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Looking at two 09 Camrys. Same trim level, both 4-bangers, one is black and has 77k miles for $11,450, one is ice blue and has 95k miles for $10,800 (tax and fees included in those prices). So it's a question of 18k miles vs $650 cheaper. Everything else being equal, I prefer how the black one looks over the ice blue, but I live in Las Vegas and am wary of a black car during the summer heat. I plan on keeping and driving this car for many years, and I only average about ~7500 miles a year. Should I spring for the lower mileage one, or save a bit of money and get the one with a bit higher mileage? Or will the long-term reliability be a negligible difference with proper maintenance? Will the color of paint make an appreciable dent in the level of sweltering death experienced during the summer? Thanks in advance for any input.
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Jul 18, 2014 10:05
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I sat in a newer Camry once. It was the most miserable car I've ever been in.
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Jul 18, 2014 14:50
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dylguy90 posted:Hey, I appreciate your concern! I didn't know Lyft had a $2,500 deductible, so thanks for mentioning that. The money (and job for that matter) still seem like a good opportunity for me, so I'm willing to risk having to deal with Lyft/Uber's insurance policies instead of AAA's if I get into a crash while driving someone. I don't understand why I'd be out a car due to an investigation though. Wouldn't it be a cut and dry issue? I'm not well-versed in car insurance so it's likely that I'm misunderstanding something. Sorry, I should have explained a bit better. If you're in an accident and the insurance company suspects you may have been driving for Lyft/Uber, or its in one of those gray areas (you're waiting for a passenger, so technically "on duty" but not actually driving anyone), that investigation may take a few days to a couple weeks, depending on what information they need. If your car was non-driveable, you don't get a rental car until that is all resolved. It doesn't appear like you get a loaner/rental if you car is in the shop for Lyft/Uber repairs either. Also, buy a Prius.
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Jul 18, 2014 15:03
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Can you really even make enough off being a gypsy cab to make it worthwhile anymore? I thought lyft/uber was just like slugging around DC but you have to pay.
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Jul 18, 2014 15:25
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IRQ posted:Can you really even make enough off being a gypsy cab to make it worthwhile anymore? You can't really make a living as a taxi driver for a big company either. It's a pretty terrible racket, preying on immigrants in a lot of cases with really awful lease terms. http://www.forbes.com/sites/marcwebertobias/2011/11/18/how-taxi-companies-rip-off-their-drivers/
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Jul 18, 2014 15:49
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Bovril Delight posted:Sorry, I should have explained a bit better. If you're in an accident and the insurance company suspects you may have been driving for Lyft/Uber, or its in one of those gray areas (you're waiting for a passenger, so technically "on duty" but not actually driving anyone), that investigation may take a few days to a couple weeks, depending on what information they need. If your car was non-driveable, you don't get a rental car until that is all resolved. It doesn't appear like you get a loaner/rental if you car is in the shop for Lyft/Uber repairs either. Ah, thanks for explaining that. Yeah, that would definitely be a bummer. quote:buy a Prius. I'm gonna do a quick, conservative back-of-the-envelope calculation here: 50mpg for the Prius vs. 25mpg for the Mazda = Savings of $0.08 per mile Rough Uber estimate = Revenue $1.85 per mile Work hours = 48 weeks/yr * 40hrs/wk = 1,920 hrs * only 1/2 time actually driving folks around @ 30mph avg = ~30,000 miles/year Prius Revenue = $1.77 / $1.42 after Uber's cut / $42,600 @ 30k/mi Mazda Revenue = $1.69 / $1.35 after Uber's cut / $40,500 @ 30k/mi Roughly $2,000 in gas saved over a year of full-time Uber driving. More than that if I lowballed the calculation, which I think the "1/2 time actually driving @ 30mph avg" may have been. Seems like a Prius would be the smart business decision, which I have to admit I'm kind of disappointed about considering how cool the Mazda 3 seems.  Oh well, at least I'll be able to highroad people about being environmentally conscious. Any thoughts?
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Jul 19, 2014 01:14
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dylguy90 posted:Ah, thanks for explaining that. Yeah, that would definitely be a bummer. Buy the one with the best passenger legroom, trunk space, cheaper tires, longer times between fillups, reliability, and resale value. Without looking it up, my guess is the Prius wins on most of those items. Do you really make as much money doing Uber compared to, say, delivering pizza or getting a job as a courier or some other constantly-driving job like that?
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Jul 19, 2014 01:21
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Yeah, from everything I've heard (and I've done a fair amount of research/taking to people) it's a great job to have right now. If you drive for both lyft and uber you can be closer to driving 100% of the time. I mean, there's a lot of risk in it - between purchasing a vehicle, insurance grey-area stuff, and an unstable regulatory environment - but for now it's a great job compared to other entry-level jobs, especially for someone who wants to learn a new city and meet people. I don't want to derail this thread too much, so check out the Lyft/Uber ask/tell thread dealing with a lot of the stuff we've been discussing. e: Leperflesh posted:Buy the one with the best passenger legroom, trunk space, cheaper tires, longer times between fillups, reliability, and resale value. Yeah, Prius definitely wins in all those categories. This is really good advice. Thanks! S w a y z e fucked around with this message at 01:37 on Jul 19, 2014 |
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Jul 19, 2014 01:28
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Proposed Budget: $23k New or Used: Prefer new Body Style: Either 2 or 4 door, hatchbacks are fine too How will you be using the car?: Mostly driving to and from work, occasional long drives every two months or so What aspects are most important to you? Fuel economy, reliability, decent stereo would be nice Last year I purchased a Hyundai Veloster thinking it would save me money on gas and be more reliable than my 1998 Ford Ranger. Since I believed the literature that showed it getting 30+ city it looked like a good fit. But that hasn't turned out to be true. I've averaging 23 mpg right now, even with a KN filter and attempting to drive economical. When I took in it for a oil change at the dealership I asked the service tech about the mileage and he said that it probably won't get better. I'm also starting to get annoyed with the rear window, huge blind spots when backing up, and the terrible stereo. So I'm thinking about trading it in and getting something that gets better gas millage and maybe is a better fit for me. Before I bought the Veloster I was looking at the Ford Focus and Fiesta, Honda Fit, and something else. I'm not really interested in a hybrid or electric vehicle, but am open to them. So what should I do, suck it up and live with a car that I'm not happy with or trade it in and get something that may save me money in the long run? Comedy question: Leases are still a bad idea, yes? My parents lease their cars but they always go over mileage. In the 9 months I've had the Veloster I've put 6100 miles on it so I'm not worried about going over mileage.
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Jul 19, 2014 05:16
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Check out the 2014 Mazda3, it's rated for 29/40mpg and should be leaps and bounds better than the competition. Mazda also frequently does 0% for 60 months.
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Jul 19, 2014 14:26
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Leperflesh posted:Buy the one with the best passenger legroom, trunk space, cheaper tires, longer times between fillups, reliability, and resale value. Also as the owner of a 09 Mazda 3 doing almost entirely city driving do not expect to get anywhere close to the 25 mpg the guy in question posted. I'm closer to like 17. Also it doesn't really fit normal sized humans in the back, which I imagine is important for being a hack cab. It's perfect for me, but that guy should absolutely get a prius.
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Jul 19, 2014 16:03
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diremonk posted:Proposed Budget: $23k There's nothing wrong with a lease, you're just financing the cost of depreciation over time. A couple things to consider: 1. You don't appear to drive that much. The marginal impact of higher city gas mileage would not be all that significant to you financially, especially compared to depreciation costs on another new car. If you really don't like the Veloster, that's fine. Just don't con yourself in to thinking that it's a particularly good financial decision. 2. Since you don't drive that much, you're a pretty decent candidate for a good lease rate. Residuals are generally pretty high right now, so if you don't think you want to keep the car forever, and you don't drive that much, it's a good time to lease. Just don't put money down on a lease.
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Jul 21, 2014 22:34
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Is this used 2013 Kia Rio LX a good buy? 12k with 32k miles, former "commercial vehicle". Primary use is to drive 26 miles daily for work.
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Jul 22, 2014 03:08
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Peven Stan posted:Is this used 2013 Kia Rio LX a good buy? 12k with 32k miles, former "commercial vehicle". Primary use is to drive 26 miles daily for work. You may want to confirm in writing that the Kia super long warranty is still valid, since I think it has some kind of provision against vehicles used for commercial purposes. Other than that, eh, it's all just haggling over price.
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Jul 22, 2014 03:32
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Throatwarbler posted:You may want to confirm in writing that the Kia super long warranty is still valid, since I think it has some kind of provision against vehicles used for commercial purposes. Other than that, eh, it's all just haggling over price. I don't really want to pay more than 10.5-11k for it. I'm more worried about Kia's past reputation as corean shitboxes.
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Jul 22, 2014 03:45
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Well if it is it would be covered under warranty, so it's probably fine.
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Jul 22, 2014 04:01
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I think one of the caveats is, or at one point was, that the super long warranties on the Koreans only applied to the original owner and is non-transferable. You may want to check into that.
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Jul 22, 2014 04:09
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Peven Stan posted:I don't really want to pay more than 10.5-11k for it. I'm more worried about Kia's past reputation as corean shitboxes. Recent Korean cars are pretty good.
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Jul 22, 2014 04:49
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Recent Korean cars are pretty good. Yeah I have been looking for a crossover for my wife and both the Kia Sorento and the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport made the shortlist, really nicely put together vehicles. I think the Hyundai has the edge, it's just a little more upscale feeling. Gotta find out if the warranty is transferable here (Canada), that's a good point I hadn't considered.
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Jul 22, 2014 05:48
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diremonk posted:Comedy question: Leases are still a bad idea, yes? My parents lease their cars but they always go over mileage. In the 9 months I've had the Veloster I've put 6100 miles on it so I'm not worried about going over mileage. Leases are bad if you go over mileage. There are some decent ones out there, I did some research and bit the bullet this year and have been happy with the decision so far. (2014 Dodge Dart) I usually put on 7-8k miles a year.
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Jul 22, 2014 06:40
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Leases can be an excellent way to drive a new vehicle as long as you fit in the window where leasing a car makes sense 1: You want to drive a new vehicle and you do not want to keep it longer than 3 years or so (39 and 42 month leases exist) 2: You have excellent credit 3: You do not drive more than 12 to 15 thousand miles a year If you don't hit all 3 of those basic requirements, leasing usually doesn't make sense. Leasing is very attractive right now due to high residual values (courtesy of historically low depreciation rates on vehicles) and very low interest rates (sub 1% is not unheard of when leasing).
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Jul 22, 2014 14:20
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Leases are great if you're rich and drive like 3 or 4 expensive cars regularly.
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Jul 22, 2014 15:02
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Proposed Budget: $20k New or Used: Used Body Style: Hybrid. 4-door small to mid-size. Hatchback fine. Currently looking at Prius and Insight. How will you be using the car?: Mostly I just drive to and from work (14 miles each way in city traffic) with the occasional 1 hour highway commute to see family. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos? Generally yeah I want a car with bells and whistles, higher trim packages in a lower priced car. What aspects are most important to you? I'm looking for a hybrid for better gas mileage (40+ mpg city). Nothing too small or too big. Bluetooth connectivity, and I prefer leather seats and a sunroof. Dependability & safety are big factors for me as well. I've been looking at the Prius and Insight. I kind of like the Insight since Honda can't seem to move many of them I can get the highest trim level on a 2013 for like $18.5k while a similar Prius looks like it'd be at least $21k. I'm also open to suggestions on comparable cars. I want to test drive an Insight as I've heard they can be sluggish. Mostly I'm looking for a comparison of those two and suggestions on other similar cars to check out. I've got a 2007 Accord EX-L to trade in, but it's been in two accidents (I rear ended someone in 2010, most of the damage was cosmetic, and got sideswiped which was 100% cosmetic a few months ago, all was taken care of with insurance). It also needs a new power steering pump, but otherwise runs great with almost 90k miles. I'm guessing I can get like 8 - 9k for it based off KBB. I don't want to spend more than $20k (so 12k cash after trade-in, I won't need a loan) on the new car.
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Jul 22, 2014 15:34
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The Prius is the car to buy honestly, even if you have to go up a little in miles to afford what you want. Maybe look at a Camry Hybrid if you want something more in the midsized sedan market. Basically the same bulletproof drivetrain. I'm not sure what you're local market is like, but there's a 2011 Prius Three with 30K miles listed at 19.8K in my area.
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Jul 22, 2014 17:10
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So we are looking at a 2012 Corolla, and the carfax says it was a corporate car, only owned for 1 year and 8 months. There's nothing about oil changes on the carfax. Is this normal? They said at the dealer that usually companies have a policy that they do regular oil changes. Is this something to worry about, or am I just being nervous since it's the first car I've bought?
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Jul 24, 2014 02:51
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Don't buy a fleet vehicle unless you know what you're doing.
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Jul 24, 2014 03:10
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Proposed Budget: I really don't know much about caravans. I guess around $20k? New or Used: Used Body Style: Minivan How will you be using the car?: My wife will be using it to commute to work roughly 30 miles each way. It will also be used to transport 3 kids (with one more baby on the way) along with all their various bikes/scooters/baby carriage/etc... Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos? If it has it, great. I can't really think of anything it absolutely has to have other than the ability to connect to an iPhone. What aspects are most important to you? Safety, value, and comfort. She will have to like the way it looks, but really those 3 are the most important. Has anyone in here done some legwork into looking at various caravans? We'll be able to go look at some this weekend, I wanted to have an idea of what we should be looking for before that.
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Jul 24, 2014 03:24
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You should be looking at a Honda Odyssey or a Toyota Sienna if you "need" AWD. That's all I know about minivans. While the Caravan is a good product, I don't trust mopars that aren't jeeps.
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Jul 24, 2014 03:53
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Annakie posted:Proposed Budget: $20k The Insight is going away (gone?) because Honda couldn't move them. They couldn't move them because it just wasn't as good as the Prius in any way. Don't lowball yourself on that Accord just because it has problems you know about - especially if you decide to trade it into the dealer. Whatever price they give you on it will factor in the massive profit they'll get from doing whatever minor repairs it needs to sell and then marking it up 40% from what they give you. Also, consider getting a trade-in offer both from Carmax and the dealer(s) you're working with, and then listing it on CL for some amount above that. Hondas are typically easy to sell and often for far more than they should sell for.
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Jul 24, 2014 04:19
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Proposed Budget: Under 10k New or Used: Used Body Style: 4 door sedan, would like bigger than compact but doesn't matter too much How will you be using the car?: Daily 30 minutes commute in harsh Canadian winter, maybe monthly 5 hour drive to parent's place Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos? I don't really care for any gizmos in particular but I like the idea of owning a luxury vehicle What aspects are most important to you? Good gas mileage is top priority, along with reliability to function in cold weather and snowy roads. And as I said above, preferably something stylish as well. This is the first car that I am going to buy. I've lived in or near Toronto my entire life so I've never really needed a car that badly. But suddenly I am relocating to Sudbury for work (for 8 months) and I feel like this is a good time to buy my first car. Also I've been looking at stuff on kijiji, the canadian craigslist, and found this posting http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/markham-york-region/2007-audi-a6-all-wheel-drive/597527028?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true Looks good to me, apart from the high mileage, is there anything I'm missing or is this not a good deal?
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Jul 24, 2014 05:19
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A Jupiter posted:Proposed Budget: Under 10k It's literally the opposite of what you say you want (fuel economy, reliability), but if it looks good, why not go check it out? Ask them when the timing belt was done.
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Jul 24, 2014 05:40
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How bout a mid to late 2000s Volvo S60? My folks had one and it was really solid and trouble free.
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Jul 24, 2014 05:46
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priznat posted:How bout a mid to late 2000s Volvo S60? My folks had one and it was really solid and trouble free. First step for reliability: Stop looking at European cars.
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Jul 24, 2014 05:47
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nm posted:First step for reliability: Stop looking at European cars. Eh, I think that's a bit overblown. I will say the S60 was not much fun to drive though, and had a turning radius that rivaled an oil tanker. But in the 7 years they had it the only things it required were oil changes and gas (bought 3 years old).
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Jul 24, 2014 05:51
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Throatwarbler posted:It's literally the opposite of what you say you want (fuel economy, reliability), but if it looks good, why not go check it out? Ask them when the timing belt was done. answer: we don't know. If it was done at an Audi dealer they might have a record of it Holy crap though. Sedan under 10K with MPG and reliability being top priority and the car you want to look at is an almost 8 year old Audi with 160,000+ kilometers on it?
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Jul 24, 2014 06:35
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priznat posted:Eh, I think that's a bit overblown. They got lucky.
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Jul 24, 2014 06:45
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skipdogg posted:Holy crap though. Sedan under 10K with MPG and reliability being top priority and the car you want to look at is an almost 8 year old Audi with 160,000+ kilometers on it? The 3.2l V6 with Quattro is actually one of the more reliable drivetrains, as far as Audis go, no turbos or CVTs to blow up. You're getting 20mpg at best though. The price seems pretty cheap even with 160k on the clock. If the timing belt and transmission fluid has been changed, and the car otherwise seems in good mechanical condition it might not be a bad deal.
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Jul 24, 2014 11:02
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SouthShoreSamurai posted:Proposed Budget: I really don't know much about caravans. I guess around $20k? If you want AWD only the Sienna has it, it's a real full time center differential with viscous coupling too, like an old manual trans WRX, because obviously that's what the modern Sienna driver demands. Other than that I think you'll be well served with either a Dodge Caravan or Chrysler Town & Country. Just ask for service records like you would with any other car and avoid units that obviously look like they've been used to tow trailers, like if it has a trailer hitch and whatnot, because significant percentages of minivan owners are nutjobs who like to use their already overweight FWD car based vans to tow poo poo that really needs a diesel truck and the transmissions are usually on their last legs by the time the warranty runs out.
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Jul 24, 2014 12:13
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nm posted:They got lucky. I own a 2002 S60, and it is true, they got lucky. I've had absolutely NO problems with the power train, but that's not what gets you. Its the $500-1000 incidental repairs on things like the turning signal mechanisms, the locking mechanisms failing, etc. I average a little under $2000 a year
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Jul 24, 2014 14:11
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skipdogg posted:answer: we don't know. If it was done at an Audi dealer they might have a record of it Guess I have some more research to do EDIT: Actually, ignoring my suggestion since that was just something that I came across online, what type of cars should I be looking into? Is reliability, mileage, PLUS style a rare combination? A Jupiter fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Jul 24, 2014 |
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Jul 24, 2014 19:30
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