How to get a good used vehicle?

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Fun Car

Put a little fun in your life. I've become a huge fan of these cars. A lot of the time they are babied (unlike the Crown Vics that were half beaten to death by the local P.D.). The drivetrain is very reliable and they have a reputation of going 200K+ miles easily with minimal maintenance. Mine gets 20+ mpg and 26 mpg on a trip. No less than 19mpg around town.


I have a 1996 like that, in "Eggplant Purple", Black leather interior (quite rare) and a 5 speed.

I added 3.73 gears which took the 26 mpg hwy down to about 22-23 mpg hwy, but made a HUGE difference in acceleration!

with 114.000 miles I'd let mine go for $3,500

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Fun Car

Put a little fun in your life. I've become a huge fan of these cars. A lot of the time they are babied (unlike the Crown Vics that were half beaten to death by the local P.D.). The drivetrain is very reliable and they have a reputation of going 200K+ miles easily with minimal maintenance. Mine gets 20+ mpg and 26 mpg on a trip. No less than 19mpg around town.



Can't have a used car thread without this dinosaur being mentioned.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Fun Car

Put a little fun in your life. I've become a huge fan of these cars. A lot of the time they are babied (unlike the Crown Vics that were half beaten to death by the local P.D.). The drivetrain is very reliable and they have a reputation of going 200K+ miles easily with minimal maintenance. Mine gets 20+ mpg and 26 mpg on a trip. No less than 19mpg around town.



Can't have a used car thread without this dinosaur being mentioned.

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
All you have to do is research which cars and engines have the best reputation for reliability. The best cars will rarely ever be advertised. Try finding a Buick LeSabre for sale...


Those Buicks were reliable, comfortable and got decent MPGs for it's size.

I would invest in carfax. It'll give you a good background into the vehicle and any issues that might raise a red flag.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: georgemiller
1. Have cash in hand.

2. Be very patient. Might take you several months to get car you want. I got 2001 Toyota Camry 60,000 original miles grandma car off Craigslist for 3500. Car was very good condition but took me 7 months searching every day on Craigslist.

3. Must act fast. Once you see car you want, schedule appointment to meet right away. Don't delay 1 day. Don't haggle over price. If car in very good condition these gems only come along every so often. An extra couple of hundred bucks in your pocket isn't worth losing the deal.

4. Patience and ability to act quickly.


All this. Keep cash on hand or in a safe at home so you can close a deal on the weekend when ATMs limit others.

Buy what you know. If you have the worst car in the world, like a dodge caliber, and know it, you'll know what to look for. "Ugly ducklings" do pretty well in giving bank for the buck, beater-wise. Fads like PT Cruisers and HHRs are cheap now and have cheap, common parts.

I'd look at 4 cyl camrys from 2002-on. They're actually cheap now thanks to low gas prices and everyone wanting SUVs. Corollas are not half the car, though. Also if you know dodge vans they are an option too.

Do not buy the gold-star wunderkind Consumer Reports darling. It's 10% better statistically for only 50% more money.

Don't get lured into whatever car has the "best engine" as you'll need front end work and rust repair before 90% of engines out there have any issues. Look at all systems. When I buy clunkers I look at powertrain, body, interior, and state inspection, and try to get 3 for 4. Also try to buy something with an obvious, unfixed reason for the sale. A seller moving overseas is not that reason, unless he can show you military orders, which he can't.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Bgallagher
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
All you have to do is research which cars and engines have the best reputation for reliability. The best cars will rarely ever be advertised. Try finding a Buick LeSabre for sale...


Those Buicks were reliable, comfortable and got decent MPGs for it's size.

I would invest in carfax. It'll give you a good background into the vehicle and any issues that might raise a red flag.



I traded in my Silverado that was involved in a fender bender three or four years ago. It left Utah and is now sitting at a dealer in Orange County, CA with a clean Carfax.

I put 50,000 miles on it after the accident. It's fine and you can't even tell it was involved in an accident.

Bottom line-Carfax is far from perfect.

 

[Cressida]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

"Ugly ducklings" do pretty well in giving bank for the buck, beater-wise. Fads like PT Cruisers and HHRs are cheap now and have cheap, common parts.

I'd look at 4 cyl camrys from 2002-on. They're actually cheap now thanks to low gas prices and everyone wanting SUVs. Corollas are not half the car, though. Also if you know dodge vans they are an option too.


I liked all of you data points and tend to agree, except for the 4 cyl Camrys 2002+. I have avoided them because of the issue with the failed head bolts. It just seems like it's a matter of time when that is going to show up and if so, it's a big problem. Also, pray the evaporator coils never leaks and needs replacing. Nevertheless, I can't say I've done any better with the pre 2002 Camry's. I have one that I now call the "Whack-a-mole"; knock one problem out and another one pops up. For example, next week it's the steering rack and pinion that will be replaced.

 

[KitaCam]

The later MYs of that Gen5 Camry (05/06) will burn oil after 140k miles, maybe 1qt/2k miles.
...but after 140k miles I care less about MPG and qts/OCI than MTD (miles-to-death) and as far as major repairs go, the Camry seems less prone to THOSE (though I've already replaced the starter and alternator)....at least that's my hope for the future.

 

[ET16]

Originally Posted By: Silverado12
Fun Car

Put a little fun in your life. I've become a huge fan of these cars. A lot of the time they are babied (unlike the Crown Vics that were half beaten to death by the local P.D.). The drivetrain is very reliable and they have a reputation of going 200K+ miles easily with minimal maintenance. Mine gets 20+ mpg and 26 mpg on a trip. No less than 19mpg around town.


That does look fun.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: georgemiller
Also try to buy something with an obvious, unfixed reason for the sale. A seller moving overseas is not that reason, unless he can show you military orders, which he can't.

When I was trying to sell my well-sorted Nissan Sunny before moving to Taiwan, I had people hang up on me when I said I was selling it because I was moving to Taiwan.

When I actually moved to Taiwan, I gave it to some friends who lived conveniently near Heathrow airport.

I think even they were a bit suspicious. Followed me to the airport to make sure.