OT- Used Car ideas
Hello MGoBoard,
Seeing as JeepInBen hasn't posted a Talking Cars Tuesday yet I am here to steal some of his thunder...
I am looking for a used car, ideally something like a higher mileage Honda Accord or Subaru that I can drive for a couple years and then resell with decent value. Any other suggestions on make/model are welcome, my budget is around 4-5,000... only requirements are good mileage, reliability and hopefully nicer inside than my beater of a Chevy.
Any ideas on places around Ann Arbor/Metro Detroit to look? Have you used cars.com, Autotrader, craigslist in the past? Suggestions welcome.
I know a guy who had his car hood dented by a certain large Michigan football player. He'll sell it to you cheap but the sentimental value on the vehicle would be priceless.
Big Will was here.
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I will say used Hondas are usually priced what seems ridiculously high given their age and mileage, but that's due to their longevity, and I found you can often negotiate those prices down significantly.
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Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. It would be a vehicle that I will not put a lot of miles on in a couple years (going to be walking to campus, so primarily useful for getting groceries, trips to DTW/Detroit, trips to see family) so I'd like to get something like that that I can flip for high miles. The Honda engines last a long time.
I wouldn't mind a high mileage Subaru for the winter instead but that likely costs more.
If you're in Mi, find something from NC (or anywhere it doesn't snow). Fly down, drive it back to MI. Sell it in a few years. Profit.
With that age and price range you're sure to be in for repairs from time to time (even with your current car) so be sure to check the labor rate at several shops. I found this out too late for my head gaskets. Was a 10 hour repair and the shop I went to had a labor rate $20/hour above market. Wound up costing another $200 than if I had gone elsewhere nearby.
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As I recall, it was two generations worth of of the 2.5L engine from about 1996 to some time in the 2000s and one of the primary issues was the factory coating on the gaskets themselves would basically degrade and fail spot on around 120,000 miles. I thought that coolant conditioner bought some people more time, but eventually they were staring at the same problem. A lot of dealerships - so I heard - installed the same gaskets for the repair too, which blows if you own a Subaru in this range and didn't go to an independent shop.
As for special tools, there were shops that didn't have the tools to pull out the engine when I called around. Wound up going to the subaru dealership. Felt like a chump getting that done at the dealership tho with the peace of mind that they'd do it right. Just ripped me off on hourly rate. Wouldn't go to Suburban Subaru for service again. I'd check with one of the 3 other dealers in the metro-Detroit area for their rates.
I actually asked my mechanic Brother-in-law about used Suburus and he said the same thing about the head gaskets. He also said maintenance on them is a bit tricky due to the placement (something about the Jimmy Rods?) of the gaskets/engine configuration. I dunno man, he's the mechanic, not me.
Essentially, he said anything over 100k miles, make sure the gaskets have been changed or you're going to have a big, expensive surprise very soon.
If you have the time and patience, craigslist will probably get you your best deal. I bought mine off there a couple years ago and it's crazy once you have your price range figured what you can find. I had a slightly higher budget than you, but don't be afraid to look at cars $1000 above your price range. THat's the asking but you can easily work them down. I dropped mine by over 1K just by seeing it in person and noting some minor defects and KBB values. Make sure you check the title though because many cars are heavily discounted and if you're getting a loan, a lot of places won't give you one if the car doesn't have a clean title.
Edit: Here's a Lincoln that could fit what you're looking for. Link It's going for $5500 and has a little higher mileage, but you can probably work them down a little and it's defnitely better than the Chevy you have now.
I'd recommend stepping your game up a bit. No college grad should be driving a $4000 beater car.
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Subies are nice (a ton of them in TC) but for sheer mechanical reliability they aren't quite as good, according to my mechanic. I'd go to them in a snow areA, but if not I'd go Accord/Camry.
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If you don't have to keep to a Honda and are interested post your email address and I'll send you more info directly.
Sure, [email protected]. Thanks Don.
You might have to replace the driver's seat though. There are two narrow grooves in it where someone's bony ass has been sitting.
If you can get past the lack of resale value then go with a Saab. I bought a 2006 9-3 wagon last year and it's all I could ever ask for in a daily. Leather/heated seats/turbo/amazing gas mileage/fits the whole family/luxury. A seriously good all around car.
Hmmm, interesting.
There are actually a couple of high mileage Volvo S60s at Suburban that I was thinking about... going to see them at some point this week. Not as exciting as Saabs but my dad had one a few years ago that I liked.
For perspective I'm coming from a Chevy Cavalier that was to put it mildly a piece.
Got my Saab for $4,600 with 133,xxx miles on the clock. With proper maintenance Sabbs/Volvos run fro 300,000 miles easily.
I'm selling my 2006 Saab right now actually. 120k-ish miles. $3000. Hasn't been in an accident and no engine problems.
Shoot me an email [email protected] (assuming you're in Ypsi). Thanks
Email shotted.
What Model? My fiance is in the market for a Saab. Or just email me at [email protected]
9-3. I may even vacuum it and wipe the coffee stains off the console if you decide to test drive it.
Shot you an email.
http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/cto/5121463067.html
I'd say this might check all the boxes. I know I'd buy the hell out of it if it was closer to me.
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That was a known issue for <2005 Saabs. They even issued a TSB and fixed it in subsequent years.
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Man, I really want a new car, but having no car payments is really nice.
Not so great on gas mileage, but you can find a 2000-2003 Ford Crown Vic with 30-50,000 miles on it, and you can get that car for $5k of some old lady. It will last you at least 200,000 more miles if you take care of it. Mine gets right around 22 miles per gallon highway.
My wife and I have opposing philosophies, I recommend you go with option 2 since it is fun and affordable:
1) She likes nice cars. Buying a used car gives her lots of perks (bigger engine, nice finish package, etc) for less money. She now drives a really slick car.
2) I like crappy old cars, and I like to buy and sell them regularly. My favorites include 1988 Subaru GL, 1992 Honda DelSol (classic Del Sol green), and 1994 Nissan shortbed pickup (this last one had a sweet lift). I never spent more than $2,000 on a vehicle, and after investing probably $500 in each for maintainance I sold them for at least the same price I originally paid. Of course, caveat emptor, but even if one is a complete lemon, you won't be out much cash.
Note: philosophy 2 really depends on where you live. It works great in Michigan, but is harder in California with taxes and expensive maintainance etc.
Yeah, I sorta want a happy medium... there are a couple options I really would like in this next car. I'd like leather seats if possible and a little bit nicer interior, and then decent mileage (25+ highway) would be a requirement, and then cheap to maintain. I've seen a couple early 2000s BMWs floating around that would meat the first two requirements...but the problem is maintaining those cars.
We had a Volvo V90R for a while (a result of my wife's philosophy). A rad vehicle, but you really need to be prepared to drop some cash at the dealership to make one of these workable.
I think you are on the right track with a recent model Honda. I would also consider a recent Ford Focus. We have had good luck with Subarus—consider a 2010 or later since they have a different transmission.
You could also look at a Hyundai or a Kia since they both have really good 5 year warranties (and Hyundai has decent AWD vehicles). The warranties are not transferrable, but they *may* indicate that the previous owner took excellent care of their vehicle.
Edit: meat? dear lord.
Meat!
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I have a used 2010 Mercedes GLK 350 for sale if anyone is interested. Cheapest price in America for it
I actually bought my current car, a 2010 VW Jetta TDI on eBay. It was a local auction so you actually "win" the right to buy the car and then have to put down a deposit in 24-48 hours after you drive it, etc.
It was pretty easy and the car was great...I was looking for something very specific so eBay was a good route for me. I bought an Accord off a Cars.com listing several years ago and it was a really good car I just didn't like the V6 gas mileage and for some reason the seats were terribly uncomfortable.
Won two car auctions in eBay. One was not as described and cost me a plane flight to DC because I decided not to buy, The second was nice and I picked it up in Chicago. eBay also has classifieds.
Yeah I kept my search to around 100 miles or something when I was looking precisely so I didn't have that much time/money wrapped up into it.
For most of my life Ive driven "beaters" (for lack of a better term). What I mean is a car I buy outright that might need a wrench turned here or an alternator swapped there, keep them for a couple years and repeat. Recently, I sold the only vehicle I ever had a payment on, a 2003 F-150, that had been paid off for close to 5 yrs (bought it used. Never buy new!)
Anyhow, Im scanning Craigslist and Auto trader and the local fishwrap classifieds and here is a piece of advice you may or may not want to incorporate into your own search. I found I had more luck dealing with a dealer than a private seller.
On the face this seems odd, as dealers would upsell their mothers if they're given the chance, but let me explain my reasoning. I had 2 main reasons for this (and if things hadnt worked, I wouldve tried another dealer, or gone back to the drawing board). This isnt meant to be gosepl set in stone, more "suggestive". First thing- most dealers just turn and sell the vehicles they take in on trade (especially if theyre over 100k on the odometer) to a wholesaler or auction and make a couple hundred a unit and dont deal with whatever problems they might have. However, there are some dealers out there (you can find them) that will keep a select few of their traded in vehicles and sell them off of their lot. Generally these are the "better" trades that either have a higher resale, or are in pretty good shape. For the most part, if a dealer thinks the car might be a lemon that could end up in negative press they'll jettison it, but if they think its decent enough (from a low price high mileage car perspective), they will keep it and try to see if they can make a grand or so. Lots of times you'll get a free carfax too.
The second reason you may want to see what a dealer has on the wholesale lot is because instead of having to bum a ride of a friend or realtive to go look at a car 20 minutes away only to find out the reason there was no picture of the right rear quarter panel in the ad was because there was no right rear quarter panel, and having wasted all that time, you can go to one place and see 5-10 cars all at once and increase your odds of finding something decent before youre friends start ducking your calls.
Now, the dealer is going to try and make a few hundy off you, and they may say they cant deal with you too much because their margins are already slim, but you can still make an offer. I find the "Ill give you xxx, out the door, including tax title and plates" the best angle. It helps make their silly dealer fees vanish in a hurry.
3 weeks ago, I did exactly this after selling my truck, and I ended up with a 2003 Taurus with 117k on the clock. The car is as loaded as Taurus' got in 2003, and I paid $1800 for it, from a dealer, who had the price listed as $2500.
So, do with this info whatever you like. Merely relaying whats worked for me in the past
Seriousl cool story. I'm a big fan of this method.