Ok, so here’s the situation… I need to buy a car, and i have very very little to spend. That means (unfortunately), i will be getting a used car. But, this is an area i have little experience with. What i’m curious of is:
What is the max ammount of mileage i should get on a car? I’ve seen some for sale that are cheap and supposedly have no problems, but have like 150k miles on them
This is going to fall strongly into the IMHO category, but what brand/make of car would be good for me to get? Are any others really better when they start getting high mileage on them?
What kind of stuff should i look for to ensure i am not getting someone else’s problems in this car? Part of the whole not having much money to spend thing is that the car must be low maintenace. I can’t afford to buy it and then turn around and have the transmission rebuilt…
I’m sure there are other things i’m forgetting here… Any other advice is greatly appreciated. And, if it makes any difference (ie. maybe you can point me to a good used car dealer or individual) i live in Austin, TX. As always, thanks in advance!
IMHO, you should start by lookig at websites that you’ll find by google searching Used Cars. You’ll at least get some good advice and a starting place. Cars.com has some good info, too. As to the specifics, if you get a car at a dealer, you’ll have the opportunity to get some sort of warantee/certification. You definitely don’t get that from buying from the newspaper, although you do pay for the peace of mind. Also, IMHO, get a Japanese car. Frequency of repair reports and owner satisfaction surveys and the like tend to show that these cars just hold up a lot longer and the owners love them. I’m a 4 time Honda Accord/Civic buyer - since 82, and I’ve really loved these cars. I also have a 90 Corolla which, although a bit rusty, is just wonderful. The oil, which I haven’t changed now in about 6 months, is still golden yellow when I check it, and it’s still right up to the top. The main dilemma you’ll find, if money is the object, is the security of buying from a dealer vs the lower cost of buying from a guy on the street. Also, even though it may cost you another $50 or $60, take the car to a mechanic for an evaluation, if you’re buying from an ad, or an independent guy. If the mechanic says this is a great deal, take it, of course, but he may also tell you the car needs a lot of work, and that’s worth the cost of the service.
Find a car. Check the worth of it at edmunds.com don’t pay more than edmunds says. kbb has higher prices than edmunds.
Just after 100,000 miles is pretty cool time if you want to save money. try carfax.com to find out what happened to the exact car you want, its cool.
1.) Use common sense on mileage, don’t go over 150K. Look around for cars that are at the cars that are about 100K. There is one thing though, if you like a car that has 150+ and it sounds, and performs good, what the heck?
2.) I’d stay within American brands (not meant as a racial comment). My personal favorite is Chevrolet for a truck, and I don’t know much about cars, but I’d probably go with a Chevy there too. If you prefer Ford (I don’t reccomend), or some other brand, go for it. Remember, your going to be the one driving it.
3.) For the problems part, this is a common sense thing too.
Body- Check the body for dents and whatnot.
Interior- I’m sure you don’t want a vehicle with holes in the seats.
Under the Hood- Take a look under there and turn it on. Then, you need to listen for subtle noises that could be problems in the future. If ya got a pal that knows his mechanics, take him/her.
Despite what EagleEye says, do look for a foreign car if you’re looking at something in the 150,00+ mile range. Specifically, get a Honda Civic or an Accord–preferably a manual with a good clutch if you can handle it.
I hate to recommend foreign cars, since they hurt my industry, i.e., the American automotive industry.
If you can find an American-brand car LESS THAN 5 years old, then you’ll be okay – they have a LOT more quality than they used to. Specifically, I would recommend a Ford Escort, being that it’s all Mazda drivetrain and won’t give you a problem. DON’T consider ANYTHING that has a “quad 4” engine.
Of course, I’m assuming you’re talking about econo-boxes, little 4-cylinder beaters. If you can afford a V6 or V8, then American is definitely the way to go, and there’s other stuff to look for.
How much is very very little? I would second looking at Honda or if 4wd is good in your area Subaru. One caveat about little foreign cars, They often need to have the timing belt changed regularly, and people often try to dump them before paying for that service, what ever model it is read up on it, and ask for repair records if appropriate. If very very little means what I’m guessing, don’t get overly concerned about body dents, and scratches, but going to a mechanic to make sure nothing important is about to rust through is a good idea.
Thanks for all the help guys, and i’m sorry about putting this in the incorrect forum Bibliophage. By very very little, i need to stay under $1,500. I’d really like to pay less than that if i can though. The less, the better actually. I’m not too concerned with appearances, so long as it’s not rusted anywhere. So for something in that price range, i am kind of assuming that it will be more than 5 yrs old. Again, i’m not really particular on what kind of car i get as long as nothing will break on it anytime soon. Thanks again for all the help, it’s giving me a great place to start!
First of all, remember that in the state of California if your car doesn’t pass smog, the state would buy it for $1000.00. So, you aren’t gonna get them for much less than that.
Also EagleEye, american car parts are expensive! e.g. a geometro radiator= $425.00 (before discount) A toyota or mazda truck radiator= $140.00 geo metro alternator= $200 japanese alternator= $50.00
A Geo is a Chev too, so forget it, parts are too expensive!
Invest 20 bucks at carfax and run a VIN (vehicle identification number) search. It’s located in front of the steering wheel on the dash. You read it from the outside. It will give you all kinds of information on the car. Well worth the 20 dollars.
Having bought only used cars in my life, all american, paying anywhere’s from $10K to 4K for a car, I can share my meager pointers:
Always check the fluid levels. If it’s gunky, bail out as fast as you can. Someone who cannot take the time to at least change the oil to sell the car ( putting on good appearances) is someone too friggin’ lazy to maintain it on a regular basis.
carfax.com is an excellent source to find out if the previous owner was a shyster or not. You just need the VIN # which is located on the driver’s side window.
3)Look along the body of the car to see if the doors seem even with the frame. Any bump outs could mean that it has been in an accident.
Always ask, " Why you getting rid of it." Remember, no one sells a used car that runs too well. If the answer seems to perfect, too quick, they are probably padding it.
5)(This may not sound too clear but I’ll try) There are indents or raised circle like thingies, (may differ from car to car - we were looking at an Econoline and the markings that were easiest to find were the back doors) that if you look at an open doorway you can see them painted over with the original paint. If there is a drip of paint or you can’t see them, it means the vehicle has been painted over - possibly because of an accident. That probably isn’t very clear, but AAA, I am not.
Always offer less money than they are asking for the car. Don’t be afraid. If they say no, tell them you will get back to them as you are still looking. If you don’t get that car, don’t worry, there are hundreds out there. However, if the owner seems anxious to sell the car at that price, then you might want to be worried.
Whatever you decide on, ask for two receipts: one stating something like $200 for the car and the other $1300. The reason is that when you go to get your plates at DMV/Sec. Of State, you show the cheaper receipt to them and you will be taxed on the lower amount. The original car owner should not have a problem doing this. We’ve done it several times for the buying/selling of cars. * This is known as "Screwing the Big Guy "*
American or Foreign, buy what you feel is for the best for you. ( Hey, I’m in Detroit, all I own is Ford Cars & a ford Tractor. I highly recommend the Escorts, Festiva’s (if there are any still around - GOD I loved my Festiva). Escorts run forever.)
Good Luck! Let us know what you get!
