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Proposed Budget: 2-3k, looking for a semi-reliable beater as suggested in the OP (wouldn't mind suggestions for a little more or less) New or Used: Used Body Style: Doesn't matter. How will you be using the car?: Like a loser without much in the way of friends, possessions, or reasons to live. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability, mpg, maintenance. Economics. Midwest US
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Mar 13, 2014 16:43
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my dad has a 2002 chevy impala that needs like $1500 of work. it can drive (for now), just not really freeway safe (it's some brake spring thing). is it even worth it to fix it at this point? i see ones that are advertised to be fully running on craigslist for around $2500.
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Apr 28, 2014 19:27
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skipdogg posted:Of course it's worth fixing. Most cars are worth fixing to be honest, people just get tired of them and need to rationalize buying a new one. I'm not really one to talk, as in 17 years of driving I've owned 13 different cars, 8 of which were purchased brand new. So it isn't unwise to spend more than 50% of a car's value fixing it? I know dick about cars, just seems like something you maybe shouldn't do. I don't know about it being on it's last legs, but my sis drove it for many years and it was a money pit, always breaking down. When she got enough for a new car, she just gave it to my dad. Not going to buy a new car, he was thinking of buying a different cheap used car instead of fixing this one.
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Apr 28, 2014 20:27
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I don't really want to deal with randoms on craigslist, so I'm thinking of going the used dealer route. How does getting an independent inspection work? Can I just be like "sales bro, I gotta swing this over to my wrench man real quick?" Do they usually ask for you to leave money as collateral or something?
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Mar 12, 2015 01:33
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Claverjoe posted:Holy poo poo, no. They get a copy of your driver's license and insurance, then you go off. Oh, so existing insurance is a requirement to do this? I'm trying to buy a first car, I don't have insurance.
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Mar 12, 2015 10:24
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I'm looking at getting a 99 Grand Am with a rather innocuous carfax and under 100k miles for my first car. Dealership is asking 4k, KBB Dealer price is $3150. Should I try to haggle this down, if so, what should I shoot for?
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Mar 24, 2015 19:57
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skipdogg posted:You really shouldn't be buying your first car, especially a 99 Grand Am, from a dealer. I'd like to go 5k or under. Was considering going up to maybe 10k if i got a something at Carmax, but it does make me nervous to spend that much for my first car (and everything at that price from carmax is like 3k+ over bluebook). And the Grand Am in question is 72,000 miles, so, a good amount under 100, and only 1 previous owner. I just kind of don't want to deal with the informality of a craigslist deal, I only have access to a car like 1 day a week, if that, so I just don't want to deal with bullshit and I have social anxiety (mildly spergy) and really don't like meeting up with randoms. The last 2 times I tried to buy things off craigslist, one was a bike with a broken frame duct-taped together (unmentioned and unpictured in the ad), and the other time I bought a desk chair I thought was wildly uncomfortable just so it wouldn't be awkward (didn't help that the seller was unexpectedly a hot 30 year old woman who seemed like she could teach me things and the person i talked to on the phone was like a 60 year old man).
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Mar 24, 2015 21:59
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VideoTapir posted:Going to low-end car dealers is not a good way to avoid bullshit, FYI. I know car salesman aren't known for being beacons of their community, but I know the transaction is relatively impersonal (other than commission they may or not make) and that makes me more comfortable. This isn't a low-end used dealer lot I'm looking at buying from. Seemingly well-respected dealership (have like 10 locations and they are all over 4 stars on google reviews) that sells mostly new and certified pre-owned. Another big thing, I don't have a lot of flexibility when it comes to meeting randoms on CL as I don't own a car and the one I borrow occasionally is almost always being used unless it's a time where I couldn't reasonably expect a CL meeting to take place. And when you include arranging a mechanic to look at it in a way that works for me and the seller, I might as well go door to door and ask people if I can buy their car in my neighborhood. jarjarbinksfan621 fucked around with this message at 22:42 on Mar 24, 2015 |
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Mar 24, 2015 22:23
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IRQ posted:And you will be accordingly ripped off for that convenience on a cheap used car from a dealer. Just so you know. I'm definitely averse to a car loan, but I could also afford to pay one easily at the present. The problem is, I don't have the greatest job security because of my depression, social retardation, and being completely unqualified by company standards for my customer service heavy job. So, I'm uncomfortable taking a loan for anything I could not cover from my bank account. It seems like unless you're buying new from a dealer, if poo poo hits the fan, it's probably on you, anyway. I've considered paying the super premium and going with carmax because the good things I read about their cold, corporate guarantees. Otherwise, I figure I might as well hedge my bets and buy something somewhat inexpensive.
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Mar 25, 2015 00:56
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So, I went to a dealership today to look at a 1998 Crown Vic with 92k miles. It seems like a decent deal. $2500 sticker and $3000 out the door after taxes and stuff (does that sound right?). Tires looked new, everything was relatively clean. The only issue was that the driver window controls couldn't control the right rear window (window worked from the right rear) and there was a check engine light. I had to go, but the salesman said they would run the codes and get back to me. He said that it was nothing and the electronics just had to be reset and the check engine light is off now. Does that sound right? I did inform him that I was going to get it checked out by a mechanic, so he's aware I won't be buying it with major issues regardless.
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Mar 25, 2015 19:39
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Guinness posted:
So, you think I should just forget about this car? I figure if I get it checked out and something minor is wrong, I'll try to haggle the fix off the price, and if something major is wrong I just won't buy it. I don't really know anything about cars, are you saying the CEL could be indicative of some major issue that a mechanic could easily miss on a pre-purchase inspection? Also, another small worry, the AC and Heat worked, but they seemed excessively loud. I'm not sure if that's indicative of an issue or if it's supposed to be that way in that old-rear end big car. The carfax looks pretty good, after 30,000 miles it has recorded service from a ford dealership every couple thousand miles or so, one as recent as 82k miles (it's at 92k). jarjarbinksfan621 fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Mar 25, 2015 |
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Mar 25, 2015 21:18
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No!
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silence_kit posted:The dealer very likely knows that there is some problem with the car, but doesn't want to put the effort and money into fixing it. Do you think I'm pissing away $100-$150 if I get this particular car checked out by a mechanic? Isn't there a good chance that a CEL indicates something that is a minor (i.e. inexpensive) fix?
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Mar 26, 2015 02:34
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nm posted:Jesus Christ, don't buy a 17 year old car from a dealer. He already called me back and said nothing came up with the scanner and the CEL went away when he reset the electronics or whatever. I guess that sounds a bit suspicious, but it's not like I'm going to buy it without getting it checked out. Anyway, assuming nothing major is wrong with it, $2500 is actually under the dealer KBB price for a 92k mile 98 crown vic lx.
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Mar 26, 2015 04:52
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IRQ posted:He's made it clear that he won't do that, because garbage used car salesmen are less weird and will involve less bullshit than craigslist people in his mind. Despite my dislike of going through cl, it's not like I haven't been looking. I've seriously looked at cars on craigslist everyday for at least 2 months. Like 50% of the cars under 5k need tons of work and are still asking for full good-condition market value, 95% of listings are vague and have one picture and some half-rear end description that says "hot heat, cold air". Everything worthwhile is way overpriced or is gone by the time I call, and like I said, with my resources, I don't have wide-open flexibility to meet up and get it checked out, get title transferred, etc. If a car's location is more than 30 minutes away, I don't even think about it.
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Mar 26, 2015 19:40
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considering to buy a 2000 nissan maxima with 240k miles and no current mechanical issues for $1500 as my first car. is that so many miles that i'm likely throwing money away? also looking at a 2002 cadillac deville with 140k miles listed at $2800. Sounds like it's in excellent shape with no mechanical issues and newer tires. does $2800 sound fair, or should I try to get it down? jarjarbinksfan621 fucked around with this message at 04:40 on Jun 3, 2015 |
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Jun 3, 2015 00:26
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Tricky Ed posted:Auto or manual? What trim level? And how much driving will you be doing? It's an automatic, I don't know what trim. I pretty much would just drive 2 miles to and from work, grocery store, etc. It's a gamble, I guess. If I get a year or two out of it without too many repair bills, I'd be happy.
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Jun 4, 2015 17:49
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There's a 2005 Camry on craigslist with 150k miles in my city asking $5600, supposedly in excellent/very good condition (mentions both). Was thinking of offering 5k even. Should I offer even lower or meet his asking price? This is going to be the first car I own, and I'm kind of a lovely driver, so 5k is the absolute most I want to spend (a little more than I want to, tbh).
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Jun 14, 2015 21:51
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Thinking of buying a used 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer ES for 12k. Still has 25k miles and 3 years left on the comprehensive limited and powertrain warranty. Mitsubishis aren't exactly widespread in the US. Would the maintenance be especially expensive? What about repairs after the warranty is up? I have found lots of mixed information on google. Would it be wiser to go with a Hyundai or Kia over the Mitsubishi at a similar price point with a similar warranty?
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Jul 29, 2015 10:10
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nm posted:If you buy a modern mitsu that isn't an evo, it better be cheap as hell. 12k isn't cheap enough. The warranty was originally 10 years/100k miles for the powertrain, but that's only for the original owner. Goes down to 5yr/60k when transferred. I guess I'm not gonna get it though. Insurance quotes are really high on it. 250/month from progressive for 500 deductible comprehensive/collision was the cheapest I came up with so far.
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Jul 30, 2015 00:13
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I've decided to buy a 2009 Toyota Yaris from Carmax (auto trans). It has 97k miles. $2070 for their maxcare warranty (http://www.carmax.com/enus/maxcare/default.html) 5yrs/150k miles (essentially 5yrs/53k miles because of the existing mileage) $50 deductible. Worth it, or better off keeping the $2000 and handling repairs on my own?
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Jul 31, 2015 04:23
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LeeMajors posted:I'd skip it. It's 5 years from date of purchase, so it's actually a heck of a warranty. I desire the peace of mind that comes with the warranty, but yeah, it does seem kind of overkill for the car I'm buying. It doesn't even have power windows or locks, and an extra 2k in the bank is peace of mind in itself. Still, 97k miles isn't exactly low. I dunno.
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Jul 31, 2015 06:25
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Twerk from Home posted:You're getting this car very cheap, right? It should be in the $5k-6500 range. The warranty sounds crazy expensive. The Yaris is $8600. It's a bit over bluebook/NADA, but it seems better than what I've seen at local dealerships for that price point. And for a sub-10k car at carmax, the markup isn't bad at all. The other options are mid-2000 Saturns, Chevy Aveos, and Cavaliers for roughly the same price.
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Jul 31, 2015 21:47
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Twerk from Home posted:I asked my coworker about his 2010 Yaris. His is admittedly pretty basic, but it's an auto and has A/C. He bought it for $12k 6 years ago. I just want something reliable for preferably under 10k. I can stretch a bit if I can get a solid warranty, 12k is about the highest I can go. Also, using craigslist isn't realistic for me. I don't have regular access to a car. I occasionally borrow the car of someone who doesn't live with me for medical appointments, but I can't expect them to let me drive the car that they depend on as an inexperienced driver who doesn't know the area to the locales of randoms just to check their poo poo out.
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Jul 31, 2015 22:39
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How do existing manufacturer warranties work with used cars that don't have comprehensive maintenance records available? A 2013 or 14 Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio with 30k+ miles left on the warranty can be had for relatively cheap. Can I count on that warranty without maintenance records for the time I did not own the car? I plan to get it checked out by a mechanic before buying, shouldn't anything that indicates poor maintenance come up? I figure if that's the case, I can just do good upkeep and if I ever need work there shouldn't be any signs of poor maintenance that would lead to records being needed. Thoughts?
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Aug 22, 2015 12:41
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IRQ posted:Hyundai and Kia warranties don't transfer, it gets cut roughly in half (5 years, 60k miles vs 10 years 100k miles), so those with 30k miles left you'd be SOL. No, I meant it has 30k miles left on the 60k mile warranty.
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Aug 23, 2015 00:25
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hanales posted:Also check the carfax that it hasn't been used as a fleet vehicle in any way, that generally kills the warranty transfer, which is why those cars go so cheap. I don't think that's true. I've seen the rental car sales branches of Hertz and Enterprise tote existing factory warranties as selling points. I don't think a car being a rental alone can make a warranty void.
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Aug 24, 2015 12:38
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After tons of going back and forth about buying a used car, I decided to just go gently caress it and buy a new car because I don't want to worry about mechanical bullshit. I want a Hyundai Accent, and there's a Hyundai dealer close to me that has automatics on TrueCar for $13,700. That's like $2500 under invoice and $3000 under what they list at, and a lot cheaper than what other nearby dealers are offering on truecar. Seems like a pretty good deal to me, and like they don't have much wiggle from there for such a cheap car. Should I even bother haggling? If so, what should I shoot for? Could I likely get this car for $13,000?
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Aug 29, 2015 15:00
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I went to an automall place today to check out a Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent, and holy crap the Hyundai salesman was pushy. In 20 minutes, he probably said a variant of "what can I do to get you in this car today?" 4 times. I actually was strongly considering a purchase, went with my checkbook, but jeez, that guy really turned me out of the buying mood. He was giving me a huge hassle on asking for an out the door price since I wasn't sure if I was committed to buying today. He was like, "You could just be using us to shop around and get a better price." Guy was a movie stereotype, really seemed predatory and wanting to force an impulse buy. On the other hand, Nissan guy was chill as gently caress and gave 0 pressure. Versa handles like a boat, but man, that interior space is spectacular. You can really stretch out, let your balls seperate from your legs. It's not a big car, but it almost feels like a crown vic inside. Accent has a sporty drive with very nice interior material. Feels almost exactly like a Fiesta, but with more get up and go. Accent is the nicer drive, but the Versa I'm looking at is a loaner with under 100 miles and at least 2k cheaper than the new accent, and I could comfortably play guitar in the backseat. Dunno what I'm gonna get.
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Sep 10, 2015 04:08
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IRQ posted:I had a Versa for a loaner for about 6 hours and I cannot think of something I ever hated driving more than that anemic boat. The Hyundai is about 30 hp more and has a great warranty. Also Versas don't depreciate enough to be worth buying used, for the record. It's practically new (under 100 miles) and we are talking literally over 2k difference between same car and other new ones on the lot with the same trim.This one just has a few months of warranty eaten up. Mazda 3 and Focus aren't that cheap. I want a new car warranty, and I want to be able to not go into debt to get it. I would lease before I buy something I can't cover in cash. jarjarbinksfan621 fucked around with this message at 04:50 on Sep 10, 2015 |
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Sep 10, 2015 04:47
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The Versa corners like absolute poo poo and the engine will get loud, but it's a comfortable drive. You feel very secure in your lane. Probably would be great for long stretches of highway.
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Sep 10, 2015 23:43
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I'm seriously considering purchasing the loaner "used" Versa I test drove, tomorrow or Sunday. It has like 100 miles on the odometer, and 30 months of the bumper to bumper limited left. Would you guys still get it checked out by a mechanic even though it's well under warranty and obviously has not had a lot of use to it?
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Sep 11, 2015 20:57
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Are they giving you some kind of absurd deal, or something? Why not buy a new one - pretty sure they come with decent cash on hood since they're not as good as any of their competitors. Yes, it's a very good deal. Over 2k difference between other new ones on the lot with same trim. The salesman assured me I'd pay no more extra than tax, title, and tags. It's actually a good enough deal, that I think they may have mistakenly priced it as if it was an S trim when it's an S+. S+ adds cruise control and a CVT over 4 speed transmission that gives 31/40mpg instead of 26/37mpg.
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Sep 12, 2015 02:00
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Twerk from Home posted:How cheap is it actually? $12k? $11k? $11 and change. Maybe it's not that great of a deal though. S+ MSRP is lower than I thought, they just had a super high sticker at the dealership. The MSRP is only $14,800 with destination fee included, they had it stickered for like $16,800. They said I could likely get a new one for 14k from them, so I compare to that. The 14k isn't a screaming deal, but there really might be very little room to haggle with such a cheap car, and that's why I think the 11k for this one is so good. Then again, maybe that 14k is a very meager offer that I didn't bother challenging at the time. jarjarbinksfan621 fucked around with this message at 12:31 on Sep 12, 2015 |
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Sep 12, 2015 12:26
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Do not do business with that dealership. It is 2015, but their pricing is in line with the other Nissan Dealership I contacted. Their stickers are just stupid high on the lot. It's funny, their website is the opposite. They have the bait-and-switch pricing that you only get if you qualify for every rebate, many of them in-house and not actually offered by Nissan. So, that New S+ that stickered for over 16k on their lot, it's a mere $12,400 on their website. I knew that price was bullshit going in though, still wanted to see if they could beat the 14k another Nissan Dealer's internet manager offered me. If I'm going with the Versa, that deal for the loaner is gonna be very hard to beat. I don't think I'll be able to get a lot off until the 2016s drop and the dealership still has 15s sitting on the lot. I actually don't want to deal with that dealership either, because I think their bait-and-switch pricing is bad business. Still, a good price is a good price.
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Sep 12, 2015 20:18
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smackfu posted:How do people figure out if a car is a rental? It seems like every car at CarMax is "fleet, rental or lease" in the Vehicle History Report. Scroll down to the detailed vehicle history in the report, "titled as part of a rental fleet" will usually be one of the entries. Most of those with that "fleet, rental, or lease" marker on the report are rentals, a lot fewer leases on Carmax.
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Sep 12, 2015 20:42
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nm posted:Also, if the dealer is shady as poo poo and you do buy it, be very very careful. You have not said if you are buying cash or financing (which is it, it matters), but they can dick with the pricing in the F&I office too. I'm paying cash unless I can somehow get a 0.0% deal with fair credit. If I could get a similar price at another dealership, I wouldn't think of buying from them. They just have this Versa, and my other choice, a 2015 accent which I could probably haggle to 13.5k since the 2016s rolled out (I don't really know since it was pulling teeth to get the sociopathic Hyundai salesman to ballpark). The local Hyundai dealership I like better sold all their 2015s. It's interesting, from talking to the internet sales manager of that other dealership, I learned that the 2016 Elantra can actually be had cheaper than the 2016 accent (MSRP is 3k more) because the current incentives are so much better.
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Sep 12, 2015 23:47
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Help me make a decision, thread. Decided I want to either purchase a 2013 Kia Soul with 48k miles or a 2014 Hyundai Accent with 25k miles. Both have like 3 years left on their 5yr/60k mile factory warranties. The Hyundai costs 1k more. I like how the Soul is spacious for passengers, it's styling, and the driving visibility. The Accent has better MPG and that huge existing warranty buys some peace of mind. I've been saving for some time to pay in cash, I don't know if I'll be able to do the same if something goes horribly wrong a year from now and the Kia warranty is expired. What do you guys think?
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Dec 16, 2015 17:07
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I'm buying a 2013 Kia Soul from Carvana with 50k miles. Warranty that covers it for 48 months and 50k more miles is $1400. This infographic shows what the warranty does and doesn't cover: https://www.carvana.com/Content/images/CarvanaVehicleProtection.png?v=425368 Worth it? Co-pay is only $50 and you can take it to the dealership or any ASE-certified mechanic. I'm still covered by Kia's warranty for 10k miles, which is probably an entire year of driving for me. Worried about big breaks after that expires though.
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Dec 20, 2015 23:25
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I called a local shop with a good reputation about a pre-purchase inspection, he said they'd do a basic inspection for free and it'd be $80 if I wanted one where they put the vehicle on a lift and take the tires off (this is the one thing he said to differentiate it from the other). Should I pay for the more comprehensive one? The car drives and brakes fine from my 20 minutes behind the wheel. Not trying to be a cheapass, just wondering if that's overkill for a pre-purchase inspection.
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Jan 7, 2016 12:49
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| # ¿ Apr 20, 2024 03:19 |
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Sylink posted:These look neat, too. I hate buying cars because the internet sucks and every review is basically bad for everything. But aren't dodges like legit unreliable? I mean, you can find a bad review for a corolla, but there's like 20 shining reviews for every lukewarm one. With dodge-jeep-chrysler, it seems like for every person who bought a car and had no problem, there's 10 people whose lives have been ruined by owning a jeep.
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Jan 13, 2016 08:07
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