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Selecting and Buying My First Car

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Comments

  • danf1danf1 Member Posts: 897
    True but on a 2-year old Hyundai, you will not get the 10yr powertrain warranty.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    Yeah.. I thought of that.. But, if that is the determining factor, not sure that is the car I want...

     

    Plus, with the $6K I saved by buying used, I can buy a lot of powertrain work.... Or, just dump the car, if it is a problem...

     

    I can see the desirability of that, though... most people couldn't handle a $2K-$3K repair..

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  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    From responses I've got so far here are some possibilities. To be able to compare, it'd be nice to have some numbers attached, so I guess I'll put down TMV for new, unless you folks have better numbers. For used, I'll post some nearby me, feel free to point out better prices:

      

    '05 Elantra - 11,928 (after extra $400 college grad rebate)

    '05 Accent - 10,935 (after same rebate)

    '03 Elantra - 8,988 w/30k miles link

    '02 Elantra - 5,988 w/46k miles link

      

    I think I might be a bit concerned about the used Elantra's, both because of reliability concerns for older Hyundai's, and because CR says 2001-2003 models scored poor on the offset-crash test result.

      

    '02 Prizm - 6,450 w/40k miles link

      

    Writing these out makes me favor either the new Elantra or '02 Prizm so far, but I'm far from sure, and hope to see other choices.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I agree with you. The resale on these is worse than horrible. So what if you lose the 100,000 mile warranty? It only applies to the POWERTRAIN! Any modern car should be able to do 100,000 miles without powertrain problems. It's the other stuff that usually breaks.

     

    Yes, as used cars I think they can be a lot of car for the money...IF you happen to like them.
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    And a couple Toyotas

     

    '05 Corolla 13,661 (same college rebate as Hyundai)

    '05 Echo 11,674 (same rebate)
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    That Prizm is an automatic.. if you keep looking, I'll bet you find a 5-speed for even less money... That looks like the best option, IMO.. and not a bad price...

     

    If you don't care about options... stay away from the LSI model.. If you are willing to take a manual, without power locks or windows, you can get them dirt cheap...

     

    regards,

    kyfdx

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  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    kyfdx is right (he's usually right).

    Go used, keep your eyes open for a super-duper cheap car, but a good target price is $5-6k; LOTS of car for the money in that area.

    Forget Hondas, too much money typically; Toyota is also expensive. Prizm is your best bet, and maybe Mazda Protege. A Ford Ranger reg cab 4cyl is great for $6 or so becuase if you buy it right, the value will just hang there; everyone wants a $5 or less pick-em-up truck.

     

    As far as keeping your eyes open: Two Sundays ago, I open the paper and see "99 Prizm LSi, 115k miles, cared for, one owner, $2,000."

     

    I didn't want it, but I would have bought it immediately for resale... I googled the phone number and went straight there for a look-see... this is Sunday morning 09:00, and I didn't want to call... I'm looking at the car -- very nice -- when a lady leaves the house... "Is this your car?" Yep, I just bought it!

     

    Apparently some people know a good deal when they see one; assuming most people don't get the Sunday paper before 06:00, that car lasted 3 hours!

     

    -Mathias
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    How about a year old rental fleet Ford Focus? Resale is horrible, the warranty is transferable, and the reliability has been recently upgraded by Consumer Reports from Worse Than Average up to Average. Sure, it may not be as reliable as a Civic, but it offers a lot of car for the money. Or you could try a two or three year old off lease/rental car Taurus. Cheap, gets you where you need to go, and relatively easy to find.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    A used Hyundai still carries a 5/60 bumper to bumper warranty. Suzuki has the fully transferable one, though.

     

    For Honda and Toyota it would be 3/36, i.e. basically it would be little or no B2B coverage on a used car, unless it's CPO.

     

    I say treat yourselves, you can afford it, so get a nice new Corolla or Civic, since you've had luck with those brands before. Drive both and pick the one you prefer.

     

    Maybe toss in a Mazda3 test drive, and a Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport if you see snow.

     

    Good luck shopping.

     

    -juice
  • accordv603accordv603 Member Posts: 1
    Hey, my best friend and I need a car for our second year of college and we're looking to spend around $6k. Im looking for around a 2002 model with less than 30k miles. I was thinking of a 2002-2003 Accent, Elantra, Sentra, Cavalier possibly. Id like to have an existing warrenty on the car and for it to be reliable. Can anyone help me make the best decision?

     

    Pete
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Among those choices I think I'd take the Elantra or Sentra. The Sentra has that non-indy beam axle rear suspension, though, and a 2002 model would have no B2B warranty left.

     

    -juice
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    I found this ad in today's paper, should I snap it up?

     

    HYUNDAI '03 Elentra GLS, AT, 13K, Hurry, Must sell $6150/obo.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,891
    interesting. That's about wholesale price (according to Galves).

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    If you are buying a USED car, you should *never* snap it up ...

     

    While the ad sounds good, it is imperative that you have this car inspected by an independent mechanic BEFORE buying.

     

    That almost sounds like too good a deal...
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    So I called the number with this ad. The guy I talked to was difficult to understand, but he said the car is a salvage car. He said it had never been in an accident, but that it had been stolen, auctioned and resold by a dealer. He claims he needs the money to pay his taxes. He didn't have the VIN with him at work, so I'm going to call him back tomorrow. I'm thinking I'll run a CARFAX check on it, and maybe look at it then have it inspected by a mechanic.

     

    Can anyone give me any info on what exactly is a salvage car? Does this look fishy? Should I stay away? Does it still sound like a good deal?
  • jasmith52jasmith52 Member Posts: 462
    Or should I say Savage cars.

     

    Salvage cars have been totaled by an insurance company as being too costly to repair. Usually they have been in major accidents. Although there can be exceptions such as flood damaged cars, fire damagaed cars, and a (very few) stolen cars that have been written off by the insurer and then recovered.

     

    These cars may be repaired as cheaply as posible and sold to the unsuspecting (ie you). These cars can be very very unsafe in an accident and also can have numerous nagging mechanical issues. Your resale value that you eventually get will have to be reduced alot just to get anyone to take a look.

     

    Skip this car and find something else. This car is no bargain.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Anytime something is being sold well below market value there is usually a reason. Picking my words carefully here....there are people who make a living selling these salvage title cars.

     

    They are NOT a bargain. Run away from it!
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    If you don't mind not having a warranty and driving an "American" car, you could try the Ford Taurus. Sure, its boring, and they're everywhere (at least at airports) but they're cheap, fairly reliable, and resale is pretty horrible. You could try eBay and buy one off of there.

     

    I once had a friend who had a 6 month old Taurus with 20,000 miles which sold for $13,500...

     

    Words of Advice:

    If you get a Taurus, try and splurge for the higher priced Duratec 3.0L 200 horsepower engine.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,891
    I just want to support what others have stated. Avoid this car!

     

    EVEN if you have it thoroughly checked over and determine its never been in an accident, that salvage title never goes away. So try explaining it when you want to sell or trade it. Not to mention, I believe such a thing would void the warranty completely.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I agree, run, don't walk, away from that car.

     

    I doubt the frame is truly straight. Or can you imagine the mold coming in a few months after you buy a flooded one?

     

    -juice
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I'll say what everybody else says: Avoid the car. It'll be worth $0 when you try and trade it in, not to mention there could be some crucial structural problems involved. If your budget is tight, you might try an older car. Maybe an older Elantra or Sonata. Or possibly a Chevrolet Classic. Do whatever you can to avoid any cars with salvage titles. It'll be impossible to explain to the next potential buyer when its time to sell.
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    Thanks for the tips, I walked away from the salvage Elantra. Someone mentioned a Mazda Protege before. What do you think about this one?

     

    2000 Mazda Protege LX Sedan 4D $ 4950 ob 64k miles Automatic link
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Nothing fancy but decent cars for less money than a Civic or a Corolla. Be sure to get it checked out. I don't know why but the Craig's List stuff always hits me as second rate but that's me.

     

    I guess I figure that if they cheaped out on advertising they may have done the same thing with maintenance.

     

    It could be a good car for you.
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    After looking so far, here are four I'm currently considering. I haven't yet followed up on these ads, so I'm not yet certain that there's not something hidden wrong, or that perhaps the price is negotiable lower. Which do you think is the best long term value?

     

    $4950 - 2000 Mazda Protege LX Sedan 4D 64k miles Automatic link

    $6450 - 2002 Chevy Prizm Sedan 40k miles Automatic link

    $4000 - 2001 Ford Focus 63k miles Manual link

    $9999 - 2005 Toyota Corolla 4k miles link
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,891
    I think you should be able to get that Prizm for $6K without much of a fight ... and that would be the pick of the list, in my opinion. I mean, you figure the 23K and 24K miles the other 2 of the first 3 have puts them about 2 years closer to the grave. As much as I'm a fan of the Protege, it would need to represent a bigger savings over the Prizm to justify itself.

     

    The Corolla COULD be ok, but the lack of information is not very helpful. If its a completely stripped base model, I don't think its so hot.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    >>Which do you think is the best long term value? <<

     

      I haven't gone back and read your earlier posts but the question I would counter you with is which one are you going to be most comfortable driving for the next 10 years or so? The best "deal" that I ever received in a vehicle (60k miles for $1500) was in a vehicle that I never liked.

     

    Personally, I would lead toward the Prizm.

     

    You really need to be "pressing the flesh" - that is visiting car lots and seeing what is available and gathering specific information rather than reading ads all the the time. That will get you to your goal more quickly.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,147
    i'm biased toward the Mazda since I had a Protege, and it was one of the best-ever cars I've owned (out of over 20). It never ate a dime in repair bills and ran on the smell of an oil rag.

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  • rroyce10rroyce10 Member Posts: 9,332
    ........ Nothing but good advice here, time for me to move on ....

     

                                           Terry.
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    Thank you all very much for your input. It's very helpful to me to know I'm getting some impartial advice from those more knowledgable than myself.

    jlawrence, that's a good point about trying the cars themselves. That's the next step for me I think. I'm going to try to go this afternoon with my wife to see and drive the Prizm and the Protege. As you can probably tell from the links, it looks like the Prizm is being sold by a dealer and the Protege by a private party.

    Do you have any advice for this stage of evaluation? Should I try to have the cars inspected? After I choose one, perhaps? Should I try to bargain for a better price from one or both?

    I also signed up for CARFAX at this point, and ran the Prizm through (I emailed the owner of the Protege for the VIN but haven't gotten it yet). It turns out the Prizm is a former rental vehicle. Is this good, bad, neutral? Is there a reason they wouldn't list this in the ad? Here's a link to the report for the Prizm.

    I really appreciate your input.
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    I just found another interesting one. It seems like a good deal (too good?). The ad says "Nissan GXE" which I think means Sentra.

    $6200 - 2002 Nissan Sentra 38k miles automatic link

    Would you choose this one over the Prizm and Protege?
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    No.
    -Mathias
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    During the negotiations process, you let the seller know that you want to have the car inspected by YOUR mechanic. You let the mechanic look it over and give his opinion.

    YOU are paying for the inspection ($75 or so). How many do YOU want to have inspected?

    Generally, the car has to pass by me first. If I don't like the looks or the drive, the mechanic will not see it.
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    I just got this reply from the owner of the Protege:

    Hi, it has a salvage title, But the car has no accident I bought it from auction
    it was missing the seats, wheels, stereo ,and the driver side wendow was broocking
    so I got the seats the wheels with new tires the stereo and new window. you can
    come over and check it your self and you are more then welcome to take it to any mechanic
    to check it for you to see if the car ever had any accident or not so this is like a clean title car
    and you are getting it for very less price cuase the blue book for this car is $7300.
    And I'm selling it cuase I bought one more car together with this car from auction and the
    other one is a 1999 toyota corolla CE and it dosen't matter wich one I sell cuase they both good cars if you want the corolla this one had a very miner damge from the driver side fender so I got it fixed and painted It has 107000 miles and i'm asking $4650 this car is also nice and very clean so please think about it Like I said take it a mechanic then you'll know if I'm writh or not.

    Is a salvage car just not worth considering? In any case, I guess I'll pursue the Prizm now. What about it being a rental?
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    "Is a salvage car just not worth considering? In any case, I guess I'll pursue the Prizm now. What about it being a rental?"

    I'm no big fan of ex-rentals either, but it's a $5-6 car, not a $15 car... so check it over really good, take a flashlight and peek in the cyl head through the oil filler & past the baffle.. if it's clean there, it's been maintained. There isn't much else to look for in terms of long-term concerns.

    Short-term, if someone broke something, it's broke now, so have it looked at closely by a mechanic you have reason to believe is competent.

    Check for all the VIN stickers to make sure it hasn't been severely crunched and rebuilt... a little q-panel repaint ain't a big deal, though...

    Good luck,
    -Mathias
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    I'm fairly clueless about cars. Can you tell me where all the VIN stickers should be? One in the door I know. I'm not even sure how/where to "peek in the cyl head". Is there any reasonably simple source of information for what I should look for when I see the car.

    Thanks so much for your help.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Seller seems honest, but if you go for it just consider it a beater and drive it to the ground. Don't plan on selling, as you see from the sample here few people want a salvaged car.

    -juice
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    There are thousands of cars for sale within driving distance of just about anywhere..

    Just say no to a salvage car.. especially since you want to buy a car to last for ten years..

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  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    As I mentioned earlier, avoid salvage cars.

    Actually, I think used rental cars could be a good buy. Just don't look for high resale when you want to trade it in. eBay has Taurii on the cheap, and most are former rentals. For a used rental car, try to find one with more equipment and lower miles. Most rentals were probably base models. (unless you search really hard)
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    A few points:

    1) I would agree with you that there are a LOT of used '02-04 Taurus vehicles out there for sale. However, a lot of them are from corporate fleets (think salesmen, reps, insurance agents, etc.) and not just the rental car fleets.

    I do believe that they offer some of the BEST values. I bought an '02 Taurus last year for $5500 with 55k miles. It flipped it later to a friend. It is a good deal.

    2) However, in 2003, a lot of corporate fleets switched from the Taurus to the Chevrolet Impala which in my book is a much better car than the Taurus both in terms of reliability and fuel economy. Last year, 2 yo Impalas with 50k were pretty pricy - $7500-8500 off lease. this year, I am seeing them go for $5800-7000 which is IMO, a screaming good value.

    3) I have been to muni auctions in the Chicago area where used Impala - Police Packages are going for $4800 consistently.

    4) "Base" models are not stripped down models. Most fleet vehicles have most of the popular options (except leather, sunroof and wheels). In general, you are getting a lot of cars.

    When you buy a car 3-5 YO for around $6-8k, resale should not be an issue IMO. You should be looking for a car you'll drive for a long time.
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    I agree, resale isn't very important for our situation. We will probably keep the car for a long time. Do you think the Taurus or Impala will provide a better deal than some of the other things I've been looking for?

    I'm hoping to go check out the Prizm this afternoon. If I like it, I think I should have it inspected, but my mechanic is close to an hour from the place with the Prizm. Do you think I can just call up a mechanic from the yellow pages nearby and ask him to inspect it?

    Any other advice for the visit?

    Thanks again!
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Having driven 25k miles in BOTH vehicles, I prefer the Impala over the Taurus for several reasons.

    1) The Impala is more comfortable for a big guy like myself. Comfort is a major issue with me as I have circulation problems.

    2) From *MY* experience, I got 28 mpg from the Impala vs. 24 mpg from the Taurus under the same conditions.

    3) The Impala is more reliable to a certain degree and I have had better experiences with GM products although Ford has always treated me well also.

    If you like the Prizm, that would be a pretty good car and easier to park than the others.

    I would take the car to a reputable shop in the Yellow Pages or ask for a referral to a AAA garage as they have an inspection process that they go through. Again, realize that we are not talking charity work. You will be charged for the inspection. But the inspection may catch a big issue that you will not see as a layman.

    For example, a friend buys a used Lexus at a very reputable Cincinnati dealership. I call the place reputable as the guy only sells quality used car and treats people right. The friend buys the car and takes it in to his mechanic a few weeks later. The mechanic notices that the car had about $15k in damage repair that had been professionally repaired. The car was later bought back by the dealership.

    Do realize, that any inspection may miss something. Maybe a problem is intermittant. However, you have a better chance of landing a good car.
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    So we went to check out the Prizm. We were somewhat surprised at the place. Called "Euro Wholesale", it was very small, they had like 20 cars, nearly all more expensive than this one, and 1 guy there. He let us take the car for a drive, and my wife and I each drove it, but he didn't come with us.

    The sticker price said $8,900 (the ad we followed said $6,450) When I mentioned that the car was a former rental, he seemed surprised, as if he didn't know. He didn't have any service records for the car. He was very much not the car salesman I was expecting. He didn't seem to care whether I wanted the car or not really.

    Anyway, on the whole the car seemed pretty good to me, though there were a couple buttons missing. However, there were two issues with the car which may or may not be a problem. First, it smelled somewhat of cigarettes, which bothered my wife. I wouldn't want her to have to use that car if we couldn't get the smell out. Second, when I turned it as far left as possible (u-turn), I heard what sounded sort of like a recurring grating sound. I mentioned it to the man when I returned, but got pretty much no comment. He was very willing for me to take it to a mechanic, but I haven't done so yet.

    We left unsure, because of the two issues I mentioned. What do you think? Can cigarette smell be removed?
  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    Anyone else have an opinion on this Sentra?

    $6200 - 2002 Nissan Sentra 38k miles automatic link
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,147
    Cigarette smell can't be removed. It also sounds like there's either a problem with the Prism, or the dealer just doesn't know anything about it at all. Plus, the different price? Hm...

    Again, through personal experience, I'm a fan of the Sentra. The News & Views host, pf_flyer, drove one of those some 200K miles before buying another Nissan, so they can certainly live a long and happy life.

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    I agree with Kirstie.. if the cigarette smell bothered your wife, just write that one off the list.. you'll never get it all of the way out..

    But, I like Prizms and Proteges much better than the Sentra..

    Nissans last a long time.. and that isn't a good thing, if you are the one that has to drive it...

    The Impalas and Tauri are a good deal.. but, you've been driving small cars before this.. If they meet your needs, no reason to spend more on fuel with a bigger car..

    Keep looking.. lots of cars out there..

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,891
    the noise you heard sounds like just the tires rubbing. First thing I would do is check the sticker on the door jamb to see what size tires SHOULD be on there and compare it with what IS on there. If the tires on there are wider than they should be, that is probably your problem. Not really a big deal at all. Just don't turn the wheel all the way (sounds sort of like that doctor joke, doesn't it?) ;)

    The price difference isn't surprising. Happens all the time. If someone shows the ad and they honor it, no big deal, right? But if someone comes in off the street, never saw the ad, they might wind up paying more based on the sticker. Not the nicest way to do business, but its a used car lot, after all, so you can't expect much.

    I differ on the cigarette smell. I believe enough Febreeze can get rid of anything over time.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    Yeah.. but...

    It is his wife that has the cigarette smell problem...

    You know what I am getting at?

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  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    How does this one sound?

    $2950 - 2001 Ford Escort 66k miles automatic link
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,891
    I'm not a fan of Escorts, but if everything checks out ok, it certainly sounds like you should be able to get your money's worth out of it. I think its about a $2K car on the wholesale side, so the price isn't bad, but you can probably get it a little lower. I'm sure nobody is banging down the seller's door for this gem.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • lathamlatham Member Posts: 33
    After hearing many speak about good prices on Tauruses, Impalas, Prizms, Proteges, etc. I'm curious about how you find them. I've been searching online (through edmunds, sfgate, craigslist) and posting the best that I find, but have a very difficult time finding the deals that I hear about. Am I looking in the wrong places? Any tips for finding these good deals?
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