'09 Mercury Sable - opinions please

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earlyre

earlyre

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Nov 23, 2011
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5,978
Location
Lima, Ohio, USA
going to look @ an '09 Sable today, as a replacement for the neon.
(nothing really "wrong" with the neon, I'm just reaching a point where it's a bit too low, and if i need to transport my parents for any reason, it is WAY too low. getting in/out kills dad's lower back.)
I'm Very familiar with this model car,and the way they drive, as my mom has a nearly identical Taurus (same year, same options, only diff being color and badges)
1MEHM42W79G610061-1c.jpg

Here's the link to it on the dealer's website.
I'm always looking at what's available, and something about this car just gave me a positive gut feeling.
same one i had when I found what is now mom's car listed @ the local Ford Dealer, and when i found dad's freestyle when he was looking back in '07.
I just saw it, and knew it was the right car.
this can be a bad thing when dealing with car dealers though.
the asking price is $9,994. I have enough saved to comfortably put $3k down(30%), need to borrow the other 6.
Initial Plan is to offer $9,500. but then got to thinking about offering $10k TOTAL, incl. tax,title, etc. all of it.
just not sure how to do that without coming off dickish.

according to the carfax, they've had it since around thanksgiving, and they've already dropped it from $12something to $9,994.

my main concerns:
1)for a 5 year old car with basically 70k mi, basically 10 grand seems high to me (though it was around $30k new), but i know used car prices are up as a whole.
2) lived it's first 3 years in MI. (thinking rusty salty undercarriage rot, though that's not necessarily the case) - I'd rather buy used from TX, but this one just "feels right" so far.


not trading in the neon, buddy's mom is "very interested" in it for her youngest.
(I had planned on giving it to my nephew when he turned 16, but he's only 12 now. i don't have anyplace to store a car for 4 years)
 
Its really a Ford Five-Hundred,based on a Volvo.They never sold many of them,but havent heard of any major issues with them.
 
splitting hairs, but the five hundred/montego had a different power train. they had duratec 3.0, and either an asin 5 speed auto or a cvt(dad's freestyle was the wagon version of the five hundred, with the AWD CVT), while the taurus/sable have the cyclone 3.5, and the ford 6f 6 speed auto, and there werew a few styling changes, but basically yes, same cars.

never sold many? come look around here sir, they are everywhere, of course we have the plant that builds the Cyclone 3.5(& 3.7, and soon the new 2.7 ecoboost) engines...
 
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They were a good car under Five Hundred / Montego - never heard of any issues.

Drove one as a loaner car a few years ago. Really nice chassis.

That 3.5 pulls ... I was used to driving my Focus and my old Taurus the 185HP vulcan engine. Wow, was I surprised when I planted my foot to merge into traffic and in, what seemed like 5 seconds, was doing triple digits!
 
they probably paid someone 8000$ for it.
10000$ out the door is more like 9000+ all the fees/tax

seems reasonable, usually dealers make more on used than new.

I'd call the sales manager on the phone tell him you are interested in buying the car . Whats the lowest he will do for a sale today.

also carfax it. if there is any paint or body repairs that will seriously devalue the car as much as they tell you otherwise.
 
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Originally Posted By: earlyre
splitting hairs, but the five hundred/montego had a different power train. they had duratec 3.0, and either an asin 5 speed auto or a cvt(dad's freestyle was the wagon version of the five hundred, with the AWD CVT),
The AW trans was a 6-speed not five. I have one and its phenomenal. The 6F trans they use in the Sable/Taurus has had sketchy reliability.
 
Originally Posted By: dwcopple
Originally Posted By: earlyre
splitting hairs, but the five hundred/montego had a different power train. they had duratec 3.0, and either an asin 5 speed auto or a cvt(dad's freestyle was the wagon version of the five hundred, with the AWD CVT),
The AW trans was a 6-speed not five.


I kinda thought that, but wasn't sure, so i "played it safe" by saying 5...
 
I don't know if I would trust just a gut feeling when paying $10k. Maybe get a pre purchase inspection done before making an offer.

The hyperbole in the dealers description is off putting
 
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Since it's had a Honda dealer they probably want to blow that car out of there quickly. Esp, before month end. Since it's not a high value car to them I'd go in with a much lower number. Maybe start at $7k and see where you end up. Just ask if they'll take $7k for it and see what happens. Tell them that's all you have since they'll be jerking you around I'm sure.
smile.gif
 
If it doesn't show any ill-effects from being in Michigan for three years, and you're comfortable with offering them $10,000 out the door, then do it. That's how I've done it in the past. let them 'reverse engineer' the numbers.
smile.gif


It's a car from a "dead" brand that is at a Honda dealer. It has been there a while, and it looks like someone wanted to trade it before it hit the big "70"... as in 70,000 miles.

They'd probably rather sell it than wholesale it, again, since it is a dead brand.
 
Looks like they put a little money into it at the dealer per the Carfax. Full inspection, two owner car, first one being a lease, new battery(make sure it's a good one), two new tires on it(hopefully all 4 match). No maintenance records from the second owner who put almost 50k miles on it over two years.
 
Might be good to print that up and bring it to the other dealer to low, low, lower that price down!
 
It's not going to be worth much at an auction. While they were great cars (those perforated leather seats are comfy!) a dealer is going to have a hard time selling a car from a defunct manufacturer.

Doesn't matter than the parent company is still in existence, and any parts you would need for it are identical to Ford.

Great cars, though. I always liked the Five Hundred / Taurus (and clone). I like the looks of that car better than the current generation, to be honest.
 
Originally Posted By: earlyre
Originally Posted By: satinsilver
$7300 for this one at a Honda dealer. Not too far away from you.

http://www.rivertownhonda.com/auto/used-2008-mercury-sable-/1130511/

Probably get that one for $6k!

uhhh that's 228 mi away (3.5hrs each way). nope. thanks for playing!


I think you're missing the point. They're not suggesting you go look at these cars but rather use them as a bargaining chip to get the price down on the car in question.
 
Originally Posted By: glock19
I think you're missing the point. They're not suggesting you go look at these cars but rather use them as a bargaining chip to get the price down on the car in question.


The problem is, neither car is really suitable as a comparable. One is AWD, older, with more miles... and the other one is older with even more miles.
 
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