Where/How Do You Buy A Used car?
- Thread starter amateurbob
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Holy crap! Some of those are pretty big trips. How do you decide if the car is worth a road trip?
I would say opposite for older cars because there rust free. Unless there rust buckets shipped here from up North, which happens a lot.
States with no inspection / emissions tend to hold higher prices on older used cars for obvious reason you can just title and drive.
I bought a 12 year old Xterra from the Land Rover / Jag dealer that had just been traded in. Old used didn't seem to be there thing but it worked out well for me.
I found a handful of dealers that focus on older cars of a certain price, and there intersted in selling for cash only - go find your own financing. These I would buy from.
To avoid, large new car dealers with a large inventory of used, the buy here pay here lots, or used lots with everything from a year old to 20 years old. These people all seem intent on putting you in something no matter what, will tell any lie, and are nothing but a PITA with there overpriced junk and there "we finance anyone" subprime lenders.
Facebook seems to be the best here now, I'm in a rural area and its easy to check if its a legitimate ad, you just look at the profile of the person and decide if want to deal with them, and make a guess on how they treat their vehicles. No profile or something odd, I would only contact them if they live a few miles away.
Autotrader and Cargurus is still pretty good too, to find private sales.
Every time I go to dealer and look at a $5-10k car, there's usually an issue with it, either obviously leaking something, or they lied about the mileage or trim level or something.... So I don't bother, I'd rather buy from the owner, at their house, who is much less likely to rip me off on purpose...
Buying a $15-20k used car privately is something I've not done, and then I'm more inclined to go to a "good" dealer. But in the right situation, from the original owner, with a stack of maintenance receipts, I could do it.
Autotrader and Cargurus is still pretty good too, to find private sales.
Every time I go to dealer and look at a $5-10k car, there's usually an issue with it, either obviously leaking something, or they lied about the mileage or trim level or something.... So I don't bother, I'd rather buy from the owner, at their house, who is much less likely to rip me off on purpose...
Buying a $15-20k used car privately is something I've not done, and then I'm more inclined to go to a "good" dealer. But in the right situation, from the original owner, with a stack of maintenance receipts, I could do it.
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My it was my turn for bad luck but when l was on marketplace most people l dealt with lied through their teeth. Lying about salvaged titles, one owner vehicles, or 3000 mile oil changes.
The "good" cars seem to sell fast.
Everything I buy is either at the wholesale dealer auctions, or from fleet companies that liquidate their inventory to car dealerships.
I have probably owned over 5,000 vehicles. Many which I have never seen in person. But I have also attended thousands of auctions as a car buyer, auctioneer, and principal owner.
I pretty much know which models have a given level of long-term reliability. When my middle-aged mind muddies up my ability to recall a given model, I can always visit the Long-Term Quality Index.
I co-developed that study which now has over 6 million vehicles inspected by mechanics throughout the USA. If you take that and visit local enthusiast forums for whatever model interests you that's all you pretty much need these days.
Finally, I have sold over 100,000 vehicles as an auto auctioneer and even received 50% of the profits of an auto auction here in Atlanta.
So you can say that I've pretty much been around the block a few too many times at this point when it comes to buying cars. If you want to know of my recent exploits, you can always visit me at 48 Hours And A Used Car on Facebook. I pretty much buy everything that has a steering wheel on it.
I have probably owned over 5,000 vehicles. Many which I have never seen in person. But I have also attended thousands of auctions as a car buyer, auctioneer, and principal owner.
I pretty much know which models have a given level of long-term reliability. When my middle-aged mind muddies up my ability to recall a given model, I can always visit the Long-Term Quality Index.
I co-developed that study which now has over 6 million vehicles inspected by mechanics throughout the USA. If you take that and visit local enthusiast forums for whatever model interests you that's all you pretty much need these days.
Finally, I have sold over 100,000 vehicles as an auto auctioneer and even received 50% of the profits of an auto auction here in Atlanta.
So you can say that I've pretty much been around the block a few too many times at this point when it comes to buying cars. If you want to know of my recent exploits, you can always visit me at 48 Hours And A Used Car on Facebook. I pretty much buy everything that has a steering wheel on it.
100%…or at least know what you’re getting into. Then one can plan for the worst and hope for the best.
My 2018 and 2015 are a bit older, but when they were still current, it surprised me when folks would post “I had no idea GM V8s had lifter issues” or “I had no idea torque converters were a thing for the 6L80”
Really?
You didn’t use your Google machine to do even one search for the second most (likely the most) expensive thing you own?
Last 3 have been from a dealer. 2 Lexus dealerships, had what I wanted at a price I was comfortable with and both cars were pristine when I went to see them. Really no complaints and I've actually reached out to both shops when I was searching for a 3rd car. Couldn't connect on the 3rd, but bought a used Avalon from an Acura dealer. Again, pristine vehicle, great pics online, great online service history and a price I was comfortable with. Unless it's someone I know, I'm almost hesitant buying from private party these days because some people think what they have is pure gold and/or think maintenance schedules are just a ploy to make you spend more money and disregard recommendations.
Marketplace is where I buy used now, I used to buy on Craigslist but dont ever bother with them anymore.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
If you don't work there how would you go about it?
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I haven't worked out a good plan yet but off the top of my head, l would talk to the staff first and get a sense of the situations. Second l might see if they have a bulletin board.
I've bought 4 cars...3 used from mostly Local mainline Dealerships.
Sept '98 Inherited my first car when my Grandpa Died.
Aug '01 bought a 1 yr old Sonata with 16k mi from the used lot of the Local C/D/J/Buick/GMC/Hyundai dealer, for $10k
Feb '10 Bought an '05 Neon SXT w/54k mi from my Brother who lived in TX*. for $4k
Jan '14 Bought a 2009 Sable w/ 70k mi From the Local Honda/Toyota Dealer for $10k ( I got too old and fat for a car as low as the neon)
Mar '19 Bought a 2013 C-max hybrid w/64k mi from a Ford Dealer about an hour from home, Still Driving it, with ~111k mi
*( I had planned to keep buying used cars from down there - no Rust - but he moved back up here in 2016)
last couple years I've been casually shopping for a used Maverick Hybrid. hoping for my existing pattern ( ~5 yrs old, ~60k mi, $10k) but as of yet, they still seem to be over $20k, many over MSRP when new... I have a Saved Search set up on Autotempest for one around 60k mi, up to $15k mi.... mostly seeing wrecked ones in FL.
Sept '98 Inherited my first car when my Grandpa Died.
Aug '01 bought a 1 yr old Sonata with 16k mi from the used lot of the Local C/D/J/Buick/GMC/Hyundai dealer, for $10k
Feb '10 Bought an '05 Neon SXT w/54k mi from my Brother who lived in TX*. for $4k
Jan '14 Bought a 2009 Sable w/ 70k mi From the Local Honda/Toyota Dealer for $10k ( I got too old and fat for a car as low as the neon)
Mar '19 Bought a 2013 C-max hybrid w/64k mi from a Ford Dealer about an hour from home, Still Driving it, with ~111k mi
*( I had planned to keep buying used cars from down there - no Rust - but he moved back up here in 2016)
last couple years I've been casually shopping for a used Maverick Hybrid. hoping for my existing pattern ( ~5 yrs old, ~60k mi, $10k) but as of yet, they still seem to be over $20k, many over MSRP when new... I have a Saved Search set up on Autotempest for one around 60k mi, up to $15k mi.... mostly seeing wrecked ones in FL.
I only buy vehicles from dealerships or from people I know. I dislike dealing with the sales people. But dislike dealing with the clowns on marketplace and Craigslist much more. Not trying to get catfished, robbed and shot by some fentanyl addict.
Yep, they sure do! TBH the only people I really want to deal with are ones that ask a price to sell it fast, as they don't really care about getting the last $500 out of a car and dealing with a bunch of tire kickers... They don't want to waste time with BS and neither do I. If the pictures show a disaster of a yard and a bit of a high price, then its an easy pass, just scroll on by, and if there's nothing today, check tomorrow morning.
I'm doing that now. In-laws have stopped driving and have a 2022 Corolla with 4,800 miles. Carvana is offering north of $21,000.
Depends on how old the car is, newish and brand new I get good deals on base and overloaded cars.
Sadly I am looking for a car, took vacation, had specific ones but I’m reminded why it takes me 1-2 years to get an acceptable car at an acceptable price.
I target cars that are good but unpopular.
Equinox EV base, prologue, blazer EV and Mazda 90 PHEV’s are all unpopular at the moment with many cheap examples, sadly all of which are far away and of course the dealers are being dbags with old long sold listings, bait and switch and other nonsense.
I’ve navigated it in the past with persistence pegging at a few dealers to price match until end of year they give in.
Gets old because getting a good deal requires such a long time, considering it’s usually a 50% discount off what I can get locally it’s eventually worth it but very irritating
I buy either new when the market's great (not now) or well used with obvious problems. I figure I'd rather get a good price and know the problem then pay a high price and get a hidden problem that'll bite me later.
There's a profit motive in flipping a 3-5 year old car at a dealer. There isn't one in prepping a 12+ year old private car for <$3k. Profit motive means rebuilding serious wrecks, welding two cars into one for example. The beater might just need a bumper skin, foam thingie, and headlight, all bolt-in parts. I don't want to pay a lot of money for someone else's issue.
I do research cars thoroughly and buy repeats of cars I've had before and gained experience on. I can't be an expert on everything; don't have the time. I've occasionally bought a dud, which will either lead me to swearing off that make/ model or buying another copy, but one without the faults of the first.
There's a profit motive in flipping a 3-5 year old car at a dealer. There isn't one in prepping a 12+ year old private car for <$3k. Profit motive means rebuilding serious wrecks, welding two cars into one for example. The beater might just need a bumper skin, foam thingie, and headlight, all bolt-in parts. I don't want to pay a lot of money for someone else's issue.
I do research cars thoroughly and buy repeats of cars I've had before and gained experience on. I can't be an expert on everything; don't have the time. I've occasionally bought a dud, which will either lead me to swearing off that make/ model or buying another copy, but one without the faults of the first.
I haven’t yet found the courage to buy a vehicle sight unseen. Funny because I have purchased two homes that way..
