AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

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photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

I bought a 2010 Lexus HS 250h this weekend - paid $25k, has 25k miles on it. I should have probably come here first, but since I didn't - go ahead and tell me how bad I did.

# ¿ Jan 30, 2013 09:26

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 08:38

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Throatwarbler posted:

Maybe I'm out of the loop because I've never seen one of these fuckers on the road ever and have never heard of anyone that bought one, but they started at $36k brand new, how can a ~4 year old one still be worth $25k?

For comparison here's what you can get for $25k:

http://www.cars.com/for-sale/search...102&prcId=28576

The MKZ has more power AND better fuel economy (41/36 vs 35/34), real leather seats, can be had with cooled front seats, and is larger and roomier to boot. It's even a sedan so it can satisfy your irrational hatred of hatchbacks.

I assume a 3 year old one (2013 minus 2010 = 3) can be worth more than a two year old Lincoln MKZ because... people like it more, so will pay more for it.

Gotta say, I like the look of the Lincoln (though not as good as the Lexus), and I had not driven one before I made my purchase. Looking at local listings, seems like they are in the same price range. Indeed, there is a 6mpg boost to go that way. My lexus has "real" leather seats and has heated/cooled seats, and frankly, I'd make the same move again.

# ¿ Jan 30, 2013 17:40

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Weinertron posted:

Enjoy your car, but the Lexus badge is about all that the HS 250h has going for it. People do like the Lexus badge, so time may show that you made a very good decision when you sell it to a bigger idiot in 7 years for $10k.

If this vehicle is worth $10k in 7 years, I will be thrilled. $179/mo doesn't seem like a bad cost of ownership, for a Lexus with all the options.

skipdogg posted:

Many upper trim models of vehicles have them these days. I test drove a car that had them, nothing like air conditioned balls on a hot summer day in Texas.

When I first heard of seat heaters, I made fun of the concept. Got a car with seat heaters a few years back, and WOW, what an option. Saw the cooled seats and jumped right for it - it is just as awesome.

edit:
Wow, prices for a 10 year old Lexus are around $10k. Not bad!

# ¿ Jan 30, 2013 22:23

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Warchicken posted:

Hello thread - I am currently looking at a 1999 Honda Civic LX with 137k miles on it. I've gotten it looked at and the issues are as follows:

rack and pinion need replacing - steering fluid leaks to the tune of a bottle every week-ish
dent on right rear fender
scratch on right rear door
dent on front rear fender

lesser:

due for an oil change
due for tire rotation

I looked up the carfax report and there have been 3 minor accidents with the car, in 2000, 2005, and 2008. The car has been driven about 60,000 miles since the last of these. The aforementioned dents are the result of them.

KBB.com has this at ~2700. Does that sound right?

At one time, I was trying to sell a 1996 Chevy S-10 Blazer that blue booked at about $4500 - it had over 200,000 miles. I put it on craigslist at $4500, didn't get a single call. Dropped to $4000, nothing. $3500 and got myself a bright pink sign to put in the windshield, parked it at the grocery store 12 hours a day - few calls, nobody came to look at it. One day some guy called, came to drive it. Arrived and told me the top of his budget was $2500. He drove it, his mechanic looked it over, a lot of haggling took place, and eventually the guy paid (close to) $2500 for it - about half book value.

The moral of the story is that I had a car with 200,000+ miles that was "worth" $4500, but in reality, it wasn't "worth" anything, because nobody in their right mind would buy a car with 200,000+ miles, much less for $4500.

IMHO, a car (even a Honda) with 140k miles that is using a bottle a week of power steering fluid is an unsellable car. If you are interested in buying this car, you have the seller by the balls - like the buyer of my S-10 had me. I don't know if you have the luxury of time, but I would point out the power-steering thing to him, offer him about half of what he's asking, and wait. If he takes it (or makes a counter close to it), but it. If not - give it a month. Remind him you're still around. It won't sell for book value, not anywhere close.

I would also want to know more about this power steering leak, what it was going to take to fix, and what that would cost.

# ¿ Feb 2, 2013 06:44

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Halloween Jack posted:

I'm not certain I've got the KBB values right in general, as I may have missed some extra options. It looks like some of the better cars are listed at above their KBB value, though, and I don't know the first thing about talking down car prices.

The KBB price you've listed is the price most people in your position will pay for that car. So, as your "price / KBB" category (clever, btw) indicates, <1 good, >1 bad.

I assume you are using the KBB "dealer" price for this. Go through and run the prices again, but use "trade-in" price. Presumably, this is what the dealer paid for the car they are trying to sell you. It will look something like this:

KBB "trade in" price: $8000
KBB "dealer" price: $10000
Dealer asking price: $9800

(I pulled these particular numbers out of my rear end - they don't represent any car on your list.)

The "dealer" price (or, the one that you are currently using) means nothing to you - it is the price that suckers pay for cars. The "trade in" price is the price you are working with.

The dealer paid $8000 for this car. Decide what a fair profit for the dealer will be for this deal. Some people say 10% (here, $800), some say $500 or $1000. Start low.

Once you've decided this is the car for you, go in the little office, drink a free coffee, and tell them you've done your homework, and that trade-in value for this car is around $8000. Tell them you don't expect to pay trade-in price - because you're not a dealer, you're just a humble serf. You know what hard work they've put in to this car ( :rolleyes:

) and you feel a fair profit for this work is $500. You are prepared to offer $8500 (eight thousand for the car and a five hundred dollar profit for the dealer) for this car. Then, keep your trap shut while the guy explains that they actually paid $15,000 for this car and they are taking a huge loss and a ton of other bullshit. And when he stops, repeat your $8500 piece. Repeat this until he takes the offer to his manager. When he comes back, he should have a price very close to $8500 - maybe $8750 or $9000. Depending on how important to you $250 or $500 is, you can play this game all day where you threaten to walk. However, if he comes back with a price that is much closer to their asking price than to your "fair" price, walk.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2013 11:01

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

wa27 posted:

The latest car I've been eyeing is a 2008 Mazda3 GT with a ton of options (GPS and Bose sound system, in addition to the standard GT options). Not really stuff I need, but cars with loaded options do appeal to me. And I do at least need the touring trim level for the cruise control. I haven't had a chance to drive it because it's out of town.

They're asking ~$11,000, but the biggest downside is the mileage: 83k. The immediate reactions of the couple people I've sought advice from seems to be "that's way too many miles, you should look for something with 40k on it". So I'll ask here: should I really look for something with lower miles? How reliable are Mazda3s? The carfax is pretty comprehensive, showing one owner with regular maintenance. The engine mounts and power steering pump were replaced at some point. I drive about 7k miles per year. So, is it a dumb idea to spend that much on a "high" mileage car? My previous car was a 94 Camry that I drove from 130k to 190k over 7 years but I wouldn't expect this to have the same lifespan.

In the used market, the value of "a ton of options" is low and gets lower as a vehicle gets older - which is to say that I always look for a used car that is decked out, because it's $250 or $500 more than a car with AM/FM/cassete. So you're on the right track there.

83k miles is the tipping point to high mileage. It's not high mileage now, but when you get rid of it, it will be. You drove your last car into the ground (190k miles), it is worth very little now. You don't care to do that again, but if you buy this car at 83k, put 4 years in it (with avg 12,000mi/yr), it'll have 131k - still some life left in it, but there are not many people in the market for a car with that many miles. i.e. it'll be worth almost nothing. If you buy a car in the 40k range and put 4 years in it, it'll have 88k miles - you can sell it to some schmuck for ~$11k.

# ¿ Feb 7, 2013 09:00

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Throatwarbler posted:

They aren't as desirable (obviously) and generally sold for lower prices when new. If you're asking whether there's some specific mechanical reason or something, I don't think so and there doesn't neccesarily need to have been. Lots of cars are perfectly reliable transportation but end up being unpopular because they are ugly, or have cheap/ugly interior materials, or some other thing that relatively affluent new car buyers care more about that buyers of 5 year old Hyundais.

++, these fall into two categories, mechanically unreliable, and mechanically reliable but unpopular. IMHO, mechanically reliable but unpopular are the best deals out there. My last two vehicles have been a Chrysler Pacifica and a Lexus HS250h. Both discontinued by the time I bought them. Both beautiful cars that didn't catch on in the mainstream. Both of them with every available option.

# ¿ Feb 27, 2013 19:59

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Phone posted:

I need some help making a future bad decision.

Current car is a 2012 Mazda2 that I financed with my Credit Union. Buying it went swimmingly, but I'm not sure what to do when I decide to flip it for something way more impractical. I take it that if I sell it to either a dealership or private party, the bank will issue the title after the money clears, right? Of course I'd be on the hook if there's a difference between the sale amount and loan remainder.

Basically, yes.

You can, I believe, do the whole transaction at your bank, so the seller gets... something... as soon as the money is handed over. Then the title comes in the mail a few weeks later.

There is, in my opinion, no good way to sell a car yourself that's worth $10k+. There are (sadly) so few people with $10k in cash, and while there *are* options to arrange for financing through a private party, they are for nerds who troll the "AI meets BFC" thread, not for people who buy cars off craigslist.

So your option is basically trade it in or sell it to CarMax, and either of those will be well versed in how to get the title from the bank.

# ¿ Mar 3, 2013 04:12

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Kaedric posted:

All that said, I can't shake the feeling that it just would make more sense to try and find an older model odyssey at, say, 13-16k and take the risk that it'll break down because surely the 15k or so saved would easily cover any extra repairs. However, am I at all likely to find a (decent) odyssey in that price range at all due to the aforementioned used car prices being higher than normal? Should I just buy the new car and be happy knowing the full history of the vehicle? Should I pay the entirety of the amount up front or try to get a loan instead for some reason?

Minivans have terrible resale, they are nearly commodity, and there are a lot of them out there. It is easy to make a killing on a used minivan.

Odyssey minivans have been so highly rated for so long that you are going to pay a premium for them used. Choosing literally anything else in that category will save you thousands.

It would not surprise me to see you get a 3 year old minivan with 35k miles in the $20k range.

I would not worry about any significant maintenance until 100k miles.

# ¿ Mar 4, 2013 07:16

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

kimbo305 posted:

When dealers call you to offer to sell your car on consignment, what's the deal?
I got posed a pretty good price -- how do the contracts actually work out? I'm being cynical and assuming the price they mentioned wouldn't be what I get. Where's the hidden catch?

Generally speaking, anytime somebody is calling *you*, it is a good deal for them, and a bad deal for you.

Find out what their cut is. Probably a percentage. I would venture a guess that the percentage is pretty close to whatever the difference is between auction value and retail value on your car. On a $10k car, they'd get $2k and you'd get $8k. The $8k is probably pretty close to auction value, and you could get that anywhere - notably CarFax - without waiting, and without risk.

# ¿ Mar 14, 2013 05:45

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Throatwarbler posted:

The best you can do is probably some kind of former fleet vehicle that has high miles but has been maintained properly. A Dodge Caravan sounds like it would suit your needs best, but I don't think many fleets used them other than cabs. After that, ex-police cars, probably a Crown Vic but maybe also Impala, depending on where you live. Chrysler LH cars are also a good bet. Obviously none of these are going to "reliable" compared to anything newer so you'll have to do some research to understand each car's weakpoints and shop accordingly. It helps that these are all cars that sold in huge numbers of many years, so parts and the knowledge to fix them should be abundant and cheap.

The post office had about a million custom Ford Windstars with no back seats and cages on the back windows, they are rotating them out and auctioning them, you can find them on various low budget car lots and on e-bay. They were going for $1k-$2k the last time I looked (about 1.5 years ago). I almost bought one, and spent $6k on a used Chevy Express 2500 instead.

The only thing that would hold me back is that I would imagine by the time the Post Office looks at a vehicle and says, "wow... this is a real piece of poo poo. We should auction this one.", that is one WORN-OUT vehicle.

# ¿ Mar 21, 2013 07:22

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Maultaschen posted:

The repairs on the Outback are the timing belt ($750) and the valve cover gasket including tube seals and new spark plug wires ($450). The gasket has been put off for a while, and it's leaking badly. The belt is 10k past due. Other potential issues:

<snip>

As I see it, my options are 1) do the repairs and hope nothing else big comes up while I rebuild a down payment, 2) replace it now with the car I want to buy, or 3) replace it now with a $7k-9k car.

I want to go with 1, but I feel like it's risky. I don't want to go with 3, but it's probably the safest. Am I right about that? Is there anything I've missed or haven't considered?

Do the gasket, don't do the timing belt.

Put on the spark plug wires yourself.

I don't know what the other stuff means.

You need a mechanic to whom you can say, "seriously, the thing has 220k miles on it. I'm not doing $1200 worth of maintenance - it might die tomorrow. What do I really need?". If you do not have a mechanic who can boil it down like this, you need a new mechanic.

For my money, I would drive it until the timing belt broke (which could be 100k miles from now), coast to the side of the highway, grind off the VIN number, and call a Taxi.

You have never lived until you've paid cash money for a car. Keep saving. It's exhilarating.

# ¿ Mar 22, 2013 06:13

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Pham Nuwen posted:

So I'm hoping to get some thoughts on this vehicle. I know nothing about Fiats, most of my wrenching experience is on motorcycles, so any input is super welcome. $4700 seems a little high, although NADA says that's about average retail for my area.

It's a little bit like buying something at an auction. If there are two guys there who want a '74 Fiat, it might go for $8k. If there is only one guy who wants a '74 Fiat, it might go for $2500. What I'm saying is that this is a niche item. If the guy is on fire to get rid of it, you are poised to get a steal. There is not a long line of people looking to buy a 40 year old Fiat. But, you really only need one or two people in the entire bay area who are in the market for one in order to make this one disappear in a day or two.

Lowball him, he'll scoff. Wait a few days and call back. You may lose it, but you'll probably get a steal.

# ¿ Apr 22, 2013 04:22

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Compact (or subcompact?) electric cars - do they do better from a $/mile standpoint than a compact (or subcompact) car that burns gas?

# ¿ Dec 25, 2014 21:42

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Pixelante posted:

the combination of fabric friction and the angle means you have to lift at the same time as push, ultimately aiming whatever you're carrying so that it will fly through your windshield in an accident.

giving yourself a hernia in the process.

# ¿ Sep 18, 2015 04:50

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

I have a 2010 Lexus HS250h. It's a very nice Prius made by Lexus.

It's 6 years old now. How long should I expect the battery to last (which is actually less of a question), and when is the optimal time to dump this car and get something else - before new battery or after new battery?

# ¿ Jul 10, 2016 06:02

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

I'll turn 40 in a couple of months and it looks like I'm headed for divorce. I'm looking for a mid-life crisis car. Something sporty. Budget $20k-$30k, maybe something 3-6 years old. Convertible is a plus (I mean, it's a mid-life crisis car, might as well). I like Corvette, Camaro, etc, but maybe something slightly less "slap-you-across-the-face mid-life crisis car" and something more "cool mid-life guy" car.

BMW Z4?

Suggestions?

# ¿ Aug 18, 2016 23:18

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Internet Explorer posted:

Goondolences. Have you looked at the FRS/BRZ? Possibly a WRX?

All too ricey. And too plastic. I'm into luxury. Guess I should have said that.

skipdogg posted:

Mustang GT convertible

Had one as a 20-something, Cobra wheels on it and flowmaster exhaust, it was a great car. Need something else now.

I think I'm going to shop the Lexus and Mercedes lines and see what I like there.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2016 23:55

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

DOOP posted:

wait a couple months and get the new rf Miata?

If I go gay after my impending divorce, I would look spectacular in a Miata.

# ¿ Aug 19, 2016 01:29

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Nevermind, the RF Miata is pretty hot looking. Really hot looking. If I could get over the emasculating feeling of asking people if they want to go for a ride in my Miata.

Sorry about my oval office-y attitude. I've been drinking since noon. This divorce stuff is hard.

# ¿ Aug 19, 2016 01:45

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

H110Hawk posted:

E89 Z4 is always a pro choice. Find one with low miles from someone opposite of you: young then had a kid and forced to sell.

Yeah, that's kinda my default. The Porche Boxter suggestion was also a good one. I'll look at both of those!

# ¿ Aug 22, 2016 02:10

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

nm posted:

The lotus is added lightness which is a luxury feature unto itself. Just ask porsche.
Also, given the very small difference in actual luxury of an s2k v. a z4, I'd say it is more about other people's perceptions. And people who don't know cars think a lotus elise cost six figures (and people who know cars think they are cool).
There is a reason i added the lack of comfort stuff though.

The Elise is right up my alley for the reasons stated.

I will have to go see an s2000 in person. I live in California where everyone drives luxury cars. I just can't see myself pulling up to my buddies saying, "check out my new Honda!", but maybe I will re-consider when I see one in person. You guys have certainly put a sales pitch on it!

# ¿ Aug 22, 2016 16:29

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

SLK... not bad.

Not so much a badge whore, but that Honda just looks like... a Honda.

# ¿ Aug 22, 2016 18:47

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

H110Hawk posted:

Any updates? Did you get a Z4? (Also there is no such thing as "cool mid-life guy" car. It's 99% self confidence and 1% the car you drive.)

You can brag freely here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?noseen=0&threadid=3631953

It will take me months to decide. I'm looking Z4, Boxter, SLK350.

# ¿ Aug 25, 2016 00:34

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

What is the defacto used car search site? Craigslist doesn't seem to show much, ebay motors is a really mixed bag, and it seems like nobody is using auto trader anymore.

Also, I'm sorry for making fun of somebody suggesting a Miata for my mid-life crisis car, I saw an MX-5 drive past me at costco today and it has the same sex appeal as the SLK but at half the price. So I will look at those.

# ¿ Aug 28, 2016 05:20

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Nitrox posted:

Dealer will give you pennies on a dollar when they take your car as "trade in". Sell it private party. Unless you're a very savvy negotiator and have done your homework. And still be prepared to lose money.

It has been my experience in recent years that this is is no longer true, or at least not as true as it used to be.

Spend 5 minutes looking up the value of your trade-in on KBB or Nada or Edmonds, or if you're motivated, all three. There's a several-hundred dollar gap between trade-in value (presumably what a dealer will offer you) and private-party value (what you can probably sell it for). Is that $600 or $800 or $1k worth of pain in the rear end worth it? For some it might be. Remember that at private-party value, whoever is coming over from Craigslist will want to dicker down from that a couple hundred bucks, and it's gonna take a couple weeks (or months) to sell the car.

You will probably lose a couple hundred bucks by trading it in, but the "pennies on the dollar" thing is generally untrue anymore.

# ¿ Aug 29, 2016 05:21

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Drove the SLK250 7-speed automatic today during rush hour, so couldn't really put it through its paces. That said, the paddle-shift thing is really The poo poo(tm), I chirped the tires both off the line and into 2nd. Regular automatic was really a drag, and I am not a guy who complains about such things. Put the pedal to the floor, engine seems to bog a little bit, then after you get frustrated with that and push it down a bit more, something kicks in and you rocket forward. This happened repeatedly in a 10 minute test drive.

Asking $25k for a 2013 with 60k miles, price doesn't seem bad, it was a real base model, I'm looking for something a little more "all the options".

This is probably a stupid question, but if I wanted to put an aftermarket stereo in this... is it hopeless? Google doesn't reveal much for doing this in a recent model year, and Crutchfield just shrugs its shoulders.

Nitrox posted:

How many of those good trade in prices were in conjunction with purchase of a new vehicle? Dealer is aiming to make certain amount of money from the sale, they factor your trade value into that. I don't know what everyone's individual case was, but dealers don't usually lose in the exchange. If the car you're buying is a screaming deal under invoice, there is no way in hell they will offer you anything resembling a fair value.

Dealer looks at incoming trade and sale of a new/used car as separate transactions (as you should). If they make $1 or $100 or $1k on selling you a car, it's a good deal. When they take your trade... if they can make a buck, they're interested. They are, of course, more interested in making $1k than $10. But they're still interested.

Taking that trade is a middle man transaction. 90% of the time they take it in and wholesale it out the next week. There is almost no effort involved. Offer you $1500 for your Taurus. Sell your Taurus for $2200. They make $700 with no effort. Yes, they're interested. Is it worth it to you? I dunno. But evaluate both sides.

photomikey fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Aug 30, 2016

# ¿ Aug 30, 2016 04:52

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

It felt like turbo, and I wondered if that was the case. It did seem like something you'd get used to.

photomikey fucked around with this message at 14:48 on Aug 30, 2016

# ¿ Aug 30, 2016 14:37

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Twerk from Home posted:

If you're looking for a convertible that's fast, makes noise, and spins tires, why not a convertible Mustang or something? You'd get more than twice the horsepower, twice the cylinders for much cheaper and an SLK250 isn't exactly the peak of luxury anyway.

Had a convertible Mustang GT from 2002 to 2007 or so. I liked it, I just sorta feel like "been there, done that". I really like the two seater convertibles. Impractical, but a nice tight ride.

# ¿ Aug 30, 2016 23:09

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Michael Scott posted:

How is that better than simply hitting the downshift button on an automated manual? This isn't likely to be a productive question but I am honestly just curious and trying to figure out which car is best for me. I've actually never driven a manual (not by choice, I've just never had the opportunity)

I drove manual in high school and college, it really is fun to drive. This was before cell phones, kids, and stop-and-go traffic. Try taking a swig of coffee while going 13 mph on the highway while someone at work is texting you on how to get a printer back online and your 6 year old is chattering from the passenger seat - and needing to shift from 3rd to 2nd for the 42nd time in the last mile. It's a pain in the rear end.

It's true that taking a curve on a mountain road on the first day of spring in crisp 72 degree weather with the top down, dropping from 3rd to 2nd and hearing the engine roar ... it's a pretty good feeling. But for me, that's about 1% of the time, and it's 99% PITA.

# ¿ Aug 31, 2016 07:09

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Because there's a 1 in 25 chance that your (not you personally, but the general "your") financing will fall through and they will suddenly make 20x the profit on the vehicle you are buying.

Side note, I'm curious to know if you negotiated on the price at all, if you're buying it sight unseen, and how that went.

# ¿ Aug 31, 2016 21:52

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

That has always seemed to be the case. Buy a $25k base-level car or buy the $35k every-option version, wait 5 years, they will sell for the same dollar amount.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2016 00:25

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

I'm looking at used cars from dealerships < 500 miles from me. A day's drive or a short flight, no big deal.

These cars are, as dealership prices tend to be, 15-20% overpriced.

Usually, I would drive to a local dealer and spend a few hours and several cups of coffee trading insults and pretending to walk out in order to get to a more reasonable price. When flying 500 miles to *maybe* buy a car, it seems like a different approach is needed. It seems like internet car buying has come a long way. Do they take you seriously if you do these negotiations over e-mail? Any tips here?

I have cash in hand, I'm looking in the $30k ballpark.

Motronic posted:

Other than the very tiny market of enthusiast cars sold private party this seems to have almost always been the case other than total poverty spec roll-up windows and no AC things.

Funny you mention that, the one exception I was going to mention was crank windows and manual locks. Even then, I don't think it would change the value much, but would take forever to sell.

# ¿ Sep 1, 2016 05:34

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

I'm curious to know the hivemind thought on whether you'd rather have a (for example) 2015 car with 35k miles or a 2013 car with 10k miles.

# ¿ Sep 8, 2016 00:46

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

Almost entirely dependent on service history from my perspective.

Where is this mythical land where you can buy a used car that has any kind of service history? I put this in the same category as "never buy from a dealer, always buy private party". I can't find a car over $20k within 500 miles of me sold by a private party.

# ¿ Sep 8, 2016 04:18

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

There is a black SLK in Phoenix, about 4 hours from me, at $26,500:

http://www.edmunds.com/mercedes-benz/slk-class/2014/used/vin/?vin=WDDPK4HAXEF076316

There is one down the street from me at $29,999:

http://www.kandsrides.com/2014-Mercedes-Benz-SLK250-Convertible-Hard-Top~Harman%2FKardon~Premium-Pkg-San-Diego%2C-California-92103/5981054

They're very similar cars.

I'd like to offer $26k even on the one near me, with the $26,500 as my leverage. I figure they'll counter with $27k, and god willing we'll meet in the middle at $26,500.

Any strategies to make that happen? I plan to make contact tomorrow morning.

photomikey fucked around with this message at 06:20 on Sep 8, 2016

# ¿ Sep 8, 2016 05:46

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

Maybe you know that dealer personally, but any reviews of dealerships seem to be peppered with "they sold me a perfectly fine 1997 Ford Escort, and just 3 short years later the transmission dropped, this place is a total scam". Given, the reviews of the PHX dealer don't look very good, but frankly, neither do the reviews of the local dealer, nor really any dealer I've looked at who's been in business very long.

The accident stuff I hadn't realized. CarFax calls it "very minor". Not sure what that means from a value perspective.

# ¿ Sep 8, 2016 07:11

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

On a 2 year old car with 2 years left on the warranty, would you do a full pre-purchase inspection with a mechanic , or would you figure it's in pretty good shape and let it ride?

# ¿ Sep 9, 2016 00:09

photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

I haven't bought a used car from a dealer in a while. I am at a fair price with a dealer. Price plus tax, title, license.

He wants to charge a doc fee. My position is that drawing up documentation is part of your job, I also don't pay a "keep the lights on" fee or a "toilet paper" fee, that's just part of being a car dealer and the price of a car.

We are at a stalemate on the fee.

Tell me if I'm crazy.

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photomikey: Dec 30, 2012

It's a phenomenal price. I'm such a hard rear end. I just think doc fees are bullshit.

# ¿ Sep 9, 2016 01:11

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

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