find a buyer. -Get the buyer to pay the fees in order to change the title. Pros: -The Sonata will be paid off and I'll save $300 bucks a month while I try to find another car and a buyer for the Sonata. -I may get some equity out of the sale. Cons: -?????? Any input would be appreciated.
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Sep 28, 2011 16:57
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 13:49 |
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I've never had a problem with the car, I keep up with the scheduled maintenance and the mileage is between 40-41k. The wife and I have about $20k sitting in our savings account and we're about to get 5-10k back from a family member we loaned money to. So we can definitely afford to pay the car off and we would be able to net an additional $300 monthly since we would no longer have the car payment. Not to mention the insurance savings which I haven't factored in yet. Thanks, ^, V and VV. I'm going to talk about this with the wife tonight. Sephiroth_IRA fucked around with this message at 17:26 on Sep 28, 2011 |
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Sep 28, 2011 17:08
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