Anyone selling a good Toyota? (Chicago, Virginia: sales, buying, prices)

[AmoreLeo]

Hello all,
I recently moved to NC from Chicago, and I am appalled at the inflated used car prices down here. So I am headed back to IL to buy a car. Ridiculous, I know, but the inventory seems more in line with reality.

That said, I am not a big fan of Craigslist when it comes to car shopping. So I'm branching out and tapping all of my resources, including City-Data, to find the used Toyota (100,000+ miles) that's right for me.

Please ask your friends and relatives if anyone's got one to sell.

NO salvage titles, no flood victims, no junk. I am not a naive car buyer, so please respect the fact that I will have any car thoroughly checked by a trusted mechanic before buying.

Thanks for any leads!

[myrc60]

As one who has done this, let me remind you that Chicago cars rust quicker than NC/SC cars do. Hubby bought a Cadillac from a trusted friend (who happens to be a dealer) and when the alternator went out on it the shop that fixed it said the car was seriously rusted. I figure the difference between price reflects this. Personally I'd rather have a non-rusted vehicle!

[semaj82]

Rather than come all the way back to Chicago, where the aforementioned rust is a problem - how about the Hampton Roads area of Virginia? There are a number of military bases in the area, which can cause a higher turnover of cars (as sailors are deployed, etc.), it's a good-sized metro area, and when I was in that area, it didn't seem that cars were any more expensive than up North.

Keep in mind, with the 2-3 year slow-down in new car sales, used cars are just off a record high price point.

Also - cars are more reliable than ever. I understand the drive to buy a Toyota (I'm a Honda guy, for many of the same reasons), Japanese cars (and Honda/Toyota in particular) carry a significant price premium. You didn't say specifically what model you were looking at, but many recent Fords, Nissans, and Hyundais have been similarly reliable and can be had for much less money.

[semaj82]

Also -
AutoTempest Used Car Search Engine - Everyone's ideal car is out there. Find yours. and SearchTempest Online Classifieds Search - All the Classifieds. One Search. allow you to search multiple sales sites at the same time, including multiple Craigslist areas at once.

[the1nerh]

Check out Carmax online. The cars are pre- certified and some of them ship for free from around the country, the others charge a couple hundred to ship to your nearest Carfax. You can also try it for a few days and return it if it sucks.