Quick history: For the bulk of my adult years, I would just go to a used car lot, pick out what I liked, and plunk down enough money to get me in whatever I could afford. Fifteen years ago, I did this on three successive times at a Saturn dealership as I liked the fact that their cars protected me when I was in near-fatal accidents.
Five years ago, I moved from suburbia to San Francisco and realized I really didn’t need a car. I sold mine and joined both ZipCar and City Car Share. But it looks as though I might need to re-acquire a vehicle and so much has changed in the decade since I last negotiated a purchase.
For starters, Saturns are no longer made so I am not even sure what kind of car to look for although I want something on the affordable side (no BMWs or Mercedes). I thought about a hybrid but a friend of mine who owns a Prius warned me that they are very rear-heavy and when it rains, has sketchy handling. Also, if buying a used hybrid, how can I know how long it would be before I’d have to look into battery replacement?
I don’t need an SUV or sports car, but a good quality, basic mid-size. I have no family, but occasionally haul street fair booth equipment to weekend festivals. I have two friends who have two different V.W. models; one Golf which is lowered and tricked out and probably too expensive and another I am inquiring about, but is six or eight years old.
So - I need lots of varied guidance; how to start the hunt, how to negotiate a good deal, what do I look for in a history, etc…
I had a really good experience at CarMax. They print out the car’s history report and you can review it before plunking down money. And they don’t haggle so it’s low pressure compared to an average dealership or used lot. But it depends if you’re wanting something you can pay 2k for and drive off the lot, or if you want to finance. (or if you can plunk down 10-15k and drive it off the lot). I financed an 11k car for 5 years, most of the cars at Carmax were 10k and up. There were a few just under 9k. Depends on your price range.
I would also get a copy of the Consumer Reports annual car issue, which covers used cars too. I’m sure you can find it at your local library if you don’t subscribe or know someone who does. Then you can get a feel for your space needs, narrow your search, and avoid getting a lemon. This, as well as kbb.com and edmunds.com will also provide you with what a fair price should be for the car once you select something you like.
At that point, I would agree that CarMax is a good option if you want to buy it on the spot. If you have access to a car to get around in the meantime and you have the time, you can also find the car you like at CarMax, and use that as your ceiling price, then try to get it lower from a private party and get a loan through your credit union or other resource that has cheap financing.
Sounds like the perfect car for you might be a Pontiac Vibe. It’s a hatchback, so it has super cargo capacity. It’s a Pontiac, so you can get it cheap. Except… that under the hood, it’s actually a Toyota Matrix, so it’s reliable and easy to get parts for.
Gosh, I kinda like it! Reminds me of my second Saturn, the wagon, which I really liked! Right now, the only Carmax match for the Vibe is over 500 miles away so I have to factor in how far I might want to travel for a test drive!
I suppose I will have to take a weekend day and go and actually try out some cars – and deal with the salesmen crap…
Evaluate Hyundai very carefully. Excellent automobile, excellent warranty, good mileage, etc., etc. I love mine and will buy another, if I ever buy another car. Don’t dismiss late model Kias; they’ve come a long way in the last two to three years. Hyundai is still better, but even so------Kia ain’t all bad.
I have found 2-3 year old Saturns to be a great value-they depreciate rapidly, and have low operating costs.
Avoid the 2005 Ion model, however, many problems with the FWD U-joints.
No reason to get an AWD Subaru if you’re staying in a warm climate. You’re paying for something you’ll likely never use.
Nobody’s recommended a used Honda Civic? If you DO need storage though, go with a Toyota Matrix. You really can’t go wrong there. Toyota’s recall issues weren’t limited to them, they spanned quite a few auto makers. No need to fear them. Frankly, Hyundai has pretty sketchy handling. I speak from having driven a 2005 Elantra and a 2007 Sonata for a few years.
I know for a fact that my pop-up gazebo won’t fit in a Civic; there is too much slop to the back door and for a wagon, I need a more square, open-ended storage area.
My other girlfriend as a V.W. Passat and my booth does fit in the back of her car…
If you’re going to look at a Vibe or Matrix, then you owe it to yourself to also look at the Mazda Protege5 or the 3 wagon. I have a 2002 Protege5 and love love love it. (I think in 2003 or so the Protege5 morphed into the 3. The 3 is available both as a sedan or a sport wagon; my sister has the newer wagon version.) Well put together, reliable, I love mine. Nothing but routine maintenance, and no recalls. It’s a great car.
+1 on the Protege5, but they only made in in '02 and '03, and they’re hard to find in good shape and for a good price.
The Matrix/Vibe is good and boring.
I vote for Ford Focus. You can get in 3/5 door hatch (ZX3/ZX5) or wagon form. I had a wagon and I loved it. It’s lightweight, nimble, fun, and dependable enough. Best of all, Ford flooded the market with 'em, so they are c.h.e.a.p. Stick with '03+, as they had some initial quality issues.
fwiw I have a 2005 Ford Focus hatchback and I have been very happy with, specifically with the fact that I can fold down the backseat and move a dresser or whatever. It’s a city car that still lets you haul stuff around. So if if you’re making a list there’s another one in the ‘urban hatchback’ category. Ford did stop making my generation of hatchbacks in 2008 (started another model for 2011).
Honda Accord. Consistently reliable, comfortable and better equipped than a Corolla. Gets decent gas mileage, but has enough pep to move you down the highway. I owned two used ones and they served me well.
I would check the library for the issue of Consumer Reports (Digest?) that specifically tells you which used cars to avoid (models and years).
Go into the dealer with all your research in a folder. When you start negotiating, don’t be afraid to ask the salesman at some point why he thinks you should pay more than the car is obviously worth. You can also present the price you’re willing to pay and just not budge from that number, regardless of how much the salesman wheedles and cajoles. Salesmen think women are easy targets. Surprise him. Or, if you’re not up to the task of negotiating, take someone with you who is good at it.
My stock advice for used car buyers is to get a one month unlimited subscription to Autocheck.com and use it liberally. Carfax is garbage and misses a lot of stuff picked up by Autocheck. When I was buying a used car this past summer, I’d hit sites like Autotrader and see a promising vehicle, click the provided link and see a clean Carfax report and then run the VIN through Autocheck. No less than three times, I found a “clean” car that was rebuilt from major damage or salvage.
I was turned on to the service when my wife was talking to a guy from Carmax on the phone and asked about a Carfax report and the guy pretty much laughed and said those were worthless and gave her the Autocheck name.
Do you belong to Costco, or USAA? they both have really good car buying programs, you never have to deal with the used car salesmen at all, all the finaning and insurance is taken care of via the company, and you just stop by the dealership to pick up your car.
