Sorry guys, but anyone that is willing to pay $15k for an 06-07 Accord, or any other similar car in the segment, needs to get their head examined.
Opinion on selecting a $15k used Sedan
- Thread starter Phishin
- Start date
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Last night I went to my local Chevy dealership. Drove a new Fusion and a new Malibu. Looked at the Sonic as well.
My impression:
Many of you guys were right about the size thing. This is why I asked on here. Many of you were telling me to look at the bigger cars. I probably wouldn't have noticed that the back seat of the Fusion is pretty tight without your warnings. I'm a big guy. 6'2" and 250 pounds. I like my seat all the way back. There leaves no leg room in the Fusion. However, the 4 cylinder had plenty of pep for me. And the fit and trim of the car was better than I expected. I was eye-balling the base models. Which could probably be bought for $16k.
So, that took the Sonic off my list right away. Might be cool if I was single, but not as a family man.
The Malibu's were nice. There is a $5K rebate right now, so I could get a new one (base model) for around $20K OTD. But that is more than I want to spend. They had no used ones on the lot. But I see that I can buy a 2011-2012 Malibu with 30K miles for $15K online. So from a Chevy perspective, this is my first choice right now....a pre-owned certified Malibu.
My impression:
Many of you guys were right about the size thing. This is why I asked on here. Many of you were telling me to look at the bigger cars. I probably wouldn't have noticed that the back seat of the Fusion is pretty tight without your warnings. I'm a big guy. 6'2" and 250 pounds. I like my seat all the way back. There leaves no leg room in the Fusion. However, the 4 cylinder had plenty of pep for me. And the fit and trim of the car was better than I expected. I was eye-balling the base models. Which could probably be bought for $16k.
So, that took the Sonic off my list right away. Might be cool if I was single, but not as a family man.
The Malibu's were nice. There is a $5K rebate right now, so I could get a new one (base model) for around $20K OTD. But that is more than I want to spend. They had no used ones on the lot. But I see that I can buy a 2011-2012 Malibu with 30K miles for $15K online. So from a Chevy perspective, this is my first choice right now....a pre-owned certified Malibu.
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Sorry guys, but anyone that is willing to pay $15k for an 06-07 Accord, or any other similar car in the segment, needs to get their head examined.
I've seen them listed for closer to $11-12K so with good negotiating a possible $8-9k car...depending on model/condition/miles/luck of course...
Sorry guys, but anyone that is willing to pay $15k for an 06-07 Accord, or any other similar car in the segment, needs to get their head examined.
I've seen them listed for closer to $11-12K so with good negotiating a possible $8-9k car...depending on model/condition/miles/luck of course...
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Originally Posted By: Phishin
The Malibu's were nice. There is a $5K rebate right now, so I could get a new one (base model) for around $20K OTD. But that is more than I want to spend. They had no used ones on the lot. But I see that I can buy a 2011-2012 Malibu with 30K miles for $15K online. So from a Chevy perspective, this is my first choice right now....a pre-owned certified Malibu.
$15,000 should be at least a CPO 1LT. Maybe a 2LT if you shop around. LTZ is going to be a bit over.
I'm still of the opinion that they out-Camried the Camry with the Malibu. It's a nice enough car, just a little soft and slow steering for me personally.
The Malibu's were nice. There is a $5K rebate right now, so I could get a new one (base model) for around $20K OTD. But that is more than I want to spend. They had no used ones on the lot. But I see that I can buy a 2011-2012 Malibu with 30K miles for $15K online. So from a Chevy perspective, this is my first choice right now....a pre-owned certified Malibu.
$15,000 should be at least a CPO 1LT. Maybe a 2LT if you shop around. LTZ is going to be a bit over.
I'm still of the opinion that they out-Camried the Camry with the Malibu. It's a nice enough car, just a little soft and slow steering for me personally.
Originally Posted By: Mykl
Did I just read that you can get a new, base Fusion for ~$16k after rebates?
OMG....my bad. I didn't mean Fusion. I meant Cruze. Sorry. I was at the Chevy Dealership.
I can get a new base Cruze for $16K. I can get a new base Malibu for $20K (after $5K rebate).
Sorry. I got too many cars on my brain right now.
Did I just read that you can get a new, base Fusion for ~$16k after rebates?
OMG....my bad. I didn't mean Fusion. I meant Cruze. Sorry. I was at the Chevy Dealership.
I can get a new base Cruze for $16K. I can get a new base Malibu for $20K (after $5K rebate).
Sorry. I got too many cars on my brain right now.
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: gofast182
With that budget I'd get a 2006-2007 Accord. My wife and I both had 2007 Accords at one point. I had an EX-L V6 6MT and she had an EX 5AT. It's got a little more room than Civic, that generation of Accord feels and drives like a more expensive car than it is, they updated the rear end in 2006 to add nice LED taillights, it's the last two years of the model run of an already reliable car so there's virtually nothing to go wrong, the K24 is bulletproof, we got ~34MPG highway in her car.
Totally agree....the 7.5 gen accord is an excellent car. Very well rounded and very refined. I have the K24 in mine and they are very smooth engines, and get good gas mileage. I usually average 26 around town which is very good for mid size sedan. My aunt has one with the 3.0 J30 V6 and that engine is as smooth as glass, cant even tell its running. Rocket like acceleration too, but the 4 banger will suffice. Plenty of pep and much better gas mileage. A very low maintenance car too. The 2008-2011 Accords were not as good IMO. I test drove one recently as i was looking at trading in, i wasnt very impressed. The seat fabric seemed cheaper, dash materials were cheaper. And the car was too big for my liking. The size of the 7.5 2006-2007 was just perfect, not too big and not too small.
I really like the J30 V6! If they weren't so expensive, I'd love to get my hands on a 6MT 7th generation accord!
Originally Posted By: gofast182
With that budget I'd get a 2006-2007 Accord. My wife and I both had 2007 Accords at one point. I had an EX-L V6 6MT and she had an EX 5AT. It's got a little more room than Civic, that generation of Accord feels and drives like a more expensive car than it is, they updated the rear end in 2006 to add nice LED taillights, it's the last two years of the model run of an already reliable car so there's virtually nothing to go wrong, the K24 is bulletproof, we got ~34MPG highway in her car.
Totally agree....the 7.5 gen accord is an excellent car. Very well rounded and very refined. I have the K24 in mine and they are very smooth engines, and get good gas mileage. I usually average 26 around town which is very good for mid size sedan. My aunt has one with the 3.0 J30 V6 and that engine is as smooth as glass, cant even tell its running. Rocket like acceleration too, but the 4 banger will suffice. Plenty of pep and much better gas mileage. A very low maintenance car too. The 2008-2011 Accords were not as good IMO. I test drove one recently as i was looking at trading in, i wasnt very impressed. The seat fabric seemed cheaper, dash materials were cheaper. And the car was too big for my liking. The size of the 7.5 2006-2007 was just perfect, not too big and not too small.
I really like the J30 V6! If they weren't so expensive, I'd love to get my hands on a 6MT 7th generation accord!
Originally Posted By: Phishin
OMG....my bad. I didn't mean Fusion. I meant Cruze. Sorry. I was at the Chevy Dealership.
I can get a new base Cruze for $16K. I can get a new base Malibu for $20K (after $5K rebate).
Sorry. I got too many cars on my brain right now.
lol, no worries... I read that and thought "OMG!!! Perfect car for the wife!!!"
A Cruze for that is still a pretty good buy though, and big enough to squeeze a couple of kids in the back.
OMG....my bad. I didn't mean Fusion. I meant Cruze. Sorry. I was at the Chevy Dealership.
I can get a new base Cruze for $16K. I can get a new base Malibu for $20K (after $5K rebate).
Sorry. I got too many cars on my brain right now.
lol, no worries... I read that and thought "OMG!!! Perfect car for the wife!!!"
A Cruze for that is still a pretty good buy though, and big enough to squeeze a couple of kids in the back.
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: gofast182
With that budget I'd get a 2006-2007 Accord. My wife and I both had 2007 Accords at one point. I had an EX-L V6 6MT and she had an EX 5AT. It's got a little more room than Civic, that generation of Accord feels and drives like a more expensive car than it is, they updated the rear end in 2006 to add nice LED taillights, it's the last two years of the model run of an already reliable car so there's virtually nothing to go wrong, the K24 is bulletproof, we got ~34MPG highway in her car.
Totally agree....the 7.5 gen accord is an excellent car. Very well rounded and very refined. I have the K24 in mine and they are very smooth engines, and get good gas mileage. I usually average 26 around town which is very good for mid size sedan. My aunt has one with the 3.0 J30 V6 and that engine is as smooth as glass, cant even tell its running. Rocket like acceleration too, but the 4 banger will suffice. Plenty of pep and much better gas mileage. A very low maintenance car too. The 2008-2011 Accords were not as good IMO. I test drove one recently as i was looking at trading in, i wasnt very impressed. The seat fabric seemed cheaper, dash materials were cheaper. And the car was too big for my liking. The size of the 7.5 2006-2007 was just perfect, not too big and not too small.
I really like the J30 V6! If they weren't so expensive, I'd love to get my hands on a 6MT 7th generation accord!
My 2007 Accord 4dr EX-L V6 6MT was an awesome car, TOTAL SLEEPER, the J30 was silky smooth but it pulled like a bloody freight train! I could even chirp the tires in third gear! The G 7.5 Accord looked and drove like a more expensive car than it was, even the 4cyl. I quickly regretted trading it on a 2010 which drove nicely but had a terribly cheap un-Honda like interior.
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: gofast182
With that budget I'd get a 2006-2007 Accord. My wife and I both had 2007 Accords at one point. I had an EX-L V6 6MT and she had an EX 5AT. It's got a little more room than Civic, that generation of Accord feels and drives like a more expensive car than it is, they updated the rear end in 2006 to add nice LED taillights, it's the last two years of the model run of an already reliable car so there's virtually nothing to go wrong, the K24 is bulletproof, we got ~34MPG highway in her car.
Totally agree....the 7.5 gen accord is an excellent car. Very well rounded and very refined. I have the K24 in mine and they are very smooth engines, and get good gas mileage. I usually average 26 around town which is very good for mid size sedan. My aunt has one with the 3.0 J30 V6 and that engine is as smooth as glass, cant even tell its running. Rocket like acceleration too, but the 4 banger will suffice. Plenty of pep and much better gas mileage. A very low maintenance car too. The 2008-2011 Accords were not as good IMO. I test drove one recently as i was looking at trading in, i wasnt very impressed. The seat fabric seemed cheaper, dash materials were cheaper. And the car was too big for my liking. The size of the 7.5 2006-2007 was just perfect, not too big and not too small.
I really like the J30 V6! If they weren't so expensive, I'd love to get my hands on a 6MT 7th generation accord!
My 2007 Accord 4dr EX-L V6 6MT was an awesome car, TOTAL SLEEPER, the J30 was silky smooth but it pulled like a bloody freight train! I could even chirp the tires in third gear! The G 7.5 Accord looked and drove like a more expensive car than it was, even the 4cyl. I quickly regretted trading it on a 2010 which drove nicely but had a terribly cheap un-Honda like interior.
The 2003-2007 Accord was a nice car back in the day, but they are getting old now. Unless you can find the one that Aunt Mabel only drove on Sunday to church, you're looking at 100k+ miles and a very used car teetering on beater status.
Originally Posted By: gofast182
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: gofast182
With that budget I'd get a 2006-2007 Accord. My wife and I both had 2007 Accords at one point. I had an EX-L V6 6MT and she had an EX 5AT. It's got a little more room than Civic, that generation of Accord feels and drives like a more expensive car than it is, they updated the rear end in 2006 to add nice LED taillights, it's the last two years of the model run of an already reliable car so there's virtually nothing to go wrong, the K24 is bulletproof, we got ~34MPG highway in her car.
Totally agree....the 7.5 gen accord is an excellent car. Very well rounded and very refined. I have the K24 in mine and they are very smooth engines, and get good gas mileage. I usually average 26 around town which is very good for mid size sedan. My aunt has one with the 3.0 J30 V6 and that engine is as smooth as glass, cant even tell its running. Rocket like acceleration too, but the 4 banger will suffice. Plenty of pep and much better gas mileage. A very low maintenance car too. The 2008-2011 Accords were not as good IMO. I test drove one recently as i was looking at trading in, i wasnt very impressed. The seat fabric seemed cheaper, dash materials were cheaper. And the car was too big for my liking. The size of the 7.5 2006-2007 was just perfect, not too big and not too small.
I really like the J30 V6! If they weren't so expensive, I'd love to get my hands on a 6MT 7th generation accord!
My 2007 Accord 4dr EX-L V6 6MT was an awesome car, TOTAL SLEEPER, the J30 was silky smooth but it pulled like a bloody freight train! I could even chirp the tires in third gear! The G 7.5 Accord looked and drove like a more expensive car than it was, even the 4cyl. I quickly regretted trading it on a 2010 which drove nicely but had a terribly cheap un-Honda like interior.
I can't say I ever liked a Honda before this car. A friend of mine had a 2011 V6 Accord ... Definitely the fastest car I've ever been in. Holy @#$@# that was fast! But the interior was a bit awkward to say the least.
I'm not a hard driver and the engine is so powerful below 4000RPM that I haven't had the chance to experience Vtec kicking in yet haha.
I don't care for the complex rear suspension. It works AMAZING ... but when the car gets old, that's going to get expensive to replace and align.
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: gofast182
With that budget I'd get a 2006-2007 Accord. My wife and I both had 2007 Accords at one point. I had an EX-L V6 6MT and she had an EX 5AT. It's got a little more room than Civic, that generation of Accord feels and drives like a more expensive car than it is, they updated the rear end in 2006 to add nice LED taillights, it's the last two years of the model run of an already reliable car so there's virtually nothing to go wrong, the K24 is bulletproof, we got ~34MPG highway in her car.
Totally agree....the 7.5 gen accord is an excellent car. Very well rounded and very refined. I have the K24 in mine and they are very smooth engines, and get good gas mileage. I usually average 26 around town which is very good for mid size sedan. My aunt has one with the 3.0 J30 V6 and that engine is as smooth as glass, cant even tell its running. Rocket like acceleration too, but the 4 banger will suffice. Plenty of pep and much better gas mileage. A very low maintenance car too. The 2008-2011 Accords were not as good IMO. I test drove one recently as i was looking at trading in, i wasnt very impressed. The seat fabric seemed cheaper, dash materials were cheaper. And the car was too big for my liking. The size of the 7.5 2006-2007 was just perfect, not too big and not too small.
I really like the J30 V6! If they weren't so expensive, I'd love to get my hands on a 6MT 7th generation accord!
My 2007 Accord 4dr EX-L V6 6MT was an awesome car, TOTAL SLEEPER, the J30 was silky smooth but it pulled like a bloody freight train! I could even chirp the tires in third gear! The G 7.5 Accord looked and drove like a more expensive car than it was, even the 4cyl. I quickly regretted trading it on a 2010 which drove nicely but had a terribly cheap un-Honda like interior.
I can't say I ever liked a Honda before this car. A friend of mine had a 2011 V6 Accord ... Definitely the fastest car I've ever been in. Holy @#$@# that was fast! But the interior was a bit awkward to say the least.
I'm not a hard driver and the engine is so powerful below 4000RPM that I haven't had the chance to experience Vtec kicking in yet haha.
I don't care for the complex rear suspension. It works AMAZING ... but when the car gets old, that's going to get expensive to replace and align.
Originally Posted By: supton
How is 100k+ "teetering on beater status"? 200k is the new 100k, you know.
If you buy it new, and take good care of it I would agree.
Buying a used car with 100k already on it is a totally different story. The average used car that is 8 or so years old with 100k is going to have a filthy interior, a few dents/scrapes/scratches, scratched bumper covers, yellowed headlights and curb rashed wheels.
How is 100k+ "teetering on beater status"? 200k is the new 100k, you know.
If you buy it new, and take good care of it I would agree.
Buying a used car with 100k already on it is a totally different story. The average used car that is 8 or so years old with 100k is going to have a filthy interior, a few dents/scrapes/scratches, scratched bumper covers, yellowed headlights and curb rashed wheels.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: supton
How is 100k+ "teetering on beater status"? 200k is the new 100k, you know.
If you buy it new, and take good care of it I would agree.
Buying a used car with 100k already on it is a totally different story. The average used car that is 8 or so years old with 100k is going to have a filthy interior, a few dents/scrapes/scratches, scratched bumper covers, yellowed headlights and curb rashed wheels.
That just means that you can get a better deal.
You can knock the dealer down with these dents and scraps, yellowed headlights, etc.
Then go to the junkyard and get:
- New headlights to clean up
- Bumper covers if needed
- Wheels that do not have curb rash ...
A "good" car doesn't have to be a looker.
Originally Posted By: supton
How is 100k+ "teetering on beater status"? 200k is the new 100k, you know.
If you buy it new, and take good care of it I would agree.
Buying a used car with 100k already on it is a totally different story. The average used car that is 8 or so years old with 100k is going to have a filthy interior, a few dents/scrapes/scratches, scratched bumper covers, yellowed headlights and curb rashed wheels.
That just means that you can get a better deal.
You can knock the dealer down with these dents and scraps, yellowed headlights, etc.
Then go to the junkyard and get:
- New headlights to clean up
- Bumper covers if needed
- Wheels that do not have curb rash ...
A "good" car doesn't have to be a looker.
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: gofast182
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Totally agree....the 7.5 gen accord is an excellent car. Very well rounded and very refined. I have the K24 in mine and they are very smooth engines, and get good gas mileage. I usually average 26 around town which is very good for mid size sedan. My aunt has one with the 3.0 J30 V6 and that engine is as smooth as glass, cant even tell its running. Rocket like acceleration too, but the 4 banger will suffice. Plenty of pep and much better gas mileage. A very low maintenance car too. The 2008-2011 Accords were not as good IMO. I test drove one recently as i was looking at trading in, i wasnt very impressed. The seat fabric seemed cheaper, dash materials were cheaper. And the car was too big for my liking. The size of the 7.5 2006-2007 was just perfect, not too big and not too small.
I really like the J30 V6! If they weren't so expensive, I'd love to get my hands on a 6MT 7th generation accord!
My 2007 Accord 4dr EX-L V6 6MT was an awesome car, TOTAL SLEEPER, the J30 was silky smooth but it pulled like a bloody freight train! I could even chirp the tires in third gear! The G 7.5 Accord looked and drove like a more expensive car than it was, even the 4cyl. I quickly regretted trading it on a 2010 which drove nicely but had a terribly cheap un-Honda like interior.
...
I don't care for the complex rear suspension. It works AMAZING ... but when the car gets old, that's going to get expensive to replace and align.
The alignment points are very straightforward and you actually have more adjustability with a suspension setup like that. Of all the "Japanese" brands Honda pays the most attention to ease of maintenance/repair. And in the unlikely event anything went wrong with a component, inevitably when so many are sold annually, there are plenty around the country that have suffered accidents and are being parted out by salvage yards. No worries whatsoever.
Originally Posted By: gofast182
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Totally agree....the 7.5 gen accord is an excellent car. Very well rounded and very refined. I have the K24 in mine and they are very smooth engines, and get good gas mileage. I usually average 26 around town which is very good for mid size sedan. My aunt has one with the 3.0 J30 V6 and that engine is as smooth as glass, cant even tell its running. Rocket like acceleration too, but the 4 banger will suffice. Plenty of pep and much better gas mileage. A very low maintenance car too. The 2008-2011 Accords were not as good IMO. I test drove one recently as i was looking at trading in, i wasnt very impressed. The seat fabric seemed cheaper, dash materials were cheaper. And the car was too big for my liking. The size of the 7.5 2006-2007 was just perfect, not too big and not too small.
I really like the J30 V6! If they weren't so expensive, I'd love to get my hands on a 6MT 7th generation accord!
My 2007 Accord 4dr EX-L V6 6MT was an awesome car, TOTAL SLEEPER, the J30 was silky smooth but it pulled like a bloody freight train! I could even chirp the tires in third gear! The G 7.5 Accord looked and drove like a more expensive car than it was, even the 4cyl. I quickly regretted trading it on a 2010 which drove nicely but had a terribly cheap un-Honda like interior.
...
I don't care for the complex rear suspension. It works AMAZING ... but when the car gets old, that's going to get expensive to replace and align.
The alignment points are very straightforward and you actually have more adjustability with a suspension setup like that. Of all the "Japanese" brands Honda pays the most attention to ease of maintenance/repair. And in the unlikely event anything went wrong with a component, inevitably when so many are sold annually, there are plenty around the country that have suffered accidents and are being parted out by salvage yards. No worries whatsoever.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: supton
How is 100k+ "teetering on beater status"? 200k is the new 100k, you know.
If you buy it new, and take good care of it I would agree.
Buying a used car with 100k already on it is a totally different story. The average used car that is 8 or so years old with 100k is going to have a filthy interior, a few dents/scrapes/scratches, scratched bumper covers, yellowed headlights and curb rashed wheels.
Ah. Makes sense.
I need to quit hanging around this forum. I'm starting to think everyone spends their weekends waxing their cars and driving them for twenty years.
Originally Posted By: supton
How is 100k+ "teetering on beater status"? 200k is the new 100k, you know.
If you buy it new, and take good care of it I would agree.
Buying a used car with 100k already on it is a totally different story. The average used car that is 8 or so years old with 100k is going to have a filthy interior, a few dents/scrapes/scratches, scratched bumper covers, yellowed headlights and curb rashed wheels.
Ah. Makes sense.
I need to quit hanging around this forum. I'm starting to think everyone spends their weekends waxing their cars and driving them for twenty years.
Originally Posted By: supton
Ah. Makes sense.
I need to quit hanging around this forum. I'm starting to think everyone spends their weekends waxing their cars and driving them for twenty years.
Wash and wax with spray wax at least once a month, spend a couple of minutes wiping down the interior, then vacuum and you'd be surprised at how decent a car can look after 100k miles. Most people don't seem to even do that much and the investment is only an hour or two a month. I consider this to be basic car maintenance.
If someone can't be bothered to spend even that small amount of time maintaining their car what other stuff has been neglected?
Ah. Makes sense.
I need to quit hanging around this forum. I'm starting to think everyone spends their weekends waxing their cars and driving them for twenty years.
Wash and wax with spray wax at least once a month, spend a couple of minutes wiping down the interior, then vacuum and you'd be surprised at how decent a car can look after 100k miles. Most people don't seem to even do that much and the investment is only an hour or two a month. I consider this to be basic car maintenance.
If someone can't be bothered to spend even that small amount of time maintaining their car what other stuff has been neglected?
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: Phishin
The Malibu's were nice. There is a $5K rebate right now, so I could get a new one (base model) for around $20K OTD. But that is more than I want to spend. They had no used ones on the lot. But I see that I can buy a 2011-2012 Malibu with 30K miles for $15K online. So from a Chevy perspective, this is my first choice right now....a pre-owned certified Malibu.
$15,000 should be at least a CPO 1LT. Maybe a 2LT if you shop around. LTZ is going to be a bit over.
I'm still of the opinion that they out-Camried the Camry with the Malibu. It's a nice enough car, just a little soft and slow steering for me personally.
I assume the new Malibus with 5k rebate are '12s. They should be able to do a little better than $20k out the door, as rebates aren't the only discounting that the dealer can do, but also these must not really be base models and are mid-levels.
But '11-12 Malibu with less than 30k and some bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining and under $15k is not a bad option depending on the particulars. You can go over that car with a fine tooth comb for another 6k miles or so and get any issue fixed under warranty if there is any issue(s). Plus there's 5y/100k powertrain warranty for any big or expensive issue. Usually any powertrain defects would start to show up by 5/100k if there are any. It seems it'd be hard to lose on a Malibu.
I think a 1-2 year old, low mileage Malibu, might be the exception to used cars not being a good value over new. Shop around and see what you can find which to your credit you are doing.
Originally Posted By: Phishin
The Malibu's were nice. There is a $5K rebate right now, so I could get a new one (base model) for around $20K OTD. But that is more than I want to spend. They had no used ones on the lot. But I see that I can buy a 2011-2012 Malibu with 30K miles for $15K online. So from a Chevy perspective, this is my first choice right now....a pre-owned certified Malibu.
$15,000 should be at least a CPO 1LT. Maybe a 2LT if you shop around. LTZ is going to be a bit over.
I'm still of the opinion that they out-Camried the Camry with the Malibu. It's a nice enough car, just a little soft and slow steering for me personally.
I assume the new Malibus with 5k rebate are '12s. They should be able to do a little better than $20k out the door, as rebates aren't the only discounting that the dealer can do, but also these must not really be base models and are mid-levels.
But '11-12 Malibu with less than 30k and some bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining and under $15k is not a bad option depending on the particulars. You can go over that car with a fine tooth comb for another 6k miles or so and get any issue fixed under warranty if there is any issue(s). Plus there's 5y/100k powertrain warranty for any big or expensive issue. Usually any powertrain defects would start to show up by 5/100k if there are any. It seems it'd be hard to lose on a Malibu.
I think a 1-2 year old, low mileage Malibu, might be the exception to used cars not being a good value over new. Shop around and see what you can find which to your credit you are doing.
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I think a 1-2 year old, low mileage Malibu, might be the exception to used cars not being a good value over new. Shop around and see what you can find which to your credit you are doing.
Yeah, and what I get to thinking is this....
Do I want a 1-2 year old Malibu with 30K on it for $15K or for the same price, do I want the bullet-proof no-frills of a 2011 or 2012 Accord with 25K miles and a 4-cylinder (with timing chain, no belt)?
It's just my old thinking that's hard to break....being 37 and having drivin' many beater Honda's to death....that why would I want a Malibu over an Accord both for the same price, both 1-2 years old, with the same mileage? That's a hard hurdle for me to get over.
I'm offering $15K cash OTD for this Accord in a new hours.
http://www.donayreshonda.net/detail-2010-honda-accord_sdn-4dr_i4_auto_lx~p-used-10431183.html
I think a 1-2 year old, low mileage Malibu, might be the exception to used cars not being a good value over new. Shop around and see what you can find which to your credit you are doing.
Yeah, and what I get to thinking is this....
Do I want a 1-2 year old Malibu with 30K on it for $15K or for the same price, do I want the bullet-proof no-frills of a 2011 or 2012 Accord with 25K miles and a 4-cylinder (with timing chain, no belt)?
It's just my old thinking that's hard to break....being 37 and having drivin' many beater Honda's to death....that why would I want a Malibu over an Accord both for the same price, both 1-2 years old, with the same mileage? That's a hard hurdle for me to get over.
I'm offering $15K cash OTD for this Accord in a new hours.
http://www.donayreshonda.net/detail-2010-honda-accord_sdn-4dr_i4_auto_lx~p-used-10431183.html
Yeah makes sense. My experience is driving GM cars into the ground and for the most part not really having to fix much, so my total cost of ownership was at least as low probably lower as any other. These cars weren't quiet as good as the late model Malibus. So you should be in a good position with one.
I'm working on the assumption that similar year, milage and optioned Accord would cost a few thousand more than a Malibu. Long-term reliability and repair and maintenance cost would be a toss up maybe even in the Malibus favor (there's no valve adjustments on an Ecotec for instance). But if you can get the similar Accord for the same price, that's make it an option.
But the thing is for me I actually prefer the ride quality, lower noise and overall driving feel of the Malibu over the Accord. Neither is or should be sports cars and I think the Malibu is tuned closer how a family sedan should be without giving up too much handling. IMO cars like the Fusion and Accord aren't tuned that great and give up comfort and gain no real performance.
I'm working on the assumption that similar year, milage and optioned Accord would cost a few thousand more than a Malibu. Long-term reliability and repair and maintenance cost would be a toss up maybe even in the Malibus favor (there's no valve adjustments on an Ecotec for instance). But if you can get the similar Accord for the same price, that's make it an option.
But the thing is for me I actually prefer the ride quality, lower noise and overall driving feel of the Malibu over the Accord. Neither is or should be sports cars and I think the Malibu is tuned closer how a family sedan should be without giving up too much handling. IMO cars like the Fusion and Accord aren't tuned that great and give up comfort and gain no real performance.
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