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Used Vehicles Best Values

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Consensus on the CR-V Prices Paid board seems to be invoice or slightly under..

    Of course, that may vary by region and dealer.. Currently, it looks like I'd want 1% over invoice maximum.. That should be achievable.. But, of course, you already have a trade offer on your Odyssey, and you'll have to take that into account...

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • jake20jake20 Member Posts: 5
    i'm trying to find a good, reliable, and affordable used car (preferably under $18k). want room but also good gas mileage. so have shifted search from SUV to wagons.

    so now considering either:
    * '00 passat glx wagon with 40k miles at $15,998
    * '01 saab 9-5 wagon with 30k miles at $16,998
    * '01 volvo v70 wagon with 60k miles at $19,599

    based on price/mileage, style, and edmunds reviews, i'm seriously considering the passat glx wagon.

    questions for those who have experience with passat's and buying used cars in general:

    * any other wagons i should consider based on price, style, gas mileage, and reliability?
    * as for the passat wagon, is this a good price? (it's high according to tmv)
    * is the passat going to last another 5-6 years at 15k miles/year?
    * is the passat reasonably reliable with relatively low maintenance issues/costs? (e.g. how much difference b/w the passat and the hondas/toyotas of the world in terms of reliability?)
    * anything i should know about the passat wagon before i buy it?

    many thanks for your experience/insights on any/all of the above questions...
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    You might want to also visit our Help me select a wagon discussion. If reliability is a top priority, then you might have to make a new list! VWs are notorious for electrical (and other) problems.

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  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    If you are looking for a reliable car, I would look elsewhere. All three cars you mentioned are troublesome and I'm not sure which is the worst of the three!
  • rroyce10rroyce10 Member Posts: 9,332
    .... *** '01 volvo v70 wagon with 60k miles at $19,599* ...

    Which one.? ... T5 - XC - base model .................?

    Terry.
  • jake20jake20 Member Posts: 5
    thanks for the perspectives...i'm now sufficiently scared away from my original list (the 0'1 volvo v70 listed above is a T5)...

    it seems hard not to consider the pricier but more reliable honda/acura and toyota/lexus axis.

    if you were trying to stay under $20k price range for a car that'll last a good 5-6 years (at 15k miles/year), would you....

    a) buy an older ('99-'01) lexus/acura with 60-80k miles, rather than b) go with an '02-'04 american or european car with 30-40k miles?

    i ask b/c i'm now considering a '99 Lexus RX 300 w/60k miles at $18,998. i'd prefer something in the $15k range. but it seems better to pay the premium upfront and have a chance to avoid some of the maintenance costs later.

    many thanks for your thoughts.
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    " ask b/c i'm now considering a '99 Lexus RX 300 w/60k miles at $18,998. i'd prefer something in the $15k range. but it seems better to pay the premium upfront and have a chance to avoid some of the maintenance costs later."

    Do you have it in cash?
    I'm asking 'cuz if you don't, you'll be making payments on a 10-year-old car. This does not sound like a good choice.
    Step right up to new Highlander in the $25-27 range.
    If you can't afford that, you certainly cannot afford a seven-year-old Lexus for $19. Trust me on this.

    -Mathias
  • rroyce10rroyce10 Member Posts: 9,332
    ....... You hafta remember .. Isell lives, breaths and makes love to Honda's .. great vehicles, but there is other brands out there (but don't tell Isell) ....

    The Volvo T5 would make for a good driver at 60k ... but not at $18,900 ....

    If the service is from yesterday, the rubber is deep and it has a super history .. then the dealer can't have much more then the $13's, and the $14's with a CPO in it -- and $16,900 would aaaaall the money in the world on the Retail side ........ $18,900.? maybe in Neverland ...



    Terry ;)
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I deal with them as used cars and I know the ones that always cause troubles.

    Volvos are VERY high on that list!

    And Honda isn't alone at building cars that don't cause many problems.
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    Mazda 6. Hands down. You can get '04s with under 20k miles for $14 - 15k all day long in my neck of the woods, and they come with the V6 standard. Good looking, nice handling, and likely much more reliable than the Euro wagons.

    -Jason
  • sweetiesweetie Member Posts: 3
    I want to get a larger car - I'm looking at midsized sedans. I'm looking at them mainly for safety in accidents.

    I researched the Mazda 626 - according to some reliability ratings the Mazda 626 problems are mainly attributed to the 4c engine. The V6 requires one major repair at around $600. That isn't a lot of money considering a nicely equiped 2002 V6 model sales for around 10K less than a similarly equiped 2005 Honda Accord.

    What is everyone's opinion about the Mazda 626 from a money/safety/reliability perspective? What other 2-4 year old used cars should I be looking at in the midsized sedan category? (Not Honda or Toyota though - I want high reliability and high depreciation. If I bought a Honda or Toyota I would just buy a new one - which I don't want to do because I want to save money.)
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    Outback wagon.

    '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

  • prodigalsunbrnprodigalsunbrn Member Posts: 19
    I'd look at the 2000-2001 Maxima. They score much higher on the reliability charts than the 626, and come very well equipped. You should be able to score one in the 9-13K range.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    my response about the outback wagon should have been to jake20, not sweetie.

    although, for sweetie, i could slightly ammend that to Legacy sedan.

    '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

  • sweetiesweetie Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for your advice (and to qbrozen too)!
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    Used Subarus are really expensive. Right up there with Honda and Toyota.
    A used base Outback can be OK when it's 2-3 years old, but you gotta be lucky, quick on the draw, and not live in the Northeast or, God forbid, CO.
    More's the pity; I kinda like 'em...
    -Mathias
  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 4,676
    I think the 626 is your best bet from a price and reliability standpoint. Both Subarus and Maximas hold their value well and will probably cost more than a comparable 626. I've owned 3 Mazdas, including a '90 626, and all were very reliable. Other cars that will also be highly depreciated are used Buicks -- since you want a larger vehicle -- check out Century, Regal, and LeSabre. And then there's the Ford Taurus. Buicks have been pretty dependable; I don't know about Ford.
    '14 Buick Encore Convenience
    '17 Chevy Volt Premiere
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    They're not horrible in depreciation, but DEFINITELY not up there with Honda/Toyota .... at least not when I was trying to sell mine. OUch!

    I don't know what pricerange sweetie is looking for, but I just checked yahoo classifieds within 75 miles of my area (NJ) and the '02 Legacys seem to run right around $12-$13k.

    For comparison, I looked for '02 Accords..... well, its tough to sift through over 1000 hits, but the first couple of pages I skimmed were in the $18-$19K range.

    '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

  • bettersafebettersafe Member Posts: 92
    How have the rebates and employee pricing affected the prices of 2-3 year old vehicles? Is the market dead on used vehicles for a few months, or have the dealers lowered the prices of used in relationship to the lowered prices of new ??
    You would think that a good deal could be had on a car just off of lease.
    BetterSafe
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    This is an excellent question.
    And I find your reasoning to be persuasive.

    I snooped around a little to see how that most ubiquitous of off-lease cars is doing, the "2002 Civic LX auto with 36k miles".
    Anywhere from $9,500 to maybe $11 is what my "source" tells me.

    So you can buy one for $11 to $12 and consider it a "good deal".
    Still too much for a car that's four years old to a dealer and can be had new for -- I'm guessing here -- $15-16.

    Not with my money...
    -Mathias
  • connaconna Member Posts: 1
    Hello, I am from Germany, new in the States and want to nuy a Odyssey. I will stay 3 years here in the Ft Worth area and want to avoid a big retail / trade in loss. Where to search for cars from indiviuals to meet kbb private prices?
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    Moin moin, conna,

    wie waere es denn mit einem '02 Mercury Villager? Nicht die Qualitaet eines 02 Ody, aber gut zum halben Preis. Odys kosten idiotisches Geld. Wenn Du ganz sicher bist, genau drei Jahre in Texas zu bleiben, ueberleg' Dir, ob Du nicht leasen willst und dadurch schon bei der Steuer $1k sparen...?

    How about an 02 Villager? Not quite the quality of an Ody, but a little over 1/2 the price. Odys bring stupid money. If you're really sure you're gonna be in Tx for 3 years, think about leasing. Just the tax savings would be $1k or so...

    [Note how the German is 25% longer than the English? That's where the Dollar/Euro exchange rate comes from!]
    Gruss,
    -Mathias
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    I had a guy in the office who asked me to help him buy a Honda Odyssey to replace his Suzuki Samarai about three months ago. He was convinced that the local Honda dealer was ripping him off as they wanted MSRP. I read him the riot act and told him that the price was NOT a bad one and he would need to pay something close to that to get one. Still he dragged me to three different dealerships to see if he could get a "better deal".

    Four hours later, three dealers later, all three dealers were within $200-300, period. He passed on it.

    Yesterday, I see the guy again. Bought a one year old Impala LS with 25k ... for $17k! Ouch! I wish he would have called me as I had an '03 Impala LS with 50k he could have had for under $7k. That is a vehicle where there might be some bargains.
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    "I wish he would have called me as I had an '03 Impala LS with 50k he could have had for under $7k."

    Sheesh, don't call him, call me... LOL .. that's a really good deal if the car's all there. Now if you had your email adress in your profile...

    This just goes to show people are all hung up about MSRP and invoice and "how much the dealer is making". Instead of thinking about value and "car for the dollar".

    I think I'll go into a mode where we have two cars year-round, then buy something in March and sell it in October... that shouldn't be too much hassle, and a Taurus or Impala, if bought "right", can probably be sold for the same amount it was bought.

    And no, I don't think I'll try that with an Odyssey...

    -Mathias
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    The guy in a purchasing agent and he just wouldn't believe that the Odyssey was not a vehicle that Honda dealerships needed to discount to move.
  • rroyce10rroyce10 Member Posts: 9,332
    .. **This just goes to show people are all hung up about MSRP and invoice and "how much the dealer is making". Instead of thinking about value and "car for the dollar"**.......

    It happens every second of everyday, people pay for what "they" think is a good buy - it's self affirmation .....

    I ran into this with a guy I kinda play golf with, he's been talking convertibles for a month and he calls me every other day -- "it's gotta be an import, it's gotta be classy, it's gotta have low miles, it's gotta be different, it's gotta be hot, I want to be different yatty yatty yatty ..."

    So I take in this "baby doll" 03 Audi A4 Cabriolet with 17k, it's the right color, it sat in a garage and was driven 6 months of the year with a 100k warranty - I got it dirty when I detailed it .. he goes nut's when he hears about it - I'll take $30, but he says: "bring it to the course" (but he only wants to pay $25,0) "but bring it to the course anyway, we'll work it out" .....

    He shows up last Sunday in a 02 Firebird Trans-Am with 55,000 miles, top is burnt off, tires are weak and the air don't blow cold .. in the meantime, the Audi is got as crowd going on, he first remark was "I saved $5,000 and only paid $25,000 ..." .... "Bud, it's a $15,000 driver - maybe" ..l.o.l.... ...... the little Cabriolet sold itself before the turn ..... I guess he showed me.



    Terry ;)
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    This guy I helped to look at Tauri and a couple Prizms, who wanted a car for his son...
    ... well, as soon as the son got behind Mama, it warn't no sedan no more, and they got this:

    2001 Blazer LS 4x4 4dr 75k miles, pewter in color (aren't 3/4 of them that color?) with a short CPO warranty.... for (drum roll) $10,600. I'm "hoping" that's with the tax...

    I figure they overpaid no more than $2 and no less than $1 and it's not like he can't afford it... but what bugs me is I blew off work for a couple hours to help him look at sedans, made up for it in the evening, got a bunch of auction data a couple days beforehand so we could look at prices.... and then he goes and blows out ten grand without even calling and saying, buddy, what should I pay for this car...
    Alright, he's a nice guy, and I'm over it now, but it makes you wonder what's going on between the ears some time.

    The cars I can handle, I'm not so sure about the customers.
    -Mathias
  • bettersafebettersafe Member Posts: 92
    Please be considerate of us mortals who buy a vehicle once per 3 years. . . and who have spouses / children who's emotions outweigh weeks of research.. Sounds like some of the posters are pros who buy a car each week.

    Where can you get an Impala LS for 7K ?
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    I like your username... the Blazer got an overall rating of "poor" from the IIHS offset crash test. Taurus is a "best pick".

    That's a good point about buying a car every 3 years or so.... but that's what I'm saying, if help is a phone call away, make the phone call. I don't get my information from buying a car every week, I get it from here and a couple other places.
    Meaning, I ask for information from people who know and who apparently give it gladly.

    -Mathias
  • rroyce10rroyce10 Member Posts: 9,332
    ............ I don't think Mathias was taking a shot at anyone, he's just stating a fact .....

    Me.? I see it everyday, so nothing surprises me ..l.o.l... It's called the rule of 21's ... call 21 people until someone agree's with you, this way you know your right ....................... ;)

    Terry.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    Well, I would think its affecting the used prices on those models the special pricing is available on, but I don't see it hurting other makes and models too badly.

    I mean, the lines in the sand have been drawn for a LONG time. Someone who wants a used Odyssey is not going to all of a sudden decide a Town and Country is better just because they can get it for $100 cheaper than last month. OK, sure, I'm certain SOME folks are making that decision, but I think the Honda camp or Toyota camp or any other manufacturer has their incredibly large loyal fan base and discounts aren't going to change that SO drastically.

    '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

  • bettersafebettersafe Member Posts: 92
    But what if it was $2000 less? or $3000 less? At some point a much lower price will cause a buyer to overlook a feature or two, or a reliability index. A savings of $3000 today will offset a repair bill or two in the future.
    I ask this, because I was in the new car market for an Avalon, but I feel the pull toward a better value, i.e., lower cost, alternative. The new cars have great rebates and pricing. It just is not clear how much the manufacturer rebates on new cars affect the prices of cars coming off of lease.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    The current employee pricing thing just isn't that big of a deal, though. American manufacturers have typically offered deep rebates and most any shmoe could walk into a dealership and get invoice minus rebates. NOw that they are offering this employee pricing, they have reduced their rebates for the most part. So, as best as I can tell, the actual buy price hasn't changed all that much on average (and could even be worse now than it was before). The only difference is that, before, you had to negotiate for those prices ... now its a virtual given.

    My opinion on this is that it would take a very specific buyer to make the switch at this point. First of all, the buyer would need to not have any brand-loyalty to the alternatives, be willing to overlook any benefits they may get from the other brand (i'm not saying there are any, just that, if there are, they need to overlook them), AND they would have to not realize what I have stated above about the actual buy price not being very different than before.

    '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

  • bettersafebettersafe Member Posts: 92
    What you say may be true: that there is not much difference between now, and what hard bargaining could have produced a couple of months ago. I wonder, however, what percentage of folks buy at MSRP, how many feel good to shave a couple of hundred off of MSRP, and those who really bargain hard. I suspect the bargain hard group is 20% or less of the customers.
    BetterSafe (than Sorry)
  • elle4elle4 Member Posts: 3
    Does anyone know besides the Mercury Villager or Quest what other American cars have Japanese powertrains? I thought there were a couple of compacts or subcompacts a few years back.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    Saturn Vue now uses Honda V6.

    Alot of Chrysler/Dodge cars used Mitsubishi powertrains. Haven't checked in quite a while, though.

    I'm sure there are a slew of others out there still.

    '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

  • basscadetbasscadet Member Posts: 146
    The Pontiac Vibe is the exact same car as the Toyota Matrix. Both use a very reliable Toyota powerplant. These are great little cars and anybody who is single with a pet they like to drive around should check one of these out.
  • basscadetbasscadet Member Posts: 146
    I just wanted to remind everybody not to forget about Mazda. Their used cars typically sell for quite a bit less than Hondas and Toyotas but they are *extremely* reliable cars.

    note - I don't work for a Mazda dealership. :D
  • basscadetbasscadet Member Posts: 146
    Earlier in this thread I saw somebody mention 1-2 year old Ford Taurus', Chevy Malibus, Pontiac Grand Ams as good used car best buys.

    These cars are bargains. But people should be aware that if they intend to drive these cars past the 100,000 mile mark they're gambling.

    I would put my faith in a 125,000 mile Honda Accord all day, every day over a 60,000 mile Ford Taurus.
  • asafonovasafonov Member Posts: 401
    While Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer were still made, they shared a lot of mechanical components including the engine with Mazda Protege.

    Toyota Corolla and Geo/Chevrolet Prizm are well-known twins in everything except the stereo and some sheetmetal (and perhaps the battery?) Ditto for Geo/Chevy Metro and Suzuki Swift, though I have seen the Swifts mostly outside the U.S.

    Mazda truck - Ford Ranger.

    Mazda engine (at least the V6) in Ford Contour/Mitsubishi Mystique.

    Yamaha engine in Ford Taurus SHO.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    ***Earlier in this thread I saw somebody mention 1-2 year old Ford Taurus', Chevy Malibus, Pontiac Grand Ams as good used car best buys. ***

    There are a lot of them out there with 150-200k miles.

    Once you get past 100k on ANY car, its reliability is directly proportional to the amount of maintenance that has been done on the vehicle. I have seen many abused Hondas that have been limping along at 100k because their bozo owners failed to do the required oil changes and maintenance.

    I would take the 60k Taurus over the Accord as I would probably be able to get the vehicle for $1-2k less.
  • osubeavosubeav Member Posts: 56
    The Mazda truck is actually the other way around since '94 - an American made rig disguised as japanese. It's a rebadged Ranger.

    The 2.5L and 3.0L V6 in some Mazdas (like my MPV) are european Ford engines, I believe, and only tweaked by Mazda. So far, the 2.5L in my MPV has been very reliable, if a little underpowered.
  • cwcranecwcrane Member Posts: 15
    For the past few months I've been in the market for buying a used car, but have been reluctant to get rid of my paid-off car for something new and shiny with a payment. Some friendly advice is needed! Currently I drive a 1995 Honda del Sol, which has been a great little car for me for the past 8 years, but it isn't a very practical car. I am looking for a much more comfortable car that has more power (preferably at least a 6 cyl). I spend about 2 hours a day commuting, so the car needs to be very comfortable. I also need a car that is extremely reliable, since I don't have a lot of free time to spare dealing with a car that might leave me stranded. I'd like to keep the cost of the car around the low $20K's. Below are a few cars (with dealer asking price) that I've test driven and feel the most comfortable with; however, I don't have a favorite (I enjoy each equally - relative to price). Which car would you prefer? Most "bang for the buck"?

    1. 2002 Infiniti I35 w/28k miles - $20,990
    2. 2003 Lincoln LS w/14k miles - $18,970
    3. 2001 Lexus GS300 w/29k miles - $21,988
    4. 2004 Nissan Maxima w/27k miles - $22,990
    5. 2002 Nissan Maxima w/20k miles - $16,990
    6. 2002 Acura 3.2 CL-S w/30k miles - $23,995
    7. 2002 Lexus IS300 w/32k miles - $19,988
    8. 2001 Lexus GS430 w/49k miles - $25,988 (more than I want to spend, but very nice to drive - is this car worth the extra money?)
    9. 2002 Audi A4 3.0 Quattro AWD w/45k miles - $21,988

    Are there other cars I should consider looking at in this price range that are comparable to the above cars? Any of the above cars I should absolutely stay away from? I've already test driven a 2004 Accord, 2004 Camry, 2005 Altima, 2004 Acura TSX, 2003 Chevy Impala, and a 2004 Mazda 6(?). All were very nice cars, but didn't do enough for me to want to buy them.

    Thanks for any advice!
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    Oooh I love spending other people's money...

    1. 2002 Infiniti I35 w/28k miles - $20,990
    Don't know anything about them

    2. 2003 Lincoln LS w/14k miles - $18,970
    Not bad, but not so hot in the reliability department. Supposed to be nice drivers; Terry's driven a bunch of them.

    3. 2001 Lexus GS300 w/29k miles - $21,988
    This is something special; don't see too many of them, and it's got an inline six and RWD; what I like about it it's Lexus bullet-proof, and the miles are low for the year, which is good 'cuz you'll do the opposite. Price seems a touch high, but Lexi hold their value. Downside is lousy fuel economy in this old engine; low 20s on the freeway... I'd check this one out, though, it won a C&D comparo with some impressive cars in it.

    4. 2004 Nissan Maxima w/27k miles - $22,990
    5. 2002 Nissan Maxima w/20k miles - $16,990
    Nice cars, good reliability, try it out. The 02 might be a good fit with your driving pattern, but this only works if you're not in the rust belt... in any case, a new maxima would only be low-to-mid twenties (I think) so there needs to be some dealing.
    If you weren't too happy with the CamCord duo, you may not think the Max is luxo enough.. but it IS different enough to merit a test drive.

    6. 2002 Acura 3.2 CL-S w/30k miles - $23,995
    Small. Should be fun to drive.

    7. 2002 Lexus IS300 w/32k miles - $19,988
    Same engine as the above GS, very little room, doesn't have the ride/handling compromise down as well as BMW. Nice car, though... try it, you'll be surprised how small it is...

    8. 2001 Lexus GS430 w/49k miles - $25,988 (more than I want to spend, but very nice to drive - is this car worth the extra money?)
    For a daily commuter, that's a whopper of an engine.. it'll have LS430 maintenance bills. Not repair, maintenance :-)

    9. 2002 Audi A4 3.0 Quattro AWD w/45k miles - $21,988
    Way too much money for a four-year-old Audi that'll be out of warranty soon. Nice car, though, for the right price and IF you have a competent mechanic. And don't mind the occasional $1245 for a this-and-that electronic module.
    The body and chassis on those things will last 20 years, easy.

    Have fun!
    -Mathias
  • butchbr73butchbr73 Member Posts: 325
    ..."bang for the buck" wise, I'd probably vote on the '02 Max. I assume its an se or gle w/ leather, bose, etc...? I'd take a look at the I35, just a little "nicer" than the Max, but almost identicle otherwise. The price seems high for the Infiniti, s/b able to get in the upper teens pretty easy.

    Personally, if price really isn't an issue (haven't looked how competitive all the prices you list are), but the gs430 is one of my favorite rides out there. super reliable and just a nice quality ride. May not be the best on gas, but.... the maintenance is where it may get you. ;) Lexus' are nice, but the maintenance bills to keep them nice can break you, specially if you use the famous Lexus service department (know that from experience). If you know a nice, reliable, low cost mechanic, may be an option.

    The GS300 is almost identical on the inside, just won't have the juice of the max or acura. Depends on how much you enjoy the performance factor. You won't get much from this one, but its definately comfortable.

    I'm not a fan of the IS300, I think Lexus missed the mark on this one, not nearly enough power to do what they wanted to do with the car. It should be reliable, though. They are sharp looking cars.

    Audi and the Lincoln may not fit your reliability "desire".... Audi's can tend to get expensive outside of their warranty period. They are nice drivers, though.

    Let us know!
  • butchbr73butchbr73 Member Posts: 325
    "This is something special; don't see too many of them"

    ...Mathias, really? Yeah, now that I think about it, when I lived in Michigan, it was predominately the Big 3 driving around the area.

    Down here "in the South", these things are EVERYWHERE. Every time I turn around I see GS300's... I know b/c I really like the GS 400/430, so they always catch my eye.... ;)
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,818
    You see plenty of ES300 and 330 driving around here, but the rear-drivers are comparatively rare...
    What with the snow and all.
    Nissans are much scarcer, too, but that may be the area I'm in (Lansing).
    -Mathias
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    hehe. i also like spending other folks' money.
    lesseee here:

    1. 2002 Infiniti I35 w/28k miles - $20,990
    eh. honestly, i'd go for the maxima listed below instead.

    2. 2003 Lincoln LS w/14k miles - $18,970
    No V8? No sale.

    3. 2001 Lexus GS300 w/29k miles - $21,988
    never tried one. by all accounts, its nice, but so is a Camry.

    4. 2004 Nissan Maxima w/27k miles - $22,990
    5. 2002 Nissan Maxima w/20k miles - $16,990
    I would DEFINITELY choose the '02 for 6K savings and less miles. A no brainer.

    6. 2002 Acura 3.2 CL-S w/30k miles - $23,995
    This defeats that whole "practical" aspect you are looking for.

    7. 2002 Lexus IS300 w/32k miles - $19,988
    Too small for the $$

    8. 2001 Lexus GS430 w/49k miles - $25,988
    I think this would be nice, but do you really want to spend all that dough on a car with almost 50K miles??

    9. 2002 Audi A4 3.0 Quattro AWD w/45k miles - $21,988
    I'm getting too used to hearing complaints about reliablity.

    One that I just mentioned in another discussion that you might want to look into is the Benz E320. They are remarkably inexpensive on the used side. A few years old with 30K'ish miles and it falls right into this pricegroup you've assembled here. AND, based on those I've test driven in this group, I think the Benz is a bit more sporty, IMHO, and, since you are coming from a Del Sol, I think TOO plush of a ride might get on your nerves (I know it does in my case).

    Out of what you have, I'd go for that Max, IF its loaded up all luxo-like. I also am a fan of the Lincoln, but I have a feeling that's a V6 price, and that just ain't gonna cut it. The 4.6 V8 is a very reliable engine and the inside of the Lincoln is real nice.

    '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: 235,188
    1) The I35 is basically a Maxima.. better off getting the Maxima for $4K less..

    2) Lincoln LS.. V-8? Sport pack? If not both of those options, it is too much money.. Not that reliable.. but, nice cars..

    3) GS300... Certified? RWD is great, since you live in FL..

    4) Not worth the $6K delta over the '02..

    5) '02 Maxima.. best buy of the lot..

    6) Acura CL-S.. Nice car, if it fits your needs.. way overpriced at $24K..

    7) IS300... Again.. nice, if CPO.. as noted above.. fairly small.. Price seems right.

    8) GS430.. very nice.. not worth the extra for commuting, though..

    9) Audi... stay far, far away... Not exactly low miles, either.. overpriced..

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    We must be "channeling" each other...

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