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I'm buying my first car. I plan on doing it in late December of this year (to take advantage of sellers hitting their quotas), and I want to have everything checked and re-checked.
Here are my requirements:
-I want it to be reliable. this above all else
-Last 10 years
-good resale
-4 door. don't show me pictures of 2 door cars I'll drool over PLEASE
-Conservative on-my-own to help from parents estimate: $5000-$10,000 available for down-payment or purchase.
-Mileage doesn't matter so far as it doesn't affect above. As I narrow down I can give more info (carfax and more) to make informed decisions
-I don't care if its new or used. I will be calculating the total cost of insurance, maintenance, gas, and everything else over the 10-year span. If new is cheaper than used, I'm going with it.
-manual
Why I think I need a car:
-I'll be graduating college in spring 2012 with a major in communication minor in east asian studies. My parents have 2 cars which are in constant use. I'll need this to travel to interviews both in-state and out of state. Getting a job is my top priority. Unless I decide to go to overseas for something else, in which case its still a good idea to go through this process for when I do buy a car
-I go to college ~3-4 hours away and don't have a car there
-I've never had a car in my life. but this is a bad reason
What cars should I look at?
-I'm biased towards a toyota or a honda.
-kbb.com
-remember, 4-door and looks decent. for reference, if the toyota selita had four doors I would buy it
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Try a Chevy Cobalt. It's cheaper than an equivalent Toyota or Honda, replacement parts are cheaper, etc. etc. It's just as reliable, and the mileage difference isn't huge. In fact, they have a mileage gauge, such that if you watch your driving you can actually improve the mileage you get...it makes such a huge difference to know how your driving affects the mileage lol. I was surprised myself (I managed to get average 34 mpg when I was driving to/from school last year)
Last year I bought a 2005 model no frills Cobalt for $6900. With all the fees and everything it was $7200.
Alternatively you can look at Corollas, Chevy Prisms (they're old, 2001 is the newest year I believe), Accords. If you're okay with a bigger (more expensive) sedan you can look at Camrys and Civics as well.
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10 years for a car? Unless you are planning on retiring soon, expect to upgrade cars sooner than that. I have no clue about the used/new car market in USA so I'll leave that to someone else here however always check the fine print before you buy. If it's used ensure it hasn't been a insurance write off/stolen/mechanically unsound.
I know this all sounds like common sense checks but you'd be surprised how many people see a shiny looking car, buy it and find out it's been crashed previously and will require expensive repairs.
Toyota/Honda = Can't go wrong, they are great.
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$5000-$10000 for down payment on your first car What in The Fuck!
My first Car cost £200 and I swear it'd have took a tank shelling and kept going. I had the fuel line collapse, the engine actually drop out the bottom (getting me stuck in 3rd gear driving home... you ever tried pulling away from a junction in 3rd...not fun) and all manner of awful shit, but it never once failed to run.
I realise you said it's a 10 year purchase but holy crap kid, that's a chunk of change. Surely first year's driver insurance will be stupidly expensive in itself? I've always been advised that your first car should be a piece of shit, that way if you do something dumb like hedge it, it's no big loss. Maybe the insurance situation is a lot difference in the UK.
1990 Volkswagen Polo Can't top a German car for reliability. (and I've owned Japanese car's too.. they are reliable also.. just expensive on parts. )
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I surport your decision that the time is right for you to buy a car and also your effort to reaserch what you need and what is suitable rather than buying what you want. I don't live in American so prices and availabilty are probabbly different to the U.K and insurance is very different so I won't advise you on what to buy (I like japanesse cars myself)
Just good luck I hope you find something that fits your need and makes you feel good to drive, my first car was a pile of crap Volvo 340 but the freedom of been able to do what I want and also the excitment of going on adventures and road trips made having my first car one of my best memories.
Be aware that all cars are different. Two identical model cars built in the same factory at the same time can have had 2 entirely different lifes so just because a model of car is reliable doesn't mean the on you buy won't break down. You really need make sure you have a look over the car you are buying.
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@wherebugsgo: thats exactly the advice I'm looking for. I like cobalts, camrys and civics.
On February 21 2011 14:28 ibutoss wrote:
10 years for a car? Unless you are planning on retiring soon, expect to upgrade cars sooner than that.
no. ten years. my dad's irked 19 years out of an old mazda and I've inherited his habits.
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On February 21 2011 14:37 KurtistheTurtle wrote:@wherebugsgo: thats exactly the advice I'm looking for. I like cobalts, camrys and civics. Show nested quote +On February 21 2011 14:28 ibutoss wrote:
10 years for a car? Unless you are planning on retiring soon, expect to upgrade cars sooner than that. no. ten years. my dad's irked 19 years out of an old mazda and I've inherited his habits.
I have a mercury tracer. We got it for 3k. It's a 1998 model, but only 60k miles. Sure it won't last 10 years, but it's damn cheap ^^
I know you wouldn't get good resale, but it's cheap enough...
Honestly, get a used car. It's fine going new and all, but it'd be better to get a cheap car now, put all the money down, spend very little, have it last a long time, and but a car later.
I can suggest hyundais though. Super reliable, and super warranty (10 year, 100k miles)
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i cant give you solid facts, but my dad's been driving a 93 camry, and it didn't have any problems until about 4 years ago when the breaks started getting a little worn and old. as long as you maintain it well, oil change when it needs it, don't strain it too much, it'll last you a long time. camry ftw!
edit - also my mom drives a honda accord, and that's also really nice. good mileage, in great condition even after 8 years, not too expensive. you might wanna look around on this too
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Lol my frist car cost 8k was a semi used suzuki with only 700 miles on it(i still have it), payed with one check all at once was able to lop quite a few thousand off the price. Here is a tip buy a somewhat popular car i've had to order so much crap online just to find the right parts for the dam car.
On February 21 2011 14:37 KurtistheTurtle wrote:@wherebugsgo: thats exactly the advice I'm looking for. I like cobalts, camrys and civics. Show nested quote +On February 21 2011 14:28 ibutoss wrote:
10 years for a car? Unless you are planning on retiring soon, expect to upgrade cars sooner than that. no. ten years. my dad's irked 19 years out of an old mazda and I've inherited his habits.
It's not too hard just do regular maintenance it's all listed in the car manual what you need to change and when if you do that you should get very little trouble from a car till at least 100k miles on it, my dads old van push 11 years with minimal maintenance and 500k ish miles on it, gave up on it when the engine ate it it would cost too much to repair vs the worth of the car.
For insurance i suggest you look at this
http://www.iihs.org/research/hldi/composite_cls.aspx?y=2007-2009&cls=2
that's the 2007-09 models
you can use the iihs site to look at safety rating and crap having a good one is great for lowering insurance, also features like a car alarm and daytime running lights and abs etc. Also how often a car is stolen not sure where to look that up though. But paying off a car quickly is nice without a monthly bill it's a lot easier to live imo. I'd try to find a semi used 2009 2010 car or new car.
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500k miles? holy shittt thats insane.
I'm buying a hyundai genesis like next week and I'm totally pumped. 
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On February 21 2011 15:07 LuckyFool wrote:500k miles? holy shittt thats insane. I'm buying a hyundai genesis like next week and I'm totally pumped.
I'm JEALOUS.
BLOG AND GIVE PICS PLEASE
What color? So pumped. My realistic dream car lol.
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My dad's (bought new!) 1988 Jeep Cherokee finally "died" around Christmas because we didn't have a garage to do maitenance on it in, and the whole point of keeping an old vehicle in as best condition as you can is so that you DONT have to pay mechanics for huge repairs.
No doubt in my mind it would have kept on chugging. For reference, it got hit by a backho
+ Show Spoiler +
once and the bucket tore off the entire passenger side front door , put a giant hole in the front of the thing, and it still drove home just fine. Pretty epic watching my dad pull up in this burgundy jeep that looks like it just took a hit from a small mortar shell and he's all like...frat boy college student "WOOHOO THIS THING IS AWWWEEEESOOOOOOME"
Not the SAFEST vehicle around, but if you actually put forth any effort into keeping a vehicle alive (which it sounds like you will  ) that thing was great.
Cobalts...eh, I'm not so sold on. I have two friends with the new cobalt and one of them hates the thing (he had an old cobalt and upgraded to a new one) and the other one is alright with his. I did see one at my office parking lot getting towed out the other day, a brand spankin new one. Doesn't mean something dumb didn't happen like leaving a dash light on, no gas, that sort of thing. Just read up on that first.
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On February 21 2011 15:12 Froadac wrote:Show nested quote +On February 21 2011 15:07 LuckyFool wrote:500k miles? holy shittt thats insane. I'm buying a hyundai genesis like next week and I'm totally pumped. I'm JEALOUS. BLOG AND GIVE PICS PLEASE What color? So pumped. My realistic dream car lol.
I still haven't decided yet tbh, what color would u get? I like 3-4... haha. I haven't decided on trim either, probably gonna go with the 2.0t though,
I will def pics/blog as soon as I get home with it.
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You Really should take into account how much the car will cost to maintain its quite a big deal down the line and hows the AutoService for each Brand. My dad bought a car (which I will be using this last year of college) and had that in mind.
The car is a Nissan which is a brand with great autoservice and very trustworthy around here. He always reminded me that the Minivan we had about 6 years ago worked like a charm and we had that thing for over 6 years with a hefty mileage. If the New car is anything like it (in terms of endurance) then Im set for 5 years of a good car with little to no problems.
Ask around for those things and know that if its your car then you have to maintain it with your money.
Its always good to have a lot of information about what to buy and why you should buy it but remember that the use you will be giving it will determine how much the car will be efficient and not a way to lose money.
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Well if you were Australian, I would tell you to buy a 4-5 y.o. Toyota or Honda (or Nissan as third option) and stay away from American and Korean brands (as they are notoriously unreliable and break down often), and European brands (as servicing and maintenance costs so much for them in Australia).
Generally speaking of course :p
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On February 21 2011 15:07 LuckyFool wrote:500k miles? holy shittt thats insane. I'm buying a hyundai genesis like next week and I'm totally pumped.
please do blog about this, it's on my short list of cars and i wanna go test drive it this week
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If you are looking for something reliable, Toyota and Honda are the way to go. I would suggest looking into a Honda Civic or Accord, somewhere around 2005-2007 should be in your price range, be in good shape, and pretty much guaranteed for 10 years. I drive a 1995 Honda Civic Coupe, so 16 years old, and it still runs perfectly, so something from 2005 should be good till 2021, essentially.
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As you first car, don't go new, there are plenty of used cars for good prices. Some people hear "Used Car" and they think of something horrible that has rusted out floors and no rear window, but there are great cars you can get pre-owned. Gives you more flexibility financially. Another tip is to look for dealer cars that have been used as a test driving car, good dealers take care of those cars since they want to sell them later, and they have a really good discount from the full price.
Also look at Auto salvages, some people throw away perfectly good cars just cause the door is dented in and all you need is a little bit of time, parts, and an alignment. That's how I got my first car (Saturn Ion Quad coup) which I am currently driving.
Buying a car new is a social symbol when it really shouldn't be, there is nothing wrong with buying a used car, as it is usually better to do. Do what financially makes sense in long term plans, not what you think will make you more respected by people around you.
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On February 22 2011 01:37 Body_Shield wrote:
As you first car, don't go new, there are plenty of used cars for good prices.
I question the assumption that used = always cheaper. The true cost of a car for me is: price, total cost of maintenance, insurance, gas and upkeep over 10 years - resale value (if applicable). If the total cost of a newer car is substantially less than a used car it would make more sense to buy the new car even if its initially more than the used.
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If it's not certified pre-owned and coming with a partial warranty, the difference in price is more than likely not worth it if you're talking about bang for the buck. Like you can get it checked out on your own and all, but there's shit you can't detect and then your own driving comes into play.
Don't forget, if you need a loan (likely if you want a car that's of decent quality and with under 40k on it) you will get a much better rate with a new car than a used. Depending on the size of the loan, this may not matter a ton, but it factors in.
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Let me try to give you advice on a different perspective of thinking.
Dropping a 5k-10k down payment may not be the best move in your situation. I would not recommend dropping such a high down payment on a car because a car depreciates in value, meaning your car loses significant value over time so it's better to have that money spent on stuff that should not depreciate such as a house or future investment opportunities.
The general rule of thumb says you should drop a 20% down payment. I would recommend you math out the car payment using loan calculators. Most cars come with some kind of financing deal such as 0% financing for X years or 1% financing for the X years etc. You can math out how much money you would save from interest.
I recommend you figure out how much of a car you can afford. How much of monthly payments you can afford. Then drop a down payment accordingly so that you can afford monthly payments. (I would suggest you buy a car after you have began your job, I'm sure mama and papa bear can work out something with you for the time being.)
/brag
I recently purchased a brand new BMW taking advantage of December savings, I was able to haggle 7k off my car (This was a 60k car, you're only 20 once).The financing rates offered to me was 0.9 for 3 years or 2.9 for 5 years. I did the math and it would cost me 1.5k a month for 3 years or 800 a month for 5 years. The difference there was 5 years meant I would be paying an extra 4k to interest, since I can afford 1.5k monthly payments i opted to do 0.9% interest (only 500 to interest). Now I also did the math for the down payment, if I dropped a 0% down payment, I would be paying 1.5k/month and if I dropped a 20% down payment I would be paying 1.2k a month. In the grand scheme of things, 300 more dollars a month isn't that significant to me so I would rather have my 20% (12k) available for rainy day, other investment opportunities, or other splurges.
Hope this helps
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That does. I completely agree with all your choices there. I understand how interest works and how to make intelligent decisions. Money comes after I've vetted all the models and years of cars I can potentially get. $5000-10,000 is just to give a general price range for people to give me advice on models because I need avenues to investigate.
I also might be going overseas for a year or two, being over there would eliminate my student debt and be a good experience for me. More pertinently, the money I'll be using to get the car with comes from an investment I have for that purpose. If I go overseas for two years, it will have more time to grow with and continue on the rebound it appears to be on.
so right now, I'm looking for models to investigate and experiences I can learn from
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Insisting on a manual is really going to limit your choices on the used market. Most dealers don't stock manuals of most models so the people that do get them are the ones that special ordered them and tend to be happier with their car thus less likely to trade it in early. So you may have to go new to get what you want in a manual.
I never heard of a Toyota Selita though, not sure what exactly you're looking for. In general Toyota is the best in terms of overall total cost of ownership, followed closely by Honda and Nissan with Hyundai and Kia coming on strong in the past couple years. Anything American tends to break a lot more and anything European tends to be more expensive to fix (in America). This is a pretty good tool - http://www.edmunds.com/tco.html
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On February 21 2011 15:34 LuckyFool wrote:Show nested quote +On February 21 2011 15:12 Froadac wrote:On February 21 2011 15:07 LuckyFool wrote:500k miles? holy shittt thats insane. I'm buying a hyundai genesis like next week and I'm totally pumped. I'm JEALOUS. BLOG AND GIVE PICS PLEASE What color? So pumped. My realistic dream car lol. I still haven't decided yet tbh, what color would u get? I like 3-4... haha. I haven't decided on trim either, probably gonna go with the 2.0t though, I will def pics/blog as soon as I get home with it.
I like the white tbh. Black is cool but gets messed up. THe light blue and grays are nice.. I'm clueless lol.
What options are you getting?
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On February 21 2011 14:23 wherebugsgo wrote:
Try a Chevy Cobalt. It's cheaper than an equivalent Toyota or Honda, replacement parts are cheaper, etc. etc. It's just as reliable, and the mileage difference isn't huge. In fact, they have a mileage gauge,
Whoa, really??
I was thinking about getting a used car sometime soon and people always tell me that repairing a Honda or Toyota is wayyy cheaper than repairing any other auto maker.
I can actually convince my mom to get me say an Audi or BMW (a really shitty old one, mind you, I'm not rich at all.. ), but I heard too many stories where the repair bill for European cars in North America cost almost as much as the car itself.
So I'm leaning on a Toyota, Honda or KIA... but if what you're saying is true... I might consider this Chevy Cobalt..
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On February 22 2011 06:16 jjun212 wrote:Show nested quote +On February 21 2011 14:23 wherebugsgo wrote:
Try a Chevy Cobalt. It's cheaper than an equivalent Toyota or Honda, replacement parts are cheaper, etc. etc. It's just as reliable, and the mileage difference isn't huge. In fact, they have a mileage gauge,
Whoa, really?? I was thinking about getting a used car sometime soon and people always tell me that repairing a Honda or Toyota is wayyy cheaper than repairing any other auto maker. I can actually convince my mom to get me say an Audi or BMW (a really shitty old one, mind you, I'm not rich at all.. ), but I heard too many stories where the repair bill for European cars in North America cost almost as much as the car itself. So I'm leaning on a Toyota, Honda or KIA... but if what you're saying is true... I might consider this Chevy Cobalt..
FYI Hyundai ~= KIA.
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toyota celica! not selita
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On February 22 2011 05:23 Froadac wrote:Show nested quote +On February 21 2011 15:34 LuckyFool wrote:
I will def pics/blog as soon as I get home with it. I like the white tbh. Black is cool but gets messed up. THe light blue and grays are nice.. I'm clueless lol. What options are you getting?
Good choice, Rob. :D
Red Genesis look REALLY sweet too, imo.
![[image loading]](http://images.dealertrend.com/companies/703/vehicles/10632903/4007113/b16e470efd918ab12d0c11afd3f6773a894146f3_medium.jpg?1289750114)
And taking a little snippet out from your comment...
Black is cool but gets messed up.
To everyone who ever wants to buy a car.
Black isn't a color, it's a part time job. Seriously. Rob has seen my car like...the dirtiest car ever and I'm like, well, I just washed it two days ago. I used to care about my car being shiny and epic but now it's just silt and road crap all over it all the time. 
+ Show Spoiler + Mine :D
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16969 Posts
On February 21 2011 14:23 wherebugsgo wrote:
Try a Chevy Cobalt. It's cheaper than an equivalent Toyota or Honda, replacement parts are cheaper, etc. etc. It's just as reliable, and the mileage difference isn't huge. In fact, they have a mileage gauge, such that if you watch your driving you can actually improve the mileage you get...it makes such a huge difference to know how your driving affects the mileage lol. I was surprised myself (I managed to get average 34 mpg when I was driving to/from school last year)
Last year I bought a 2005 model no frills Cobalt for $6900. With all the fees and everything it was $7200.
Alternatively you can look at Corollas, Chevy Prisms (they're old, 2001 is the newest year I believe), Accords. If you're okay with a bigger (more expensive) sedan you can look at Camrys and Civics as well.
You have your Honda vehicles backwards.
Toyota Corolla = Honda Civic
Toyota Camry = Honda Accord
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On February 22 2011 06:16 jjun212 wrote:Show nested quote +On February 21 2011 14:23 wherebugsgo wrote:
Try a Chevy Cobalt. It's cheaper than an equivalent Toyota or Honda, replacement parts are cheaper, etc. etc. It's just as reliable, and the mileage difference isn't huge. In fact, they have a mileage gauge,
Whoa, really?? I was thinking about getting a used car sometime soon and people always tell me that repairing a Honda or Toyota is wayyy cheaper than repairing any other auto maker. I can actually convince my mom to get me say an Audi or BMW (a really shitty old one, mind you, I'm not rich at all.. ), but I heard too many stories where the repair bill for European cars in North America cost almost as much as the car itself. So I'm leaning on a Toyota, Honda or KIA... but if what you're saying is true... I might consider this Chevy Cobalt..
as the former owner of an older audi, i can confirm that the story is 100% true. My brother and I both had our trannys redone about the same time a while back. He had an older civic, a 96 i think, vs my 98 a4. His total cost was under $1000, while I was about $2500+ Parts are more expensive, the car is assembled a little differently which makes it take a little longer to do shit.
theyre totally friggin awesome cars to own, German is great if you want style and performance, but they're a big time money hole if something goes wrong. Honestly, it only worked for me at the time because I got a very good deal on the car because I knew the dealer, and I knew a couple of mechanics which helped me by cutting labor costs as long as the issues weren't minor.
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Stay away from German if you want a car to last you ten years. That's the advice I'll give you. Volkswagen's are questionable though. Sometimes, their reliability is awesome and other times, you get a lemon. Either way, German is not the way to go for reliability.
If you want something to last 10 years, go for a Toyota or Honda.
On February 22 2011 06:16 jjun212 wrote:Show nested quote +On February 21 2011 14:23 wherebugsgo wrote:
Try a Chevy Cobalt. It's cheaper than an equivalent Toyota or Honda, replacement parts are cheaper, etc. etc. It's just as reliable, and the mileage difference isn't huge. In fact, they have a mileage gauge,
Whoa, really?? I was thinking about getting a used car sometime soon and people always tell me that repairing a Honda or Toyota is wayyy cheaper than repairing any other auto maker. I can actually convince my mom to get me say an Audi or BMW (a really shitty old one, mind you, I'm not rich at all.. ), but I heard too many stories where the repair bill for European cars in North America cost almost as much as the car itself. So I'm leaning on a Toyota, Honda or KIA... but if what you're saying is true... I might consider this Chevy Cobalt..
I mean absolutely no offense to you, but if you can't afford a newer BMW, then getting an older one is a mistake. BMWs are expensive as hell to maintain and are quite a pain in the ass at times. Replacement parts comes straight from Germany, which makes them even more expensive and most shops will charge you up the ass "because you have a BMW." I believe my local indy shop (a BMW specialized shop) charges something like $80-$100 an hour for labor. My stealership charges almost $200. You could test your luck though. I know a lot of people with older BMWs that are reliable and solid, but I also know others that have cars that aren't reliable. I lucked out with my '06 2 years ago. 45k miles and absolutely no problems, so far. It's out of warranty now so I pray nothing goes wrong. I can afford it, but it won't be pretty.
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People in TeamLiquid must show some love to the TV show : Top Gear in order to know something about cars. (am talking about the UK one, the US one is total rubbish).
as for what care the OP should get. I have no idea about whats going on in US. if you were in EU, lets see. you say:
-I want it to be reliable. this above all else
-Last 10 years
-good resale
-4 door. don't show me pictures of 2 door cars I'll drool over PLEASE
-Conservative on-my-own to help from parents estimate: $5000-$10,000 available for down-payment or purchase.
-Mileage doesn't matter so far as it doesn't affect above. As I narrow down I can give more info (carfax and more) to make informed decisions
-I don't care if its new or used. I will be calculating the total cost of insurance, maintenance, gas, and everything else over the 10-year span. If new is cheaper than used, I'm going with it.
-manual
- German or Japanese cars (anything else I dont suggest buying)
- Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda lasts 10years
- they do have good resale ( but if u buy a really used one whats the point)
- skipping this one cause ur not too sure what u want urself
- With 10k $ as a downpayment u should get a new car and not a used car. if used then 2008+
- ok
- ok
- ok
so that leaves us with these options, some of my personal favorites:
Seat Ibiza Cupra
Polo GTi
Skoda Fabia RS
Audi A3 1.4 or the 1.8Turbo QUattro
a Golf GTi is really good
If u dont care on how much expenses will be on gas the best car ever to get imo is an audi s3(old one but in good condition)
BMWs I would say an 1 series or a 3 series (bit older)
Mercs I dunno if u should get one. (they are kinda for older people)
Toyota I own a Yaris they are pretty good cars but I want something faster
Honda Civic type R or normal versions
thats about it.
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On February 23 2011 02:04 Joementum wrote:Stay away from German if you want a car to last you ten years. That's the advice I'll give you. Volkswagen's are questionable though. Sometimes, their reliability is awesome and other times, you get a lemon. Either way, German is not the way to go for reliability. If you want something to last 10 years, go for a Toyota or Honda. Show nested quote +On February 22 2011 06:16 jjun212 wrote:On February 21 2011 14:23 wherebugsgo wrote:
Try a Chevy Cobalt. It's cheaper than an equivalent Toyota or Honda, replacement parts are cheaper, etc. etc. It's just as reliable, and the mileage difference isn't huge. In fact, they have a mileage gauge,
Whoa, really?? I was thinking about getting a used car sometime soon and people always tell me that repairing a Honda or Toyota is wayyy cheaper than repairing any other auto maker. I can actually convince my mom to get me say an Audi or BMW (a really shitty old one, mind you, I'm not rich at all.. ), but I heard too many stories where the repair bill for European cars in North America cost almost as much as the car itself. So I'm leaning on a Toyota, Honda or KIA... but if what you're saying is true... I might consider this Chevy Cobalt.. I mean absolutely no offense to you, but if you can't afford a newer BMW, then getting an older one is a mistake. BMWs are expensive as hell to maintain and are quite a pain in the ass at times. Replacement parts comes straight from Germany, which makes them even more expensive and most shops will charge you up the ass "because you have a BMW." I believe my local indy shop (a BMW specialized shop) charges something like $80-$100 an hour for labor. My stealership charges almost $200. You could test your luck though. I know a lot of people with older BMWs that are reliable and solid, but I also know others that have cars that aren't reliable. I lucked out with my '06 2 years ago. 45k miles and absolutely no problems, so far. It's out of warranty now so I pray nothing goes wrong. I can afford it, but it won't be pretty.
I'm quite sure you can get 10+ out of german cars (even VW, but they're more flakey). You'll just pay out the ass for it, which is obviously a huge detriment. I got under 160k under my 98 A4 that I bought in the 70s and I drove that thing into the ground. If it wasn't for my accident, I could easily take it another year or two. It really wasn't the frequency of shit happening, it was just that when it went, you'd pay a lot
My uncle still has his father's 80s or 90s Mercedes and it's at like 300k now. He obviously babies it to get it there, but still.
But yeah, if cost and money factor anywhere into the equation, it's probably best to stay away from german.
here's a quick question: What's a reasonable or average amount you can haggle off of a list price on a car? like if there's a 25k car i want, do i even have a prayer of getting it to about 20 or should I change my expectations?
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Well how long a car last really depends on where you're driving and how often you are driving it and for how long. I see plenty of older cars, esp vans and trucks in my area. There is also a shit ton of like 60's mustangs i wonder where all these people get them i few blocks down from me a guy is restoring one as well.
As for haggling it depends on dealer, my sister was able to get 3k off a 2010 or was it a 2009 nissan that was like 24k, end of the year deal they were trying to get rid of the cars for new models. (my family pays off the whole thing as once not all dealers like to haggle when you do that they make less then if we took a long ass loan so we never really get a car over 30k they last a good 6+ years though)
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as for haggling I have a couple things in mind,
theres this site which gives the real price dealers pay for cars from manufacturers, so if I know what car I want and I have the money to spare I'll walk in and tell them "I'll buy that car at $500 above invoice right now."
OR I'll haggle them down to a really low price while seeming like an idiot and having them think they'll make money on interest. then after I've signed some papers ask them "do you take checks?"
otherwise I'm going to want to make the largest down payment I can.
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On February 24 2011 03:23 KurtistheTurtle wrote:
as for haggling I have a couple things in mind,
theres this site which gives the real price dealers pay for cars from manufacturers, so if I know what car I want and I have the money to spare I'll walk in and tell them "I'll buy that car at $500 above invoice right now."
If only salesmen were desperate to sell a brand new car to the first person who walked in the door and take a huge hit on their comission.
The only way you can get a really good deal is if you wait until the end of the month and find our which salesman hasn't hit his quota yet for the month. Then the real deal swinging can begin.
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On February 24 2011 03:23 KurtistheTurtle wrote:
as for haggling I have a couple things in mind,
theres this site which gives the real price dealers pay for cars from manufacturers, so if I know what car I want and I have the money to spare I'll walk in and tell them "I'll buy that car at $500 above invoice right now."
OR I'll haggle them down to a really low price while seeming like an idiot and having them think they'll make money on interest. then after I've signed some papers ask them "do you take checks?"
otherwise I'm going to want to make the largest down payment I can.
Here are my tips for haggling:
For a new car:
go to http://www.edmunds.com and find the factory invoice price. You must understand that these factory invoices may not always be accurate, but edmunds is a reliable source. The general rule of thumb is factory invoice + 5%, I would pay something close to that.
For a used car:
// I never bought a used car before but this is what information i gathered.
This is a different animal but generally I believe you want to aim to get a few k's off. I would say if you are able to get a 1.5k - 2k discount after promotions you are Solid. I've heard as high as 5k-10k before.
Just remember to ask for the "on the road" price. The only fees you should be paying are, the cost of the car, the sales taxes, title (200-300). If they slap on any other fees you never heard of, ask for it to be removed, say no other dealer has asked for it before. Don't forget to bring your own calculator/laptop just because its written on paper doesn't mean it's added up correctly.
Be prepared to be firm with your price, if you don't get your price, get up and leave. A common dealer response I've heard is "What's another 300 to you?" as in why can't you just pay the extra 300 and get your car. Obviously, 300 when rolled into a loan isn't a lot but stay firm with your price. Remember 300 is like worth an Xbox!
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On February 23 2011 03:27 Hawk wrote:Show nested quote +On February 23 2011 02:04 Joementum wrote:Stay away from German if you want a car to last you ten years. That's the advice I'll give you. Volkswagen's are questionable though. Sometimes, their reliability is awesome and other times, you get a lemon. Either way, German is not the way to go for reliability. If you want something to last 10 years, go for a Toyota or Honda. On February 22 2011 06:16 jjun212 wrote:On February 21 2011 14:23 wherebugsgo wrote:
Try a Chevy Cobalt. It's cheaper than an equivalent Toyota or Honda, replacement parts are cheaper, etc. etc. It's just as reliable, and the mileage difference isn't huge. In fact, they have a mileage gauge,
Whoa, really?? I was thinking about getting a used car sometime soon and people always tell me that repairing a Honda or Toyota is wayyy cheaper than repairing any other auto maker. I can actually convince my mom to get me say an Audi or BMW (a really shitty old one, mind you, I'm not rich at all.. ), but I heard too many stories where the repair bill for European cars in North America cost almost as much as the car itself. So I'm leaning on a Toyota, Honda or KIA... but if what you're saying is true... I might consider this Chevy Cobalt.. I mean absolutely no offense to you, but if you can't afford a newer BMW, then getting an older one is a mistake. BMWs are expensive as hell to maintain and are quite a pain in the ass at times. Replacement parts comes straight from Germany, which makes them even more expensive and most shops will charge you up the ass "because you have a BMW." I believe my local indy shop (a BMW specialized shop) charges something like $80-$100 an hour for labor. My stealership charges almost $200. You could test your luck though. I know a lot of people with older BMWs that are reliable and solid, but I also know others that have cars that aren't reliable. I lucked out with my '06 2 years ago. 45k miles and absolutely no problems, so far. It's out of warranty now so I pray nothing goes wrong. I can afford it, but it won't be pretty. I'm quite sure you can get 10+ out of german cars (even VW, but they're more flakey). You'll just pay out the ass for it, which is obviously a huge detriment. I got under 160k under my 98 A4 that I bought in the 70s and I drove that thing into the ground. If it wasn't for my accident, I could easily take it another year or two. It really wasn't the frequency of shit happening, it was just that when it went, you'd pay a lot My uncle still has his father's 80s or 90s Mercedes and it's at like 300k now. He obviously babies it to get it there, but still. But yeah, if cost and money factor anywhere into the equation, it's probably best to stay away from german. here's a quick question: What's a reasonable or average amount you can haggle off of a list price on a car? like if there's a 25k car i want, do i even have a prayer of getting it to about 20 or should I change my expectations?
You definitely can get 10+ years on German cars, but it's the unexpected fixes that bite you in the ass like you said.
Haggling is quite easy. Look up how much the dealer actually pays for the car themselves and start from there. I suggest offering $500 above invoice. Getting a car for $500-$1000 over invoice is pretty easy to do during the desperate sales months. Your best bet is to find a good online forum such as E90Post (if you're going BMW) and ask the people there for help on best dealers and what not.
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Bumping this again. I'm looking to buy at or before december of this year because graduation got delayed.
I only want to spend $3,000 at most and I'm looking for used. I've been throwing out to a ton of people in my network I'm looking so hopefully a good deal comes along.
Let's limit the options here to a honda. I trust them, my family trusts them, and my gf's uncle works for a honda dealership (haven't talked to him yet) so I can get the lowdown on everything.
So new requirements:
Honda
$3,000 or less
7-10 years of required use, longer if lucky!
New Questions:
I'm a total greenhorn here. I've been doing a lot of reading and researching BUT please answer my questions like I know next to nothing. Be thorough and if I have any further questions I will ask!
When asking with private dealers, what specifically am I looking for? (if I found some guy on craigslist & called em up what would I do?)
+ Show Spoiler +On February 27 2012 14:53 Pawsom wrote:Show nested quote +On February 27 2012 14:44 KurtistheTurtle wrote:
When asking with private dealers, what specifically am I looking for? (if I found some guy on craigslist & called em up what would I do? All you can really do is check it out superficially, before you buy it you should take it to a mechanic and have them look at it for anything that needs to be fixed now or soon. If the seller is serious about selling he'll probly knock this off the cost of the car if you do buy it.
What are some good resources on buying used cars?
When I finally get the car what will I need to do?
What items and costs are associated with upkeep that I'll need to keep in mind (i.e. checkups, keeping handy shit in car like jumper cables, spare tire, first aid kit, etc etc)
Anything else you'd like to add?
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On February 27 2012 14:44 KurtistheTurtle wrote:
When asking with private dealers, what specifically am I looking for? (if I found some guy on craigslist & called em up what would I do?
All you can really do is check it out superficially, before you buy it you should take it to a mechanic and have them look at it for anything that needs to be fixed now or soon. If the seller is serious about selling he'll probly knock this off the cost of the car if you do buy it.
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really wish I could update OP. Would like to compile my experience as a resource for future nerds.
article & self-responses
Do you want a manual or automatic transmission?
Doesn't matter but prefer manual if given choice.
Do you really need four-wheel drive? Or all-wheel drive?
Don't need 4wd
What safety features do you want?
Airbags & seatbelts
Do you require a lot of cargo capacity?
Not much. Student/Young professional Car used mainly for getting to/from work and social functions, maybe a longer road trip or two
Will you be doing any towing?
No
Do you have a bad back and need flexible seating positions?
No
Will the car easily fit in your garage or parking space?
Don't Know. Think compact car anyway so won't matter
How Much Can You Afford?
I've got one investment I'll withdraw at probably $5k-6k, basically want to use this to get a car up and running and take care of it for a while. This is the only solid amount of $$ I can put into it, but amount will fluctuate when I have more info about job/living arrangements/other expenses. I might or might not be able to count on parents for help, haven't talked with them yet.
Credit score is good + I understand loans and proper pricing, so that is a potential option in the future. But for now, the above.
Have you considered all vehicles in that class?
No, honda specifically because family trusts & uncle works at dealership. also have connections with ford, have had mazda in past. open to suggestions but feel safest with honda. coupe/sedan, smaller reliable car.
reiterate: Student/Young professional Car used mainly for getting to/from work and social functions, maybe a longer road trip or two
Have you considered all of the costs of ownership?
Yes and no. I'm aware they're there but don't know specifics.
Insurance, Initial caretaking stuff, Fuel, Maintenance, Repairs, Taxes & Fees, (Financing?), Depreciation
used car question sheet
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EPT![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/LpBz1.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/F0jkc.jpg)
