Buying a used Honda Civic and selling it/trading it after 2 years

bluemoon10bluemoon10 Member Posts: 3
edited September 2017 in Honda
HI All ,

I am in need of a used sedan now which i am planning to sell after 2-3 years and get a used minivan . Basically , i don't have a need for minivan now as the family size is small but will need it in 2-3 years . So i do not want to spend money on buying a minivan now . My plan is if i buy it 2-3 years later , i would be getting a used minivan few years old(like 2014-2016) with the latest features , with the same money i would have spent now .

My choice of a used sedan is Honda Civic (Honda Certified) not more than 3-4 years old (2013,2014 model) with less than 50 K miles. Since this car will be used only for short office commute (10 miles a day), by the time i am ready to buy the minivan i would driven around 60 K miles max (50 K initial + my 10K) . My hope is , since the car would have some decent mileage and not too old , i should get some decent price relative to my purchase price . I am planning to trade in that car for used Honda Odyssey with decent mileage (50K) and relatively latest model (2014-2016) .

This is the first time i am buying a used car and add to that the plan to resell it later !! . I am not even sure if this is something that makes sense or a totally dumb idea .

Kindly let me what you think of this approach

Comments

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 249,232

    HI All ,

    I am in need of a used sedan now which i am planning to sell after 2-3 years and get a used minivan . Basically , i don't have a need for minivan now as the family size is small but will need it in 2-3 years . So i do not want to spend money on buying a minivan now . My plan is if i buy it 2-3 years later , i would be getting a used minivan few years old(like 2014-2016) with the latest features , with the same money i would have spent now .

    My choice of a used sedan is Honda Civic (Honda Certified) not more than 3-4 years old (2013,2014 model) with less than 50 K miles. Since this car will be used only for short office commute (10 miles a day), by the time i am ready to buy the minivan i would driven around 60 K miles max (50 K initial + my 10K) . My hope is , since the car would have some decent mileage and not too old , i should get some decent price relative to my purchase price . I am planning to trade in that car for used Honda Odyssey with decent mileage (50K) and relatively latest model (2014-2016) .

    This is the first time i am buying a used car and add to that the plan to resell it later !! . I am not even sure if this is something that makes sense or a totally dumb idea .

    Kindly let me what you think of this approach

    It's a good idea.
    Used Hondas are generally not cheap. So, that works against you on purchase, and for you, when you sell it.

    Certified only means you are buying an extended warranty. Civics are famous for being reliable and relatively cheap to operate. I wouldn't restrict myself to certified units. Buy the best one you can for the least amount possible, and keep that warranty money in your pocket.

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  • bluemoon10bluemoon10 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks kyfdx for your comments .

    Yes , i did notice that used Hondas cost a bit , but since i am planning to sell down the line , i am hoping it will cancel out each other .

    As for buying a non-certified honda civic , i do not know much about cars . The only reason i am planning to buy a certified is to make sure there is nothing wrong in that car (with the transmissions , engine etc.) . Since Honda certified means they will check the car for any problems before selling , it gives me a piece of mind . I agree with you though , had i known much about cars , i would have definitely considered a non-certified car .
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 249,232

    Thanks kyfdx for your comments .

    Yes , i did notice that used Hondas cost a bit , but since i am planning to sell down the line , i am hoping it will cancel out each other .

    As for buying a non-certified honda civic , i do not know much about cars . The only reason i am planning to buy a certified is to make sure there is nothing wrong in that car (with the transmissions , engine etc.) . Since Honda certified means they will check the car for any problems before selling , it gives me a piece of mind . I agree with you though , had i known much about cars , i would have definitely considered a non-certified car .

    The "checking" part has dubious value. Really, certified means you are paying for an extended warranty. You won't make that money back on resale. The reason used Hondas hold their value is their reputation for reliability and low operating costs. (thus, no need for warranty). If you are going to buy an extended warranty, you should probably buy a cheaper used car.

    Just my $0.02. Buying used cars is hard.

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  • bluemoon10bluemoon10 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for your comments .Ok , i will consider the non-certified hondas as well in my search .
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    kyfdx gave you solid advise. I know I sure wouldn't care if the car were certified or not. I wouldn't restrict myself to 50,000 miles or less either. You might be surprised at how little more you could simply buy a brand new one. Be sure to buy an automatic as the sticks are near impossible to sell later.
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