ISO Used Car Buying Tips

MellowFarmer

MellowFarmer

Well-Known Member
Musts:

Not break down for another 100,000 mi At Least

Be comfortable enough to take the entire family on road trips - 2 humans, 2 cats, 2 large dogs

Be safe

Be big enough for errands i.e. Getting soil and other supplies -short city driving


Any advice? We budgeted we hope for around 8G tops. Good gas mileage is important but I'd also like a nice mini van or truck with an extended cab and I don't think they make those with good gas mileage does anyone know? Thanks! bongsmilie
 
Corso312

Corso312

Well-Known Member
CarMax..they sell quality vehicles...fair price..vehicle history reports..you will get a real nice and reliable vehicle if ya go there.
 
MellowFarmer

MellowFarmer

Well-Known Member
Corso312 said:
CarMax..they sell quality vehicles...fair price..vehicle history reports..you will get a real nice and reliable vehicle if ya go there.
Click to expand...
Thanks, yes I bought one from them a while ago but there really isn't one close enough. They are great!
 
tehgenoc1de

tehgenoc1de

Active Member
Cats do not like road trips.

I bought a used car from Enterprise a couple years ago. 2007 Chevy sedan, 45k miles, $9000.
 
cannabineer

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
Don't get a truck or sport-ute ... dreadful economy. Consider a large hatchback with a four-cylinder engine and a manual tranny. Train the menagerie to be content with the back seat, leaving the hatch area for luggage. cn
 
Corso312

Corso312

Well-Known Member
Even if ya find something with low miles that does not mean it will last, really need to see a vehicle history report..what has it been in the shop for? were the oil changes often enough? electrical problems? I got a few friends who wholesale cars..real shady business..some of these cars were in floods but look great..never been in a wreck..others will last less than 300 miles before the trans goes...Seen BMW' with block sealer in the engine that my neighbor bought..lasted about 6 months before the engine went.
 
cannabineer

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
Agreed. Buying used is inherently risky. And with used car prices as high as they've become (an oddly contrarian part of this weird bad economy) the price is inflated relative to value. cn
 
RightyMcquick

RightyMcquick

Active Member
i would recommend a toyota of any sort. my mother has a rav 4 that gets great gas milage and it's super reliable. but a camary will last you forever. as long as you keep up on all the maintenance. one friend of mine has a 1998 toyota camary that just passed 350,000 miles and it's still running strong. i live in new york, the home of road salt and rusty cars so if he could make it that far....
 
MellowFarmer

MellowFarmer

Well-Known Member
Thanks guys yeah we like Toyota's a lot too, we are just getting over the passing of our '98 Avalon we lost to an accident. The Mr's already found some but it feels creepy like getting the exact same looking dog lol

I was wondering cn about a grease car but again, I am challenged in the processing of french fry grease into fuel. :eyesmoke:
 
MellowFarmer

MellowFarmer

Well-Known Member
OK does anyone know about getting a diesel? There's a 99 Mercedes E320 Wagon I like for 5G and the consumer reviews are good. I like to think I may be able to turn it into a grease car but say I don't, why don't we drive diesel's anymore anyways?
 
dank smoker420

dank smoker420

Well-Known Member
Corso312 said:
CarMax..they sell quality vehicles...fair price..vehicle history reports..you will get a real nice and reliable vehicle if ya go there.
Click to expand...
not so sure about that. they bought my girl bug that needed 5000 dollars of work put into it for 4000. the needed to fix both bumpers and the covertible top. they ether lost money or sold a shitty car.

if i was to buy a car. i really like the older camry and corollas. they are very reliable and not to bad looking. might be hard for those 4 animals tho.
 
cannabineer

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
MellowFarmer said:
OK does anyone know about getting a diesel? There's a 99 Mercedes E320 Wagon I like for 5G and the consumer reviews are good. I like to think I may be able to turn it into a grease car but say I don't, why don't we drive diesel's anymore anyways?
Click to expand...
I was just thinking the same thing yesterday! You'll like the Diesel if you're like me and prefer scenery to speed. But the grease car conversion isn't cheap, and to avoid it you'd need to study converting the grease to biodiesel. if my evil plans come to fruition and i find a suitably rural spot to call my home, i will seriously look into doing the grease thing. cn
 
Corso312

Corso312

Well-Known Member
dank smoker420 said:
not so sure about that. they bought my girl bug that needed 5000 dollars of work put into it for 4000. the needed to fix both bumpers and the covertible top. they ether lost money or sold a shitty car.

if i was to buy a car. i really like the older camry and corollas. they are very reliable and not to bad looking. might be hard for those 4 animals tho.
Click to expand...


I doubt they lost money ...They paid 4k ? how many miles and what year?...they can buy a car for 4k and sell it to a wholesaler for 5k and make a quick g...they know exactly what they are buying and what the value is..that wholesaler could have put 3-5 in it and turned a nice profit himself..convertibles sell for big money..they would not sell that car on their lot..much like when you bring a shitbox into a car dealership and trade it in . dealerships selling new vehicles or high end used ones will not sell that..they will not sell a used beater ..they sell them at auctions or to wholesalers...about the mercedes wagon.. mercedes can get REALLY pricey to maintain..brake jobs even ..anything goes wrong and you are paying Much more on parts/labor than domestics.
 
MellowFarmer

MellowFarmer

Well-Known Member
:shock:

Dammit cn are you saying if I convert the engine I can put straight french fry oil in not processed?!

: dunce: really? freakin ADD
 
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