Buying A Used Car....

[::::BASSIST::::]

I'm thinking of buying a (new-to-me) used car at the end of the summer.

These are the things I know I want for sure:

Toyota or Honda
Max of 225,000 KM
4 door
automatic
Want a more luxurious model this time with power windows etc (LE, EX etc)

I don't want to spend more than $3000 to $3500 (Canadian dollars).

Does that sound reasonable?

My gut tells me I am probably better off buying privately, but what are the advantages of buying from a dealership? Can I expect dealers to overcharge for the car (like maybe $500 more than its worth)?

I currenly drive a 'box on wheels' 89 toyota corolla, which I paid $900. It gets the job done and seems to be mechanically sound, but it does have a few minor issues.

Should I just keep the junker or buy a new-used car for $3000?

Just trying to get some opinions to help me make a more informed decision.

[L-A]

Well if your 900$ junker is mechanically fit, I'd say you got one hell of a deal.

If you do buy a new car, I would suggest buying from someone. In these prices, many dealers sell reconstructed cars without telling, and it can be a hassle to hunt the chassis and drivetrain for different serial numbers.

Since your car can still move you around, shop without rushing but if you find a car that fits your needs and had only one (responsible) owner, jump on it. My brother scored a 3500$ Mercedes from a dentist some time back. One owner, always got maintenance done at the dealership. This is the kind of car you can go for since you have the time to shop around.

[Jumbotron]

Last time I bought a car, I found it very useful to drop a few bucks and subscribe to the Consumer Reports online car database (I think the subscription lasts 60 days or some such). It's really useful for giving you info about reliability, etc., about specific models, and you can learn not to buy Model X from 2001 since they had a lot of electrical problems, stuff like that.

[slaps76]

It's kind of a myth that dealers are always more expensive...actually I've noticed a lot of private sellers can be completely unreasonable with their car prices. They don't research true market value, instead just ask for full book value, and expect a premium because they washed it once in a while and changed the oil.

I don't know what the warranty laws are where you live. Is there a standard, mandated state law/warranty on used cars when purchased from a dealer or privately, and is there a difference?

That being said, there's really no better or worse between who you buy from if you do your homework. Either way, your best approach is to have a 3rd party mechanic run a used car inspection on the car you've decided on purchasing before going through with the deal...even if the dealer promises to service the car first. I sold used cars for 5 years, and that's the absolute best advice I can give anyone when buying used.

[GregC]

Originally Posted by Jumbotron

Last time I bought a car, I found it very useful to drop a few bucks and subscribe to the Consumer Reports online car database (I think the subscription lasts 60 days or some such). It's really useful for giving you info about reliability, etc., about specific models, and you can learn not to buy Model X from 2001 since they had a lot of electrical problems, stuff like that.

+1. I'm starting to look for a used car now, as my '97 Malibu is on its last legs. (It likely needs a transmission job that will cost far more than the car's worth.) I haven't looked much at cars in 13 years, and Consumer Reports is proving to be a very helpful resource.

[MJ5150]

If you expect to have repair bills on the current Toyota that will exceed your budget for buying a newer car, then buy the new car. Otherwise I would hang on to the Corolla.

-Mike

[::::BASSIST::::]

Well, my current car does have a few issues. I should replace the tires this coming winter, I need to get a new bulb for one of the tail-lights and I need to put a new signal relay in as currently I have to flick the signal lights by hand... which drives my wife nuts. Other than that, mechanically its fine.. The body is rough looking with faded paint and lots small scratches dings etc but rust is minimal.

Maybe I should just buy some new seat covers fix those things mentioned above and be done with it. It does have 268,000 KM on it, but its likely I could get at least another 2 years out of it.

I'm just wondering if you guys think its worth dumping $3000 into a newer vehicle.

[TheSuzie]

Originally Posted by L-A

If you do buy a new car, I would suggest buying from someone. In these prices, many dealers sell reconstructed cars without telling, and it can be a hassle to hunt the chassis and drivetrain for different serial numbers.

Also many dealers masquerade as private sellers. Some sell out of their homes or the home of a friend or relative. Others are what they call "curbstoners" who meet you in front or in the driveway of a house (that may be empty). If you go to a particular address to see a car, it is a good idea to make sure the person actually lives there.

You are always taking a chance moving from a known vehicle to an unknown one. Make sure you have it checked out thoroughly and have it put up on a lift. IMO it is always good to have money in reserve just in case.

Last time I had a budget of $5000 so I shopped for vehicles priced $3500-$4000 so I would have cash in reserve. As it turned out, I had to force the previous owner to replace some suspension parts under the lemon law because the car would not pass the state safety inspection. If the problems had not been something that was considered a safety issue, I would have had to shell out cash.

Best of Luck,
S

[MJ5150]

Unless you stumble across a cherry deal, you'll be buying someone elses problems they didn't want to fix, so they are selling it.

-Mike

[Bob Clayton]

what i would do..

take your current junker and 3k in cash and go get a brand new (or 2-3 years old)

[EBodious]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Well, my current car does have a few issues. I should replace the tires this coming winter, I need to get a new bulb for one of the tail-lights and I need to put a new signal relay in as currently I have to flick the signal lights by hand... which drives my wife nuts. Other than that, mechanically its fine.. The body is rough looking with faded paint and lots small scratches dings etc but rust is minimal.

Maybe I should just buy some new seat covers fix those things mentioned above and be done with it. It does have 268,000 KM on it, but its likely I could get at least another 2 years out of it.

I'm just wondering if you guys think its worth dumping $3000 into a newer vehicle.

those are very small issues for a car. on the other hand, when the next big thing goes, it will cost more than the car is worth. i agree that you are in a good position to start looking without having the pressure to get something rite away.

here in the u.s., as i understand it, a car loses half its value in the first five years. so, buying a 4 yr old car means paying a lot and quickly losing the value, buying a 5-6 yr old car gets you the best deal.

when i bought my subaru legacy (excellent, reliable car) i did the carfax history search and found that it had been a rental. that is considered a big red flag, but i bought it anyway (it was the only one available in the whole area). that was maybe 8 yrs ago. it has been totally reliable. i like consumer reports, but take it all with a grain of salt. i know folks who get too sucked into research, look at the specific car in front of you. good luck.

[Mike N]

Don't know how different BC is than western NY, but here there isn't much for $3000.

[L-A]

Originally Posted by Bob Clayton

what i would do..

take your current junker and 3k in cash and go get a brand new (or 2-3 years old)

Maybe 18k+ isn't in the price range, even if it's spread out over time.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by Mike N

Don't know how different BC is than western NY, but here there isn't much for $3000.

This one looks okay:

1992 Toyota Camry LE 4 door sedan 173,599 km. white color sunroof, fully loaded

$2500 obo

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

This one looks okay:

I can only imagine what the underside of that car looks like if it's seen 18 western NY winters. I would pass.

[::::BASSIST::::]

BC winters aren't that bad. Mostly rain. We might have snow on the ground for 3 weeks of the year so not much salt to contend with.

[Let It Fall]

I have alot of experience with this.

First, search craiglook.com More options = you save
Second Look at a distance. I bought two of my cars 800 miles away. Im not saying to go that far but try 200 miles.. Its very easy and again the more options you have the more you will save because YOU can name the price you will pay OR move on EASILY.

Third, Only private. There almost always cheaper, when they really are looking to sell, not only that but you can put the bill of sale as something low 50$ to 500$ saving you ALOT in taxes.

[MJ5150]

The autos section of msn.com has an excellent guide on total cost of ownership for all kinds of cars. It's free, and has some excellent real world info. The wife and I have used it extensively on the last couple of vehicles we bought.

-Mike

[Radical Edward]

My past 3 cars have cost me under $700. They all lasted between 9 months and a day. (Lol). You get what you pay for regardless where you buy it from. I'd say for 3k a dealership would be the best bet as most reputable dealers have their cars checked out and you can get warranties and such. However, you can usually find a good deal from a private seller if you look long enough. If you bring someone with you to check one out that knows about cars and what to look for, you'll find what you need for the price you want to pay. Out of Toyota or Honda, I'd say Toyota. They're generally dependable and I've heard a lot of bad things with Honda's. However, it's really up to personal tastes.
My 2 cents on this.

[MJ5150]

The $3K price range cars get sold at the shady used car lots around here. Private party seems like a better option, but those sellers can be just as deceitful as the guy in the pleather jacket and Drakkar cologne at the shady lot.

-Mike