Used Car

[JBurke]

My DD just got her driver's license
I would like to get her a used reliable car but, having only owned two cars in my life, I have no idea where to start.

Anyone that can give me some advice (i.e. best places to purchase, good prices, etc.)??

Thanks!

 

[ceecee]

First thing I would consider are the safety ratings on the car. You might want to check with your insurance co as well, some cars for teens are really expensive to insure. We thought about giving DH's Camry Hybrid to DD but at 16 it is double the $ to insure as an only driver with that car. We decided to wait a few years so she can contribute to the cost.

 

[tinan]

Well I have several hints on buying a used car. First of all, I have found that the larger the vehicle the cheaper it was to insure our daughter. But you have to buy what you and her will be comfortable with. The first thing I suggest is buying the used car from a private owner vs. a lot. Generally speaking, you will save more money by buying from a private owner. I also do a search within 50 miles of my zip code to see all of the cars of a paticular make I may be looking for to see the varying options and prices. Or I may do a search for a specific price and look at what is offered in that price range. The second hint that I have is to take a look at kbb dot com for any car you are considering looking at for a value on the car. There are several values that you can look at which are trade in values, private party owner and sales lot. I try my very best to buy as close to trade in value as I can but usally am between the trade in value and private party value. You just have to make sure to put in all of the information for the model car you will be looking at with all of their extras that it may include. For example, one of the cars I bought was a 95 pontiac firebird and at the time the trade in value on it was $1800 and I got it for $1850. When I bought an 05 dodge stratus special edition sxt, the trade in value was about $4000 and the private party was $4900. I ended up purchasing it for $4200. In the event that there would be an accident that totals my car, I know that I would definitely be covered on the loss instead of being in the hole. The last thing that I utilize when I am seriously interested in a car, is to run a carfax. While this may not give you every single thing that may have happened to a car, it can warn you of accidents, floods, etc. Good luck on your search!

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

Consult Consumer Reports Magazine. Their annual automotive issue was just published and you can find it at your local library. That will help you seperate the good cars from the bad.

 

[seashoreCM]

In addition to all of the above ...

When you test drive it, it should work perfectly. Include some reasonably quick accelerating to freeway speed and reasonably quick braking. If the seller says "it needs a tuneup" and you sort of agree, then do not, repeat, do not buy it. Chances are it needs much more, perhaps an engine overhaul.

The seller should have had it tuned up first.

Also try everything, including the power windows and the trunk lock.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

 

[Gumbo4x4]

A lot depends on your budget & how new of a car you are wanting, obviously.

Myself, I tend to steer clear of the cars that have the "best" ratings & resale value when buying used. Why? Well, it's simple really. If you're buying a new car, resale value is important. If you're buying used, a car that has poor resale can be a bargain. In this instance, you WANT the car that's lost 50% of its original value, not the one that's only lost 20%. This of course is assuming you're still buying a relatively late-model car of 2-3 years old & say 50,000 miles. These days almost all the cars out there (other than some European models) are good to 100-150,000 miles w/o major trouble if they're not very old. If your goal is to go to 150,000+ or buy a 10+ year old car, then you might look into which ones have the best reputations for long-term durability. But, for that 50-150,000 sweet spot, you overpay for those models IMO.