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I really like both cars and motorcycles, and I can definitely afford more expensive machines than what I currently own. Here are my thoughts on car buying if you want to hit a sweet spot cost wise: Price: $2000 - $4500 - the reason I think this is a good price point is when you start getting below that you really need to know what you're looking at. I've had some cars that were $1000 that I probably could have driven for 10 years if they weren't so terribly boring. The really big cost savings is that you don't have to have full coverage insurance. Collision coverage (you gently caress up and wreck your car - your insurance pays for it) is terribly expensive especially for younger males. When a car get this cheap, the monthly cost of collision quickly adds up to a very large % of the value. Private Seller - the reason here is you want to know what sort of idiot owned the car. Ideally you're looking for the person that has owned the car for a long time and has a nice big stack of maintenance records. You want someone that has followed the service schedule recommended by the manufacturer - which you can find here: http://www.edmunds.com/maintenance/select.html. The type of seller is a huge part of whether or not I decide to buy the car. Is the guy/gal sketchy/stupid/etc then I walk regardless of the car. Car - I'm a bit all over the map on this one. I think that the camry/accord/civic/corolla is a bit overvalued in the used market. The Hondas are often owned by real shitbrains, the Toyotas are often owned by people that think they don't have to change the oil. I think Mazda/Nissan offer a bit better bang for the buck if you're looking at an economy car in the used market. There are also some domestic cars that get really cheap and are quite reliable - ford escort, any of the GM cars with the 3800 v6, ford rangers, etc. I also like to use the reliability ratings you find on autos.msn.com. It seems to pick up the major issues about certain cars that I read on the internet. It can also be a good way to see if the XYZ problem that everyone claims happens on a certain car is actually documented. Other good cars are the japanese luxury brands if you want a slightly nicer car. In addition Volvos and Saabs seem to really bottom out quickly. One of the things that you just have to accept when you own an older car is that some stuff will break and you'll need to take it to a mechanic. Do your research BEFORE you need to take your car in, find a mechanic you really trust. Get AAA so you can have it towed without taking a huge hit on the cost. I figure if I spend $1000 or less a year keeping a car on the road I'm still far ahead of owning a new car. The most expensive car I've owned was the car my parents bought for me in 1996 - it was a $5000 Celica. I believe I've been stranded all of once in my driving career. The fuel pump on said Celica died.
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Oct 22, 2009 18:23
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theitguys posted:So what happens if you come out ahead at the end of a car lease? Is that even possible? Pretty sure it's the same as a loan credit wise. Leases in general are a pretty bad idea. You are basically paying the depreciation on a car when it depreciates the quickest - during the first few years. Leases generally only make sense when you want to drive new cars often, and you can afford to do so. Afford is a very general term though, I would say that you'd want the payment to be a very small percentage of your monthly income. If you want a really nice luxury car, just buy a 5-10 year old one. Many people can't tell the difference between a 2 year old and a 7 year old benz anyway. With regard to owning cheap cars as was discussed a bit earlier, scoffing at the idea of owning a reliable $1500 doesn't seem too far out there. You just need to buy from the right person that cares for their car and has maintenance records. In addition you want to buy a car that has a generally good reliability reputation. I value condition far over the # of miles on the car. There are lots of cars out there that really have no value, but are reliable as hell. Ford Escorts come to mind, they are boring tinny little cars, but you can't kill them. I bought one after I wrecked a car and just needed something to drive until I found my next car. It was $1200 and only had something like 80,000 miles. Everything on the car worked just fine. I imagine I could have put another 100,000 miles for not much beyond tires and brakes.
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Nov 18, 2009 18:49
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What sort of "dying" does a car do for a month but is still driveable?
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Apr 5, 2011 04:47
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I would estimate that I spend at least $500 a year on my 2wd Toyota pickup that has only 72k miles and was given to me. It's in perfect mechanical shape, but between registration, insurance, and an oil change, I'm pretty much there. That gets you lots of car rentals, or rides on the bus, or uhaul rentals with $500. I drive cars that are at least as crappy/unreliable as yours, and it still doesn't make any sense to have a 3rd automobile. A $1000 truck/SUV will be a terrible piece of poo poo as well and if you don't end up doing at least $500-$1000 in repairs in the first year I'll be amazed.
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Apr 8, 2011 23:52
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I find it a bit weird that they are offering you $1800 to repair the car, but you aren't sure that will fix it. Have you taken it to a body shop or two? $1800 is bodywork frankly isn't very much. If the car is still fine mechanically I think having it repaired is a lot better option then blowing a lot of money on a new car. Can you take the $3500 to "total" the car then buy it back from the insurance company? Is that what the $1800 figure is? Even if you have to put in some of your own money I think you should more completely explore having the car repaired. Go around to body shops and tell them it will be a "cash deal" and maybe even tell them you only have $1800 to spend. You'd be surprised how variable pricing is on bodywork.
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Nov 17, 2011 17:56
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FileNotFound posted:Used cars are gamble unless you know about cars. Yeah you and I can walk away with some great deals. Or you can end up like my GF and pay 13k for 4 year old "Certified Preowned" Civic that doesn't even have power windows and had clearly been in a crash at some point in it's life - oh and her father helped her buy it. When we first met she was convinced that she got a great deal because the MSRP on that civic was over 20k when new! Used cars are not a huge gamble in this day. There are all sorts of resources out there to help you educate yourself prior to buying a car. There are also resources out there to help you locate a qualified, honest mechanic that can take a look at it prior to purchasing. There are also lots of ways to figure out if the car you buying is a "good deal" or not. Just because you don't change your own oil or give a poo poo about cars, you really do owe it to yourself to make an educated purchase regardless of whether it's new or used.
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Dec 22, 2011 01:01
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therobit posted:So my wife needs another car for her hour long commute, but it is is going to also be our family car for road trips and things. There are very very very few stickshifts that will fit this (maybe none?). My wife and I are both lifelong (until the past few years) manual transmission drivers, but if you want a modern non-sportscar you've got very few options. It's a minivan, but a Mazda5 is one of the few 3rd row vehicles that fit the bill. I just test drove one yesterday in automatic trim, and I think it's a nice little car. If you've only driven old cars, the Mazda5 will feel like a very nice car, I thought it was nice. Mazdas are known for building sporty feeling / handling cars, even if it's for their crossovers/sedans. I think the 2nd generation Mazda5 is a pretty attractive car and they can be had in your pricerange. So that takes me to my question... Shopping for a new to us wife car - shockingly we have somewhat similar requirements, except no need for a 3rd row seat. She's currently driving a Honda Element which she likes, but is terrible for getting our 2.5 year old out of. The combination of suicide door + setback rear seat makes it hard to get him in and out. I feel like we're only a few months away from that getting much easier, but I'm not sure that will convince her to keep driving it. I've been driving an old 'free' Subaru Forester which has been hardly free since we've had it - lots of repair costs. I don't love the Element because of the tall roof, I whitewater kayak 2-3 times a week and loading/unloading boats off the Element is a pain in the rear end. I love the idea of the Honda for camping weekends with just the boy and I when he gets a bit older. Best choice is to try to find as nice of a Mazda5 for around 10k? She doesn't drive tons, but she really likes a car in good shape, and she keeps it very clean and in good shape. Should I spend $15k? What's the best $$ amount to spend on a car for a pretty new pretty safe car that fits that? Any other cars to look at? Located smack in the middle of Washington so Seattle & Spokane are the main markets. Cars sure seem to be $$$$ these days.
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Aug 9, 2018 23:02
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I wouldn’t own a Volvo unless there was a good shop near me that knew them. The Mazda 5 would be a lot less of a pain in the balls. The stick is still really rare...
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Aug 10, 2018 01:40
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Aftermarket sunroof a new car in 2018 - that's insane.
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Aug 10, 2018 04:24
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@ Nissan / Acura rsx dude: Given the age of those cars it’s going to depend more on finding a well maintained not beat to poo poo one. You’ll be most likely to find a g35 that fits the bill. I’d cross shop non turbo model BMWs in the same price range because you can still find those used from owners that maintain the poo poo outta them. A BMW 1 series from the late 00s is an amazing car.
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Aug 11, 2018 15:48
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therobit posted:Trip report: That's funny I had emailed that person about it. Wife didn't like the miles on it and the few body dings. Glad you picked it up.
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Aug 14, 2018 05:56
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Cascadia Pirate posted:We've owned a CX-5 fo almostr five years and it has been excellent. Gets great mileage, a joy to drive, and fits three car seats in the back. We have to sell it to get a three row car and my wife is miserable about it. Happy to answer any questions (or sell you mine if you're in the area). Want to message me some info? Looking at your posts you’re in Seattle? I’m in Wenatchee and still car shopping. E: I see you don’t have plat... do you have an email I could hit up?
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Aug 17, 2018 15:03
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| # ¿ May 6, 2024 11:24 |
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Seriously if your Pacifica is still in good running order, why run out and replace it? A kid adds tons of gear to your life, even if you try to pack light with them. The Pacifica is a pretty large car, and if you step down to a Fit and add a baby you're gonna be hating life. If you want to get more bang for the buck, look at buying sedans as it seems like they don't hold their value as well as the crossover style vehicles that most people want these days. Friends of mine bought a barely used Honda Accord sedan recently for ~15k and it's a pretty nice car.
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Aug 21, 2018 06:35
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