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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Prius TCO is ridiculous because not only is it very good on gas but it also requires almost no significant maintenance and all of the components are extremely reliable. For some cars, once you hit fairly high mileage, the battery needs replacing, but that's a one-time repair over the lifetime of the car that costs something like $1,200.. A Prius is like 5-7k more than a base model Japanese compact car though. Is the Prius so cheap to run & maintain that it comes out ahead even considering that 5-7k premium?
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Feb 28, 2017 02:22
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Slo-Tek posted:It is only 50-80$ to have a mechanic give it a pre-purchase inspection, and it is a good way to get the dealership to replace wear items or transmission fluid, or whatever it is that your mechanic flags under the already agreed price. For the kind of money you unass for a not-that-used minivan, it is money and 2 hours well spent. And not unlikely to get you 300$ worth of work from the dealer gratis for 80$ worth of inspection. Thanks for all the responses. It would be an actual Honda certified car in this case. I don't have a mechanic I know well in the area yet so what's the best option? Another Honda dealership, another chain like Canadian tire or something else? I guess I could also ask for recommendations from friends too.
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Feb 28, 2017 02:34
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Kafka Esq. posted:Yeah, I heard about the rust issues from car guys, the dealer, and my dad. If the rust issues are on the Japanese built stuff, and Mexico builds just as good, then I should buy. I like the way it looks inside and outside, and the price is right. Are there any issues I should be aware of on 2014 or newer Mazda3 hatches? Also looking for input on this. Are the 2013s a better bet as the last year of that gen vs 2014s first year of the new model? Are there wear items that should be done or will need doing around 50,000-60,000 kms?
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Feb 28, 2017 03:16
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silence_kit posted:A Prius is like 5-7k more than a base model Japanese compact car though. Is the Prius so cheap to run & maintain that it comes out ahead even considering that 5-7k premium? basically yes Edit: unless you drive very few miles and somehow they're all highway
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Feb 28, 2017 04:13
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Can we get a title change to "CPO IS BULLSHIT"
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Feb 28, 2017 04:14
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:basically yes I would like to see some numbers to back that up.
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Feb 28, 2017 04:40
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Here's something a bit different for you: I'm moving to Canada in about a month (from the UK) and will be working in a very remote part of northern BC (closer to the Yukon than anywhere you'd manage to get a party going on a Friday night). I have the option of flying most of the way and getting moved up from the airport, which would be relatively quick but not very interesting, but could in theory also buy a car in Vancouver and make a bit of a trip of driving up (~2000-3000km depending on how out of my way I go). I currently own and drive daily a 20 year old Skoda (which has been faultlessly reliable and cost all of £150, don't judge me  ) so I'm awake to obvious things to look for, by necessity not averse to working on whatever myself once I get where I'm going, will have a week or so to spend looking.That being the case: - How crap is the average $2500cad car liable to be in Vancouver? Aesthetics don't matter, doesn't need to be fast or engaging or enormously economical but would ideally not drop dead going up a mountain inside the first week of ownership. I ask more to try and gauge how annoying the process is liable to be. - Any non-intuitive pitfalls in being several hours' drive from the nearest source of parts? No Jags and no Germans, obviously. Things to stock up on I wouldn't think of ? - Chrysler & related, Hyundai, Kia, generally (say pre-2003): ok/not ok ? - Will get probably 75/25 reasonable road (Alaska Hwy) / gravel road driving, will have to live outside, at least -30c on occasion in winter, would probably be driven about 500-2000km per month (no more than the 500 or so of which important). Fair amount of snow but mostly cleared roads. - Worth worrying about car vs SUV given that? Seem to be some of the latter showing up at that budget (Ford, Nissan, Chev/GMC etc) but I'm more skeptical of a $2500 SUV than a $2500 car (sensible?) and obviously fuel is a bit more of an expense up there. - Enough floor space to use for a bed would be a nice to have, though not necessary. I think I have a fair idea of what I'm looking for given that but it'd be nice to hear some opinions.
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Feb 28, 2017 13:49
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Don't get something that you'll care about the paint on. It's all two lane highways there, and when there's a semi coming the opposite direction, you're going to get sprayed with rocks. Windshields are another thing that are going to pay the price, so stay away from anything with a big exotic one that will be expensive to replace. Something with some ground clearance would probably serve you well too, especially if you're not in a bigger city like Whitehorse. If you're not used to snow driving, an all wheel drive with some ground clearance, good tires, and a low center of gravity will hold your hand a little bit. I had a Durango I bought in Alaska and it was solid for me. Something like that would give you sleeping and storage space. Gas is a bitch but you don't really need some big gaudy engine, and you should be getting paid a premium for living in a place with such a high cost of living. And it'll still be snowy clear up until June or so, so make sure you've got emergency supplies in case you have a breakdown or get stuck or something when it's cold as gently caress. Especially driving the trans Alaskan highway. That road is as desolate as it gets. You see a gas station, you stop and fill up. This time of year, the snow might even still be pretty bad, so be prepared. Lastly anything with autostart should immediately move up your list. A block heater too if you're looking at V8's, and don't get a diesel without one. Mid size V6 SUV would be my recommendation. That trip is super fun though. I did it when I was in my early 20's. BC to Yukon is the most beautiful stretch of the whole road, so you'll get the full experience. But if you're using a GPS and you are on a highway that has signs saying it will take you to where you are going, but the GPS is telling you to get off it way earlier, stay on the loving highway. Tom Tom's idea of a shortcut in bumfuck Canada usually comes complete with a near death experience. If it didn't it would just be the way. Volkerball fucked around with this message at 15:01 on Feb 28, 2017 |
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Feb 28, 2017 14:30
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RE: People who say I got fleeced Possible fleece attempts, though I haven't sold the car yet because the junk dealer I was gonna sell to goes "oh, it's a manual, I will give you half what I was going to." So gently caress that guy. I also haven't paid a cent to anyone to repair it. It's possible I could just repair it myself, but I don't really know where to start with it. The reason they said it would cost a lot to fix is because the part they think hosed up was going to take a lot of time to get to and they'd have to charge me for labor. I dunno. If you have any suggestions for where I should go from here, with the car sitting in my front lawn, be my guest.
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Feb 28, 2017 15:14
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Get the transmission fixed and drive it into the ground or buy something else and get what you can out of it. You know what your choices are.
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Feb 28, 2017 16:13
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Are car selling questions OK for this thread? Trying to dump a 96 Chrysler Concorde. Rebuilt title, registered out of state, issues with steering rack which I'd disclose, and needs a new battery to start. It has 115000 miles, so the drivetrain ought to have some life left but there are so many issues I'm not sure how to proceed. My head says no, but is there any chance it's worth buying a battery to try selling private party? I've called every junkyard in the area but none have used batteries. Will Carmax pay anything (beyond $200 I'd get from a junkyard) for a rebuilt title? Owner doesn't itemize so donating would be pure charity.
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Feb 28, 2017 16:32
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junkyard
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Feb 28, 2017 16:33
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antiga posted:Are car selling questions OK for this thread? It's worth about $1000, tops, if it's actually running, according to Kelley Blue Book. You're right at the borderline of whether it's worth it to fix it and sell it or just junk it. Fixing it up and trying to sell it is a hassle, and you probably wouldn't net more than $200 in the end anyway. I'd junk it and use the cash as a deposit on another one. Perhaps a CL ad for $300 as is would be worth a shot. I wouldn't wait too long for a buyer, though.
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Feb 28, 2017 16:51
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Junkyard or donation for the tax write off or whatever, if anyone would even take it.
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Feb 28, 2017 17:34
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Can I get a sanity check on this car? https://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/6011366360.html I'm pretty set on a Honda Element, but I just want some outside opinions on whether this one looks good to go. Plus any craigslist tips you have would be appreciated.
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Mar 1, 2017 23:03
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Coredump posted:Can I get a sanity check on this car? https://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/6011366360.html According to Kelley Blue Book, in excellent condition it's worth $8700. Seems significantly overpriced to me, but it's a matter of what it's worth to you.
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Mar 1, 2017 23:19
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Coredump posted:Can I get a sanity check on this car? https://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/6011366360.html How is it a 1 owner car if he got it at 8k mi?
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Mar 1, 2017 23:20
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Honda Elements have a cult-like following, so definitely expect to overpay.
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Mar 1, 2017 23:20
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You can get a much, much newer Fit for a similar amount of money, and although it might be a bit smaller I bet the difference is smaller than you think. I can't imagine paying $11k for a 12 year old Honda.
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Mar 1, 2017 23:27
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Deteriorata posted:According to Kelley Blue Book, in excellent condition it's worth $8700. Seems significantly overpriced to me, but it's a matter of what it's worth to you. Good point. I'll offer $9,000 and see what I get. As far as the Fit I really like it too but I want the room the Element offers.
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Mar 2, 2017 01:44
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I know the answer is just get a Prius, but how bad, reliability speaking, has the first gen Volt been? (I'll just get the Prius)
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Mar 5, 2017 03:38
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Banana_Boy posted:I know the answer is just get a Prius, but how bad, reliability speaking, has the first gen Volt been? Quite good. The Volt is a good choice if you're looking for a primarily electric car. You'll pay more, you'll need to set up the charger infrastructure, and there are some compromises like interior space, but if you're willing to adapt to it, it can work very well. On the other hand, if you just treat it like a normal car, it's kind of mediocre. Series hybrid setups aren't as efficient as direct charging or directly driving the wheels with the gas engine (and although the Volt can sometimes couple the engine to the road, the first-gen does it under very limited circumstances). The Prius gets a lot of recommendations because it acts so conventional. It's a normal car that you gas up and go. So, when people want a boring, reliable, inexpensive car that doesn't make them rewire their garage, it's a good default option.
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Mar 5, 2017 16:17
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Proposed Budget: $5-10k USD New or Used: Used Body Style: Hatchback, is there such a thing as a small pickup with good mpg? How will you be using the car?: Second car for long trips to construction sites What aspects are most important to you? Reliability, small size, MPG, hauling bulky items For the next year or so I'm going to be making fairly frequent(~3 days per week) 100 mile roundtrips to a construction site with lovely dirt roads and random debris. After getting a rock chip on my sedan I've decided it'd be cheaper to buy a second car to make these trips than to risk constant low level damage to my car. Ideally what I want is something I don't care about getting beat up, is fairly compact, gets good MPG, and ideally can haul an object the size and weight of a washing machine. Reliability is also important because I don't want to deal with repairing a car I'm using as a beater. And since this will be a beater, cheaper is obviously preferable. Backup camera is a bonus. So, Prius? Gamesguy fucked around with this message at 19:36 on Mar 5, 2017 |
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Mar 5, 2017 19:28
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Gamesguy posted:Proposed Budget: $5-10k USD Any car in that price range is going to be old enough that stuff will start wearing out, so they're all going to need repairs occasionally. Less reliable cars will likely need repairs somewhat more often, but nothing will be "never." Cars with a less reliable reputation depreciate faster and will cost less up front - you may be able to pay for a lot of repairs with the money you save. Initial build quality will matter less than the upkeep an individual car has gotten, so YMMV on repairs. Your body style options depend a bit on if your load is one big thing (which would suggest a minivan/SUV or station wagon), or if it's a bunch of small things that can be lifted over a sill (so it could be a hatchback). Something like a Scion xB has a huge cargo area and gets over 30 mpg. Toyota or Subaru wagons are also in the picture. A VW Golf diesel would get 40+ mpg. Ford Escapes have a lot of cargo room, too. Perhaps a Mazda Tribute in the SUV class. The Mazda 3 has a surprisingly large cargo area with the rear seats down as a hatch. Basically, there's lots of possibilities. Look at what's available in your area and maybe winnow it down a bit.
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Mar 5, 2017 19:51
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Thoughts on the Forester? I'm coming from a WRX and would like something bigger and more practical. I test drove an Impreza a few years ago and it felt underpowered, so I'm not sure if the Crosstrek is the way to go. I'm not married to Subaru, but AWD plus their reputation with reliability makes me lean that way. The Forester doesn't seem to be "ranked" that high amongst other crossovers though.
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Mar 5, 2017 20:25
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Deteriorata posted:Any car in that price range is going to be old enough that stuff will start wearing out, so they're all going to need repairs occasionally. Less reliable cars will likely need repairs somewhat more often, but nothing will be "never." Cars with a less reliable reputation depreciate faster and will cost less up front - you may be able to pay for a lot of repairs with the money you save. Initial build quality will matter less than the upkeep an individual car has gotten, so YMMV on repairs. I guess TCO instead of reliability then, I fully expect this car to get dinged to crap and plan on keeping it till it dies. The cargo is just something I'd like to have, it's annoying to have to borrow a car when I want to move a bulky item. So since it's a second car I figure I'd throw that in, regardless I doubt I'll need to move anything that won't fit in a hatchback like a Honda Fit. I generally go to LA to buy cars so literally everything is available in my area. Gamesguy fucked around with this message at 21:04 on Mar 5, 2017 |
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Mar 5, 2017 21:00
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Gamesguy posted:I guess TCO instead of reliability then, I fully expect this car to get dinged to crap and plan on keeping it till it dies. The cargo is just something I'd like to have, it's annoying to have to borrow a car when I want to move a bulky item. So since it's a second car I figure I'd throw that in, regardless I doubt I'll need to move anything that won't fit in a hatchback like a Honda Fit. My recommendation would be to find something that connects with you emotionally. The actual difference in TCO between various cars in that bracket isn't going to be all that different on average, so it's going to depend a lot on the individual car. You won't mind spending money to maintain a car you like, while you'll resent every penny spent on one you don't. Drive it until it's more trouble than it's worth, then dump it and get another one. You won't have all that much invested in any case. If you like the Prius, get one. Grab anything you like that was maintained well.
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Mar 5, 2017 21:17
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It really doesn't make sense to prioritize very occasional hauling stuff for a car that you're going to drive ~16,000 miles per year. You'll pay a big penalty in fuel economy. Just rent a truck when you need one. Fit, stick shift Yaris, stick shift Fiesta, maybe a Sonic hatch, Prius
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Mar 6, 2017 15:34
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:It really doesn't make sense to prioritize very occasional hauling stuff for a car that you're going to drive ~16,000 miles per year. You'll pay a big penalty in fuel economy. Just rent a truck when you need one. Very good point. In addition: it's very frustrating to drive a large vehicle empty 99% of the time and when you do need to move something bulky, you discover it isn't quite big enough for the item and you need to hire a truck anyway.
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Mar 6, 2017 15:40
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I can easily haul a washer in my Fit(just did last weekend, actually), but they're not cheap on the used market.
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Mar 6, 2017 15:47
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:It really doesn't make sense to prioritize very occasional hauling stuff for a car that you're going to drive ~16,000 miles per year. You'll pay a big penalty in fuel economy. Just rent a truck when you need one. How about a 2012 Focus? I know they aren't great for reliability but they're pretty cheap and I can just drive it till it's not worth fixing anymore. It's also supposed to be pretty fun to drive as cheap subcompacts go.
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Mar 7, 2017 02:41
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Gamesguy posted:How about a 2012 Focus? I know they aren't great for reliability but they're pretty cheap and I can just drive it till it's not worth fixing anymore. Made Car and Driver's 10Best list in 2012. Look at the repair records - if it's made it this far without anything major falling off it's probably a pretty good one.
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Mar 7, 2017 03:04
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Coredump posted:Good point. I'll offer $9,000 and see what I get. CR-V, then? Same guts as the Element in more conventional (boring) packaging.
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Mar 7, 2017 03:19
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Actually just saw this Honda Fit Sport that's priced about $1k below KBB due to a pretty significant dent/scrape above the rear wheel well. Looks to be just cosmetic damage...good idea? https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/6005338253.html
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Mar 7, 2017 07:12
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I'd do it, that's a decent price, the car otherwise looks good, and the Sport version of the Fit is about the most fun you'll have in later-model a subcompact. At 116K, it should have its fluids changed and new plugs installed if it hasn't already. Watch for a weak battery(Fit batteries are tiny, when they get old they have no reserve capacity whatsoever), and rear brakes tend to need replacement around there - fronts will have already been changed. The motors are fairly bulletproof -they have timing chains, and the trannies last a long long time because they're built for larger engines and aren't stressed behind the little L-series motors.
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Mar 7, 2017 14:24
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So I took a leap of faith and am trying out Carvana. Currently going through the purchase process for a 2016 Charger R/T. I went with Carvana since they pretty much beat out any dealer pricing around my area by a couple grand. Experience seems alright so far. They are very communicative and helpful in answering any questions I had. I have the trade scheduled for March 20th, so I'll let you guys know how that all turns out. So far this definitely beats going into a dealership!
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Mar 7, 2017 17:34
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Proposed Budget: $5,000 / $15,000 / $25,000 New or Used: Either Body Style: 4 door midsize/fullsize sedan. I got in a car accident this morning (07 Civic w/120k miles). Adjuster said they're probably going to total my car. I'll know for sure tomorrow, but I'm let's assume I get around $5,000. I'm starting to research today what I want, and I was wondering what the internet would suggest. I'm probably going to take over my wife's focus as my commuter car, and the new replacement car will be the one we mainly take on the weekends for going out, visiting parent/friends, etc since she doesn't really drive anymore (she commutes via train). I would like it to fit me, I'm 6'3", and ideally be able to hold 4 people comfortably. I would prefer nice features like blue tooth/cruise control/seat heaters, or would like a car that I could add those afterwards for cheap easily. I would imagine putting like 5,000 miles/year on this car. Basically I want something that respectable that I wouldn't be embarrassed valeting (which I kinda am with our 03 beat up focus which was our current "nice car"). I'd like to see suggestions in all three price points I put in the proposed budget. What I end up choosing in the will depend on what I get for my car, and what kind of APR I can get pre-approved for from my credit union. Also, not in much of a rush since we can live off one. The 2nd was nice not necessary. Raimondo fucked around with this message at 04:55 on Mar 17, 2017 |
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Mar 17, 2017 04:43
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Raimondo posted:Proposed Budget: $5,000 / $15,000 / $25,000 Why are you embarrassed valeting the Focus? Why exactly do you want a new car? Your budget range is huge, I would narrow that down to what you really want, if you actually want another car.
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Mar 17, 2017 04:46
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Michael Scott posted:Why are you embarrassed valeting the Focus? Why exactly do you want a new car? Your budget range is huge, I would narrow that down to what you really want, if you actually want another car. Sometimes people have to go to dinner with bigwigs who all drive fancy German cars. While I don't usually feel the need to measure dicks, it's a little embarrassing when your car gets valet'd first and 3 guys worth 10s of millions watch as you get into your 15yr old shitbox. I can empathize with the forums poster Raimondo.
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Mar 17, 2017 04:52
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They're blowing out new Passats for like $17k right now. With the 1.8T it's not even that awful to drive either.
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Mar 17, 2017 05:01
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