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Don't you think I know what I'm getting myself in to? Technically I could finance a car for $30,000 (I have before!), so obviously I'm going this route for a reason.
Like I said before, I'm not looking for free life lessons
What do you think?
Ford escape (http://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/ctd/1943649392.html - broken link)
It looks like a deceptive ad where the $2600 is the down payment, and the price of the vehicle is likely in the $6-7k range. Either that, or it's missing an engine, or has some other fatal flaw.
For comparison, and cars do cost a bit more in my areas on the east coast, the same car would be around $6k. There's a nearly identical one, year/equipment, but with a manual transmission and mileage in the 60k range for sale locally at a reputable dealer, and they are asking just under $8k, a price from which they would negotiate some.
The CR-V is a good car, but pushing 200k miles on any of them, you really want one or one family as an owner, and you want the service records. You need to make sure that the critical services have been done, or else it could be a nightmarish ownership experience. The timing belt is number one, and it needs to have been done on schedule, since that is one service for which a Honda engine is not forgiving.
The CR-V is a vehicle that tends to be kept, especially when they are in the age range you're seeking, so I would tend to question why it's being sold. Some people want to rid themselves of an extra car, and others want to rid themselves of an extra problem. Ask why it's being sold, and don't take an answer of wanting something new, unless they need to sell it to buy something else.
I would also invest $150 or so and have Carchex come out and inspect any car about which you are seriously considering. Knowing ahead of time if the car needs $1k of work in the next few months can help to frame a buying decision, and can be a point of negotiation for some/all of the costs associated with the reconditioning. If they start negotiating on price when you say that you want to bring your mechanic -- RUN, do not walk away!
If you can add a little to your budget search range, you might be able to come across a CR-V that's around 100k miles, which is right when the timing belt needs to be changed. Some will sell the car, since the service can be expensive at the dealership, but you might get a good bargain and you would know that the car has had it done on time. I saw one locally for about $4800 asking price, and it had 102k miles on it, and a new belt, from a private seller.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
This thread is a great example of a guy who has decided what he wants to do and wants people to agree with him. And when the brilliance of his original idea is dissed, he takes offense.
He listed several POS cars of the mini SUV variety even though he has been told by about half of the posters that you can't get a decent mini SUV for $3000 in condition other than POS.
So let him do what he is gonna do anyway. Maybe after he schleps all the way out to see that the photo of the Escape was taken BEFORE the wreck, he will re-read the thread and go buy something for $3000 that runs.
This thread is a great example of a guy who has decided what he wants to do and wants people to agree with him. And when the brilliance of his original idea is dissed, he takes offense.
He listed several POS cars of the mini SUV variety even though he has been told by about half of the posters that you can't get a decent mini SUV for $3000 in condition other than POS.
So let him do what he is gonna do anyway. Maybe after he schleps all the way out to see that the photo of the Escape was taken BEFORE the wreck, he will re-read the thread and go buy something for $3000 that runs.
This thread is a great example of a guy who has decided what he wants to do and wants people to agree with him. And when the brilliance of his original idea is dissed, he takes offense.
He listed several POS cars of the mini SUV variety even though he has been told by about half of the posters that you can't get a decent mini SUV for $3000 in condition other than POS.
You know what? I was given the same sort of response when I was looking for a sub $5k diesel pickup in the 3/4 to 1 ton range. Basically I KNEW that what I wanted wasn't going to be perfect in some respect, but I wanted to know what things to look out for in areas I didn't know about (specifically diesel foibles. I didn't care about bodywork, rust, or suspension issues, as those are common to any other car and easily spotted/dealt with/lived with in a cheap tow rig).
I was essentially told that it was imposible to find a decent one in that price range and any that was found for $5k or so would be an utter POS and money pit. Much like people are telling this guy. I wasn't looking for a perfect one, merely one I could work with.
a couple weeks after I asked the questions and told it was impossible, I bought a '94 Chevy K3500 4x4 dually w 6.5 turbodiesel and 175k miles for $2800. It had been advertised as having a bad starter and a "broken frame." Turns out the "broken frame" was a broken upper rear shock mount (an easy fix with my welder) and I put a new starter in it ($85 new, made in the USA).
So often the dissing of the idea is done not by truly knoweldgeable people, but people with limited knowledge and a few "ideas." So just because YOU think all you can get is a POS doesn't make it true.
Gents. Take a look at MAthebanker's picture icon. She's a gal. If she was a guy she'd probably go by PAthebanker.
It's certainly true that you can buy a good SUV/truck for $3K, but somebody mechanically savvy needs to be in on the purchase and on the inevitable issues that will surface over time. One insider tip: the 4.0 in a Cherokee with an automatic tends to loosen the bolts between the flex plate and torque converter. Makes them rattle like they are about to throw a rod. The fix is incredibly simple: take off the inspection cover and reach in, tighten the bolts. Maybe replace the bolts if it's been going on a long time. If you can find one of these Jeeps and it's rattling, and the current owner does not know this, you can probably buy it on the cheap, then fix it cheaply too. Buddy of mine has one of these and I heard it, we both thought it might be piston slap, loose rod bearing, etc. etc. Crack of doom stuff. Dealer quoted him an arm and a leg to rebuild the engine. Actual repair (paid a Russian mechanic friend of mine rather than DIY) was like $50.
In this price range you are looking at a vehicle with needs, enough years and/or miles to scare away bean counter types, and/or just unfashionable/unpopular.
It's important not to do the deal while wearing "beer goggles" if you want to be able to respect yourself when the deed is done.
Nice truck! You sure got a deal on that. I assume it was a very unsophisticated seller since that is probably a $5,000 truck. Good find. There's probably 25 guys in my off road club who would give you $4,000 for that truck. I've probably bought 100 cars and trucks and I have 10 vehicles now, so I have made some good buys too.
But, the OP didn't sound to me like she was wanting to do any welding or repair work. Nonetheless, you got a heck of a rig there for $2800.
I guess next time I create a car thread, I should state that I have two mechanic friends mere blocks from my house, as well as a cousin who can fix anything with just a rubber band and toothpick about 5 miles from me. Or how I have a brother who has owned, repaired, and maintained a 25 year old Jeep all by himself. But, seeing as how that's not what this thread was about, I didn't see the need.
Merc63, thank you for your story. I will be sure to post a pic of the small SUV I get for less than $3,000 as soon as I get it, which will hopefully be in the next 3 weeks.
M3 Mitch, the "MA" stands for my initials, not my parental status
Nice truck! You sure got a deal on that. I assume it was a very unsophisticated seller since that is probably a $5,000 truck. Good find. There's probably 25 guys in my off road club who would give you $4,000 for that truck. I've probably bought 100 cars and trucks and I have 10 vehicles now, so I have made some good buys too.
But, the OP didn't sound to me like she was wanting to do any welding or repair work. Nonetheless, you got a heck of a rig there for $2800.
Got it from a dealer, it was traded in, they paid $6000 for it. When they were moving it around, the starter died and when they put it up on the rack to replace it, the shock mount broke from the weight of the dually axle (and apparently they decided it was a broken frame, as the ad said):
Chevrolet : C/K Pickup 3500: eBay Motors (item 320567969600 end time Aug-04-10 07:46:07 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320567969600 - broken link)
It woudn't pass MD inspection in that condition, and they woulnd't fix it to get their money back out of it. And yeah, other than those two things, it was in nice condition.
If it were us, we'd look for an older used but cared for Subaru, or if you wouldnt mind a wagon, a Volvo crosscountry or even 240 or 850 wagon, though our Volvo mechanic recommends against getting any volvo in the 700's or 800's models. We've known people who had them and were happy with them. I don't think you could find a used Volvo xc90 for that low, but you could find an old Subaru if you looked hard enough, and most definitely an old 240 wagon for probably a lot less than $3k.
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, he will re-read the thread and go buy something for $3000 that runs.
