suggestions on used-car dealers (Pittsburgh, Altoona: buying, tax, live)

[sport29883]

Has anyone had a good experience with any particular dealer in Pittsburgh (esp dealing with Honda)? I am moving to Pittsburgh and plan to buy a car there. Please post it on the forum (so that others can support the opinion if they know about it) or if you dont feel comfortable posting it in public, you can PM me. Thanks a lot!

[Honest Bob]

That's pretty dirty to bad mouth a used car dealer and would be considered advertising if you posted the name of a dealer you felt was a good dealer.

My other question for you would be - why not buy AMERICAN!

That's the problem with people now a days, they want everything good and they want everything cheap and they want everything to last 100 years without putting a penny into it.

Honda got a good reputation when they first got into the car business because they practically gave the cars away.

Now with all the AMERICANS our of work, everyone wonders why there are no jobs and why the government is broke. BUY AMERICAN!

I think that if more people were like me and decided that they were not going to buy that foreign crap anymore - that this country would turn around.

One thing that really pisses me off is the government telling me that they are thinking about adding more tax dollars to every gallon of fuel I buy and a road tax that they plan to put on each vehicle per every mile traveled on Pennsylvania roads - because new cars are more fuel efficient then the older cars and because the new cars gets more miles per a gallon and people are driving less miles - that the state now needs to charge all vehicles per a mile and not just per a gallon of gasoline.

What this all boils down to is - I already pay more per a gallon - per a mile to drive on the roads because I drive a truck "Avalanche" that might only gets 12 miles to the gallon - yet they want to penalize me because of other people drives Honda's and Toyota's that gets 40 miles to the gallon and the state cannot live on the money they collect from a gallon of fuel.

So you save your money on a gallon of fuel and then get charged for using the road. In my opinion, then you would be better off to buy a Chevrolet that maybe only gets 25 miles to a gallon and not have to pay the tax and keep Americans' working! What do you think?

[robrobrob]

Ignoring what Superman has said, a great used car dealer in the Pittsburgh area is called Blue Knob Auto. They are by far and away the cheapeast around. They are a no haggle dealership so basically the car at the listed price or you don't. Some people like the approach some don't. My father bought a car there in the fall and thought he saved close to three thousand. However, they aren't close but you save so much money it is worth the extra time it takes to get there.

FYI - Hondas hold their value almost too well. So they really aren't that great of a buy on the used end.

Another reputable dealer closer is Tower Auto in Blawnox. More expensive but closer.

[xtant64]

I think the "Buy American" ideal with cars is blurred anymore. You can buy a Honda or a Toyota made in America, and my Dodge was produced in Mexico. It's more of a matter of if you want the factory workers in America to get your money (buy "imports), or the executives (buy "American" branded). It's more complicated than that, but it isn't as cut and dry as "Buy a Chevy and you support America, buy a Honda and you fund the axis of evil".

Back on topic. Valley Honda in Monroeville is supposed to be OK, but that is by word of mouth to me. Unfortunately I don't have first hand experience because I tend to buy Dodge/Chevy/Ford, and every dealer I've had experience with in my areas has ticked me off in one way or the other.

[groar]

yeah, i only have a dealer who i would definitely NOT recommend you buy from; they sold me a car that had serious engine problems and they removed the bulb from the check engine light, then blew off my phone calls for several months when the engine died 2 weeks after i bought the car. it's partly my fault for not getting it checked out by my mechanic beforehand, but i just didn't have time. regardless, what they did is clearly unethical.

anyway, if you want their name you can dm me because i'm pretty sure i'm not allowed to name them here.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by xtant64

I think the "Buy American" ideal with cars is blurred anymore. You can buy a Honda or a Toyota made in America, and my Dodge was produced in Mexico. It's more of a matter of if you want the factory workers in America to get your money (buy "imports), or the executives (buy "American" branded). It's more complicated than that, but it isn't as cut and dry as "Buy a Chevy and you support America, buy a Honda and you fund the axis of evil".

By the time you're buying a used car, the distinction, small as it is these days, is totally moot. Someone else already made the first decision.

I haven't bought a car in 10 years, though, so I don't have any recs for dealers. I don't think I'd go back to the one I bought from then; they've annoyed me with service tactics.

[ferraris]

By the time you're buying a used car, the distinction, small as it is these days, is totally moot. Someone else already made the first decision.

That first decision might have been based on potential resale value down the road though.

[ajl777]

bit of a drive but probably worth it
Blue Knob Auto - Altoona PA area used car dealer in Duncansville. Altoona PA used cars Johnstown Pennsylvania Hollidaysburg PA Duncansville Pennsylvania (http://www.blueknobauto.com/ou/duncansville-preowned/ - broken link)

[hempfield mania]

Buy from craigslist or an ad in the paper from a private party seller and have the car checked out by a certified mechanic before you purchase. You'll get a better deal that way.

[sport29883]

thanks a lot everyone for your inputs. really appreciate the help.