Buying a used car - Tips
Steven
if you want to buy a second hand or used car. All the paragraphs will
be numbered to make sure you do not miss out on anything.
1. Reasons for Buying a Car
Besides the obvious reason, that being transportation, just like water
a car is now considered a necessity in most urban areas. One of the
reasons to consider when buying a car is if the vehicle being
purchased is a good deal. Is it in good condition? How long a life
does it have left? Is it an excellent ride? Does it have a great
warranty, etc. As we said, it’s virtually impossible to get along
without a car and if you can’t afford a new car, following are some
basic reasons you should consider when making that all important car
purchase.
Chuckcar
Reliant. It worked for me, i know the car has more rust than metal but i
don't care because i'm one the the biggest cheapskates this world has ever
known. Happy motoring!!
--
Free is my favorite 4 letter word
clams_casino
>Do what i do look for and buy a kcar. I own a busted up 1981 Plymouth
>Reliant. It worked for me, i know the car has more rust than metal but i
>don't care because i'm one the the biggest cheapskates this world has ever
>known. Happy motoring!!
>
>
>
>
Heard something today that makes some sense. When buying new it's
usually best to buy a car with high trade-in value (usually a reflection
of good long term reliability). When buying used, consider reliable
cars where trade-in value is poor / where the previous owner is taking
a big hit on depreciation.
Rod Speed
> Chuckcar wrote:
>
>> Do what i do look for and buy a kcar. I own a busted up 1981 Plymouth
>> Reliant. It worked for me, i know the car has more rust than metal
>> but i don't care because i'm one the the biggest cheapskates this
>> world has ever known. Happy motoring!!
> Heard something today that makes some sense.
Not necessarily.
> When buying new it's usually best to buy a car with high trade-in value
Thats only useful if you plan to trade it in. If you plan to buy new and
keep it until its no longer a viable car, the trade-in value isnt relevant.
> (usually a reflection of good long term reliability).
Nope, more what the market likes.
> When buying used, consider reliable cars where trade-in value is poor / where the previous owner is taking a big hit
> on depreciation.
Depends on whether you plan to trade it in yourself later.
Seerialmom
When I've bought used cars in the past I tended to drive them for 3-4
years...bought cheap to begin with and even with the higher mileage,
still managed to sell it for about the same price I paid. Example: 81
Chev. Luv, paid: $1200, had it for about 3 years, sold it for $1200.
JonquilJan
something for transportation further than the mail box.
The problem was - I have very limited funds. When I talked initially to
the salesman - told him I didn't care what make, model or color it was.
Other than everything needed to make it legal and safe - only needed a
decent heater. A radio would be considered a plus. Other than that,
everything else would be not necessary - and, if included, would not pay
extra for it. I needed something that would get me there and get me back -
and there is seldom more than 20 miles from my home and usually less than 5.
I ended up with a 1981 Mitsubishi Galant with 103,000 miles on it. Took a
friend, who is more knowledgeable about cars, with me to look at what was
offered. And he did ask a lot of questions I wouldn't have thought about.
Also I insisted that the car be taken to my own mechanic to be checked out.
My mechanic sent back a list of things that needed to be corrected. New
front brakes, rear brake drums rotated, new battery, new tires. All of that
was done, car was detailed (would like them to detail my house!) and a
loaner was provided to me while the work was being done. Getting used to
the difference still (had a 1992 Buick Century station wagon before - also
purchased used) but so far (25 days) things seem to be going fine.
If I could just figure out the headlights.
So - when buying a used car - take someone else with you - even if you know
about cars (I don't) they could ask questions that wouldn't come to mind by
yourself. And have a mechanic look at it. Salesmen usually aren't
mechanics - and hidden damage usually can be found by a good mechanic.
JonquilJan
Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying
Rod Speed
> On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:43:06 -0400, Chuckcar <Ch...@nil.kcar> wrote:
>
>> Do what i do look for and buy a kcar. I own a busted up 1981 Plymouth
>> Reliant. It worked for me, i know the car has more rust than metal
>> but i don't care because i'm one the the biggest cheapskates this
>> world has ever known. Happy motoring!!
>
>
> term "K-car." What does that mean?
> Personally, we buy a 10-year-old car every two years,
> run it into the ground, then buy another.
How do you manage to run a 10 year old car into the ground in just 2 years ?
> Way cheaper then buying and maintaining a new car, IMNSHO.
Way cheaper to not run it into the ground in just 2 years.
Vic Smith
I do fine buying 5-7 year old cars and running them about 10 years.
You can find them with 50-70k miles.
If selected right, they need little maintenance, but you have to take
care of them to get the 10 years.
But everybody has different expectations for their cars.
--Vic
--Vic
Rod Speed
>>>> Do what i do look for and buy a kcar. I own a busted up 1981
>>>> Plymouth Reliant. It worked for me, i know the car has more rust
>>>> than metal but i don't care because i'm one the the biggest
>>>> cheapskates this world has ever known. Happy motoring!!
>>> Free is my favorite 4-letter word, too, but I'm not
>>> familiar with the term "K-car." What does that mean?
>>> Personally, we buy a 10-year-old car every two years,
>>> run it into the ground, then buy another.
>> How do you manage to run a 10 year old car into the ground in just 2 years ?
>>> Way cheaper then buying and maintaining a new car, IMNSHO.
>> Way cheaper to not run it into the ground in just 2 years.
> I do fine buying 5-7 year old cars and running them about 10 years.
> You can find them with 50-70k miles.
> If selected right, they need little maintenance,
> but you have to take care of them to get the 10 years.
Not if you get the right car. My last one lasted 35+ years with
no maintenance at all except when it needed that to be usable.
> But everybody has different expectations for their cars.
They do indeed. Certainly once they are over 15 years old they arent as reliable as say one 5 years old.
Brad Naylor
"P.W. Stynx" <tata...@readio.org> wrote in message
news:lv8ha4pv3l7gdlqf4...@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:43:06 -0400, Chuckcar <Ch...@nil.kcar> wrote:
>
> "K-car." What does that mean?
Back in the early 80s or so, Chrysler was in one of its constant flirtations
with bankruptcy, only this time it was really serious. The CEO at the time
was Lee Iacocca and he pleaded with the government to back the company with
loan guarantees until their newest shitbox car, built on a platform code
named 'k', could be built. Those cars came to be known as k-cars and truly
trash they were. But there was enough hype about these cars that lots of
them were bought. Enough so that the government's loan to the company
earned $300 million. There is no end to the gullibility of the American
consumer, it seems.
A VFW
P.W. Stynx <tata...@readio.org> wrote:
> On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:43:06 -0400, Chuckcar <Ch...@nil.kcar> wrote:
>
> >Do what i do look for and buy a kcar. I own a busted up 1981 Plymouth
> >Reliant. It worked for me, i know the car has more rust than metal but i
> >don't care because i'm one the the biggest cheapskates this world has ever
> >known. Happy motoring!!
>
>
> Free is my favorite 4-letter word, too, but I'm not familiar with the term
> "K-car." What does that mean?
>
> Personally, we buy a 10-year-old car every two years, run it into the
> ground, then buy another. Way cheaper then buying and maintaining a new
> car, IMNSHO.
If you have a car and like it. I would suggest buying an identical model
but either in better condition or needing a repair that you just had done
on yours .. switch parts.
If you have a fav. mechanic who knew your car well and was honest. That
would be the first stop while shopping a "new" to you.
another advantage to buying a similar car is that you know how it should
sound and drive. And any design flaws of the model.
Once I found a junk yard that would "store" my old junk car for awhile
and I could come an take parts off it for free.
My fav. hint is to find a "retired" mechanic down the street from you to
seek advice and maybe some repairs. Some "retired" need a little cash.
Good luck and don't trade-in an old car. Recycle it.
--
If guns are out-lawed. Only the Out-laws & politicians will have guns.
Ron Peterson
> > Free is my favorite 4-letter word, too, but I'm not familiar with the
> > term "K-car." What does that mean?
It was a compact front wheel drive car. I bought the 1982 station
wagon, which had a Mitsubishi engine (although it used a carburetor,
it never stalled). Unfortunately, it was totaled from a rear-end
collision 4 years later (it crumpled well leaving me uninjured and I
was able to drive it home).
--
Ron