Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Got news today that one of the family cars has kicked the bucket. It's old as dirt and getting a new clutch just isn't worth it, so I am back in "searching for a new (used) car" mode.
Just curious about recent experiences of used car purchasers on city-data. I'm in the market for a used Toyota or Honda. Did you go to a local dealer or find something on craiglist? Where are used car loan rates trending these days?
I haven' purchased a used car in about 10 years so any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
My fiance purchased a car from Hanna Imports on Capital in Nov. He was so happy with their service and the price of the car. You can see their inventory online to see if there's something that interests you before going. The rate was lower from his credit union though, so he went through them, but you can do it right through Hanna if you want.
I always preferred to buy from a private owner. The dealers are in business to make money, and pass that on to you in the price. Also I'm a little leary about where these lot cars come from. Ya gotta watch the ones that come from auctions that are abused, but cleaned up quick, and then turned around for a quick sale.
I've been working on cars since before I had my license, so feel very confident in any choice I would make from a private owner. I also use carfax which details a car's history rather well. thats how I found my daughter a nice, used Mini
Not only does it pull in data from a variety of places, but it also tracks asking prices in your area to tell you how good of a deal it is. If you click on the "price analysis" tool off to the right of a car that you are interested in, it will give you the price on a scatter plot.
We've always purchased from a dealership, usually a car 2 -3 years old. I can highly recommend Southern States Subaru. They have a bunch of dealerships including mazda,and vw. The few times we have purchased privately (and not from a friend) have been disasters. I like that there is a grace period, and usually the balance of the manufacturers warranty available through the dealership.
we recently bought a used honda in march. i've typically bought from a mix of private owners or car dealers (provided the dealer would give me a great deal). we knew we would only buy a toyota or honda, but eventually focused solely on an 07 honda accord for the price/options/model that we wanted. that made it somewhat tough to locate, but not impossible. a few tips i learned in the recent car search:
* used cars are definitely up in value now. don't be surprised if people/dealers may not bargain as much, but also don't anticipate that they won't because they usually need to move the car. what i really mean is that given the economy, many are downsizing from their more expensive cars to a reliable used car that may be cheaper.
* research the retail value, private owner value, & trade-in value at edmunds & then figure out your top number to purchase, together with what you may be willing to compromise or "would be nice to have" options. Used Cars - Edmunds.com (i just plugged in info for cars that caught my eye to get what their estimated values would be based on area code, options, mileage, etc. -- then i could figure out if they were listing for a fair price or if they might come down to what i considered a fair price.)
* i set up an autotrader.com account (it's free) through the edmunds link to seek out vehicles in our area. i was willing to drive elsewhere for a deal, but you can set your options to find something here or 100 miles away or nationwide, your pick.
* i checked craigslist daily & it's actually how i found the car we purchased. of course, use common sense. there are some creeps out there. also, i would search listings based on price, make, & model & *always* required images. if it didn't have an image, i didn't bother to look. the craigslist listings are from private owners & dealers. you could usually tell who was desperate to sell a vehicle based on how often they updated the listing (you'll note this if you check daily like i did.)
- i checked a few other used car recommendations from this board:
Hanna Imports | 5001 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27616 | (919) 878-5855 | Pre Owned cars, trucks, motorcycles, and SUVS for sale by Hanna Imports of Raleigh, used vehicle dealer. Used cars for sale. (http://www.hannaimports.com/inventory.asp?qs=1 - broken link) Anchor Auto Sales Inventory of Used Cars for Sale, FUQUAY VARINA, NC, 919-557-0021 Westgate Imports Raleigh North Carolina 27617
(we bought a previous vehicle from westgate & really liked them. i've never bought from hanna & anchor & honestly didn't find anything i thought was a great deal, but nevertheless i looked at their online inventory daily.)
these online inventories for used sales were great to surf from the comfort of your own home. you could check other dealers like leith, etc. but honestly i liked using craigslist & autotrader to track down the hondas we wanted to see at all places. the places i listed above were great for letting us look at toyotas, hondas, & acuras (early in the running) to see what was out there & pricing.
* i would avoid carmax but that's just personal preference. some people like their no-haggle pricing but i wasn't into it. i did take my car there for pricing to see what they'd give me for it. you might take your car that just died & even get $500 for it (seriously). we had friends that took in a decrepit ford tempo that had caught fire & they got $500 for it. heh.
Got news today that one of the family cars has kicked the bucket. It's old as dirt and getting a new clutch just isn't worth it, so I am back in "searching for a new (used) car" mode.
Just curious about recent experiences of used car purchasers on city-data. I'm in the market for a used Toyota or Honda. Did you go to a local dealer or find something on craiglist? Where are used car loan rates trending these days?
I haven' purchased a used car in about 10 years so any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Depending which model Honda/Toyota you are looking to buy (and how old), run the numbers on new vs. used. IMHO, 3-5 yr old Honda/Toyota vehicles command a pretty penny when compared to what a new one can be purchased for. I sold my wife's 30 month old Odyssey for $2500 less than we paid new for it. Basically drove the car for $100 month in depreciation while we owned it.
Unfortunately, not a great time to buy used from a price perspective as even the 5 yr old recycled police cars are commanding top dollar.
I've used Auto Trader to scope out private sale cars. I really think it takes more work, but you get a better deal that way.
With production cuts on Japanese models due to earthquake related production problems the market is a bit tight for Japanese makes - even when final assembly is elsewhere due to parts issues.
They sold it to me for EXACTLY what Edmunds said was a fair value. They tried not to, but I was adamant.
LOL!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
