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Old 05-15-2014, 07:31 PM
 
Location: Las Vegas
14,229 posts, read 29,970,145 times
Reputation: 27686

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I have walked around CarMax and kicked the tires a little. Just getting a feel for prices and what's out there. I have written down particulars on some cars I liked and then checked KBB and other similar cars and it does seem like they are overpriced. But I'm no expert!
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Old 05-15-2014, 09:24 PM
 
16,375 posts, read 30,171,692 times
Reputation: 25427
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowsnow View Post
I have walked around CarMax and kicked the tires a little. Just getting a feel for prices and what's out there. I have written down particulars on some cars I liked and then checked KBB and other similar cars and it does seem like they are overpriced. But I'm no expert!

A few years ago, I purchased a car from a corporate fleet for $6,300 (wholesale). The same model in similar condition with the same miles at Carmax retail was $10,500.

As a general rule, I go to Carmax when I start looking for a USED car. I take their retail price for models that I am interested in. Then, I shop the local dealers. In general, on a typical midsized vehicle, I can get the car for $2000 less than at Carmax.

Is four hours of your time worth $2000?
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Old 05-15-2014, 10:27 PM
 
Location: Here and there, you decide.
12,908 posts, read 27,931,486 times
Reputation: 5051
Carmax on their website currently has a 2004 Buick Century Custom for the no haggle price of $8500.

Trade in value on the same vehicle according to Kelly Blue Book...$2700.

Talk about gouging..
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Old 05-16-2014, 12:42 AM
 
Location: Las Vegas
14,229 posts, read 29,970,145 times
Reputation: 27686
Quote:
Originally Posted by airics View Post
Carmax on their website currently has a 2004 Buick Century Custom for the no haggle price of $8500.

Trade in value on the same vehicle according to Kelly Blue Book...$2700.

Talk about gouging..
Whoa! That's a big difference!
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Old 05-16-2014, 01:30 AM
 
Location: Aliante
3,475 posts, read 3,266,864 times
Reputation: 2967
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowsnow View Post
Thanks! I have been scoping out Autotrader every few days. Even e-bay. The CRV is one of the cars I like.
Those CRVs are reliable utility vehicles. I'd recommend them. I had to drive them for work everyday for three years and we had a fleet of 11 of them that ranged from the oldest one in the fleet which was a 2003 version to brand new ones. The newer ones have a problem with their windshields in the winter though. They seem to crack easily in cold temperatures. It seemed like we were replacing the windshields every year on the new ones in the fleet. The 2013 and 2014 were worse than the earlier 2010's but the models don't seem that different. Personally I liked the pre-2010 versions. They seemed more sturdy, spacious and box like but I know the new round bubble like feature is the thing now.
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Old 05-16-2014, 05:26 AM
 
347 posts, read 541,466 times
Reputation: 346
Look on Ebay, cars.com and other sites to get an idea of what's out there as well as the Review Journals car classified (available at supermarket stands). Also, for used cars, consider looking in Cali/AZ as they have more people and more options on used cars. For 15K kinda almost there on a 2-4 yr old crossover from Toyota or Honda. Try to get one with car fax and one owner and maybe a certified preowned from a dealer that comes with an extended warranty. Also, used cars are sometimes bought at auctions so the car can be from Florida or New York so stay away from east coast cars as they suck! Snow, water, salt rust and hurricane storm damage. Sunny Cali cars/ AZ cars you only have to worry about the sun/heat damage.
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Old 05-16-2014, 07:17 AM
 
Location: Henderson, NV
5,314 posts, read 7,767,123 times
Reputation: 3568
I just purchased a used car this past January. We knew we wanted a small SUV for business, and knew where our payments needed to be, so backed into a price that way. I went on AutoTrader and Cars.com and narrowed it down to 5 possibilities at various dealerships around the valley. I composed an email and sent it to each of the 5 dealerships. 3 wanted me to come in before giving me payments (I supplies our credit scores, desired term, money down, etc). 1 gave me payments that were packed, and higher than they should have been, and the last one said, "sure, no problem, here's your payment". We went in, spent about an hour doing some paperwork, and picked the car up a couple days later, as it was a recent trade and hadn't been through the shop or recon'd yet. The dealership was Mini of Las Vegas up on Sahara, and the vehicle was a used Jeep.

Pretty simple transaction, and we're pleased. I agree the CarMax has higher prices than most of the other dealerships, but the tradeoff is some people are so scared of being "taken advantage of" that they are willing to pay a premium not to negotiate.
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Old 05-16-2014, 07:18 AM
 
200 posts, read 270,679 times
Reputation: 157
It is a difficult decision getting a used car. Car salesmen have a bad reputation for a reason (more info is available on new cars now with the internet so salesmen for new cars can be ignored because you can find the info you need online). Used car and a used car salesman are a bad combination, something to avoid if possible.

The nightmare scenario is you get a used car from a used car salesman and overpay a lot for a car that falls apart as soon as you drive it off the lot. And then the used car salesman weasels out of the warranty. You are screwed.

Carmax will ********* a little, but not a lot. The cars will run and run well and have a fairly good warranty that is honored. But you will pay retail and not wholesale.

A used car from an individual is a crapshoot.

I'm a new car kinda guy and I suffer the 10% or 20% depreciation of the car the moment I drive it off the lot. But since I already know that I'm gonna drive the car until it falls apart, the instantaneous depreciation does not hurt so bad. Plus, I get to enjoy the new car smell for a few weeks.
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Old 05-16-2014, 07:26 AM
 
Location: Henderson, NV
5,314 posts, read 7,767,123 times
Reputation: 3568
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtjtjtjt View Post
It is a difficult decision getting a used car. Car salesmen have a bad reputation for a reason (more info is available on new cars now with the internet so salesmen for new cars can be ignored because you can find the info you need online). Used car and a used car salesman are a bad combination, something to avoid if possible.

The nightmare scenario is you get a used car from a used car salesman and overpay a lot for a car that falls apart as soon as you drive it off the lot. And then the used car salesman weasels out of the warranty. You are screwed.

Carmax will ********* a little, but not a lot. The cars will run and run well and have a fairly good warranty that is honored. But you will pay retail and not wholesale.

A used car from an individual is a crapshoot.

I'm a new car kinda guy and I suffer the 10% or 20% depreciation of the car the moment I drive it off the lot. But since I already know that I'm gonna drive the car until it falls apart, the instantaneous depreciation does not hurt so bad. Plus, I get to enjoy the new car smell for a few weeks.
Wow, ignorant.

You do know that the "used car salesman" doesn't have anything to do with a warranty, right? You also know that at just about every dealership in the country, it's the same salesman who sells new cars and used cars, right?

And a Honda from Carmax will "run and run well", but a Honda from Findley won't?

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Old 05-16-2014, 07:32 AM
EA
 
Location: Las Vegas
6,791 posts, read 7,095,629 times
Reputation: 7578
I will likely be using a buy here pay here to get a truck. Not because I want to, but because 3 months out of work killed my credit, and I am behind on my truck payment, which is insanely high, so if I let it go, I'll, somehow, have even worse credit.
I have gotten cars at buy here pay here lots before, and I only had one problem. It was an OLD trans am, so it was kind of too be expected. That being said, they took it back no problem, and didn't even ding my credit.
I am armed with some sales experience now, so I don't expect to get as screwed this time. lol.
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