Hey guys, I have question about cars...i'm a first time driver and i know nothing about buying a car.
first off, i can only afford $18k and lower...i know that the lower the mileage on the meter the better...now i have three kids so obviously i need as much space i can get...i'm not comfortable drivng a big bulky car because i can't park for **** and the blindspots on them is hard to see...my daughter's one request is that it comes with a dvd player installed...*rolls eyes* which i've yet to find in any cars since i've looked a few days ago....i've looked at a couple of websites...
my "i need some space and time apart" husband said to research online for a car i want and then go for a test drive once i get my license....
thanks
Once you have done your research, see if you can find a certified pre-owned car. They tend to come with 100k mile warrantees on the powertrain. Also, you can sometimes catch a decent car coming off of a lease where a) the miles are low and b) the driver has kept the car in decent condition because they know that they need to hand it back in. Take a look at Cars.com or Autotrader.com to get some comps on prices too. Good luck.
I have a different veiw than most people on buying cars.
1. its the worst investment you will ever make they only loose value.
2. the dealer makes more money on the interest you pay with a loan than on the price of a car.
3.extended warranties have a lot of slop in them most will only cover lubericated moving parts.
4.they are not a status symbol
5.The only real important issue is safety.
6.the best time to buy a car is at the end of the month. because they want to make their quota they are willing to deal more.
7.if your in need of a car right away chances are you will not get a good deal
8.don't let them bully you there are so many dealers that if you feel presured then walk to the next dealership.
9.late model used.
10. if time is not an issue try private party its a pain but eventually you will find a cream puff.(craigs list)
11. find a machanic you trust ask him if he will look over a car or 2 for you. offer to pay a fee because his time is worth something.most likly he will do it for free to get your business.
12 Don't be affraid to low ball the hell out of him.
13.if he gets offended he should have picked a different profession.
14.be strong this is a big purchase and most people get stressed out about it keep your cool and if its not right just walk.
my dad sold cars for awhile and I have a friend who did it until he felt bad about ripping people off and he quit.
He told me they sent him to classes to read the body language of customers so they could maximize their profits.
Do your homework on how much similar car are going for and then make an offer if they balk just give them your # and say call me when you want to sell it.
Its a pet peve of mine most people can not afford the car thay are driving. a car payment of 300$ dollars looks like rental property to me instead its wasted on something that is only going to need maintance and lose money.
sorry for the long post and I am aware most people do not think like this so use what you want and throw away everthing else.
I agree with Chillymorn and am probably even more backward in my thinking. Me & my husband -marreid 21+ yrs have never spent a dime over $5,500 for any vehicle. The last one we spent that much on was a 4x4 that fit 9 & had a Meyers Snow Plow with it. We manage to keep these low cost vehicles approx 7 yrs each, which ain't too bad, considering our friends usually spend double +, they always have car loans, seem to have way more repairs , they even trade cars more often.
Look for a 1 owner vehicle that Grandma or Grandpa drove- who
always had the oil changed & whatever repairs necesary with little mileage, something kept in a garage for it's life, this is the best way to go. Many Buicks with 4 doors (& 6 seat belts-a rare thing to find today). These have always served us well for dependabilty and
little repairs.
Might not be the hottest thing to drive but you'll save a ton of money, and have a good dependable car for the family. I would think many cars on the lots today would have a DVD player. I have a '97 Chevy with one. It came off the factory like that. I am sure you dont want something that old !
thank you chillymorn and simplyamorous my life is about to change very drastically, like literally from zero to 60 seconds... always depended on the husband for everything, driving me to places, paying the bills...EVERYTHING..and now he's left, I've got my three kids with me. of course he won't leave us with nothing so he's helping me out until i get back on my feet....i know exactly what his problem is, and i am trying to move lightning fast to get him back...and learning to drive is first the thing i have to do...
anyway...i was just looking at some brands of cars and read the article on which cars rate best on safety....I think i might like the hyundai tucson, i haven't found one in my price range yet, i've only just begun looking....also i'm hard of hearing so, i'm not ready for phone calls from car salespeople for quotes until after i get my license and prefer to call THEM through ATT internet relay...
simplyamorous...i'm clueless about cars... which brand does grandma and grandpa drive???
You may not need a very large vehicle. I have three children (ages 2, 4, & 8) and they all fit well in my Dodge Neon and Chrysler Cirrus. At one point it was two car seats and one booster. Now it's two boosters and one car seat.
Also,CD players are fairly easy to install. I'm sure you or someone you know could install a cheap one in whatever car you buy.
You may not need a very large vehicle. I have three children (ages 2, 4, & 8) and they all fit well in my Dodge Neon and Chrysler Cirrus. At one point it was two car seats and one booster. Now it's two boosters and one car seat.
Also,CD players are fairly easy to install. I'm sure you or someone you know could install a cheap one in whatever car you buy.
our children are close in age, i've got aged 3 (on 2/1), 5, and 8
i will look at your suggestions right now, thank you!!!
simplyamorous...i'm clueless about cars... which brand does grandma and grandpa drive???
Buick Lasabres & Buick Centurys. Ours always did us well. many years of service, little need of repairs and Great engines. Have a man who knows what to look for check it over before you buy an older car though! Since not foreign, the parts are not an arm & a leg either. BUt helps if you have a man to help you fix the little stuff.
Due to the current economy, you should be able to find some great deals. You will save a lot of money by buying from an individual. Just have a good mechanic have a look at it.
Also, over the years I have known some used car dealers who go to car auctions on a regular basis. I simply placed an order with them. When they found the vehicle at auction they gave me a call and we worked out the details. I really got some great deals that way.
if you are looking for a new car, try KIA. the cars are cheap even the Suv's. neon's are cheap also, but smaller. stick shifts are in general cheaper.
when you go to the lot...haggle, haggle, haggle.....dont be scared to get the best warrante, and get years of free oil changes.
you could take a guy with you, but if you are looking at a new car....its not nessary. if you were getting a used car, i would suggest asking about the last time the car has a iol change and a tune up.
ask about altanator, battery brakes...always test drive the car first. no radio on. if anything sounds like buming or grinding, or knocking....do not buy that car.
also dont be afraid to flash cash...like i have this XXXX amount....a ittle more than half the sticker price---if used or a leased back.
but dont settle for the sticker price...there is insurance and tax. stick to a certain amount for everything.
hope this helps a little bit. just dont let those sales guys in the lots scare you..they need your money.
a side not if buying a new car shop for ine in the last week of dec. all the dealers want to get rid of old invintory. and this week might be a good week for a last year model.
I have owned 3 cutlass cieras and they have been very dependable vehicles for me.
this past summer I found one on craigs list a 94 with 20,ooo miles on it owned by an old black woman for 2200$
I like cieras because there a a ton of them and finding used parts at the junk yard is very easy.
look for a 6cyl mine gets 22 mph not great but not to bad either and it has plenty of power to merg onto the HWY and it the best car in the snow I think it dose as well as my 4x4 on snow covered roads.
It took me about 3 months looking on craigs list daily to find something older with low miles on it.
You are going to get different advice from every person you ask on this subject. There really are no "rules" to this or any definite "rights" or "wrongs". Probably the best you can get are generalizations.
1. Private party will be cheaper than dealer
2. Lower miles is better. Average is 10-12K/year. Use this to determine if the vehicle has low miles or high miles for its year.
3. Highway miles are better than city miles. After looking at a couple cars, you should probably be able to tell the difference if there are enough miles on them!
4. If you think you need an extended warranty, you don't want that particular car! I NEVER EVER EVER buy a car because of the extended warranty. They are typically full of loopholes, and if the car is in marginal shape to where I expect things to start breaking, it's best to walk away.
5. Figure out what matters to YOU. Some people drive junkers into the ground because they don't want to spend the money on something that will depreciate. Others, like me, want comfort and all the gadgets and will spend the money on luxury cars (used though, bought one new car and won't buy another). Others are in between. Figure out what you can afford and what matters to you and do it without feeling guilty. THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG!
6. New cars will lose around half their value around 3 years old. If that matters to you or you can't afford it, buy a late model used car. A 3 year old car has already lost close to half it's value and usually only has around 30K miles. That is still like new if the car was maintained decent. (example, I once bought a Grand Cherokee Limited that was over $40K new 3 years old with 28K miles on it for $18K)
7. You can expect most vehicles to easily reach 100,000 miles with routine maintenance before any major maintenance, repairs, or break downs happen.
8. German vehicles tend to cost more to maintain as they are engineered slightly different, require specialized tools, or specialized training to work on, so stay away if you want lower maintenance costs. (Example, Audi A6 you are supposed to change the brake rotors every time you change the brake pads!)
9. Foreign cars (Honda, Toyota especially) tend to have a better reputation for reliability than domestics (this is a generalized statement, there are certainly foreign brands that have a worse reputation).
10. You will pay more up front for a foreign car vs. a domestic because of the real or perceived better reliability of the foreign cars.
11. Narrow your search based on your needs. Vehicles tend to get divided up into:
-Compact Car (think Neon, Focus, Corolla)
-Mid Size Car (Camry, Taurus, Malibu, Accord)
-Full Size Car (mostly luxury brands?)
-Minivan (Odyssey, Town & Country)
-Full Size SUV (Sequoia, Suburban, Expedition)
-Mid Size SUV (Explorer, Grand Cherokee, Blazer, 4Runner)
-Small SUV (RAV4, Escape, CRV)
-Crossover SUV (any SUV built around a car platform)
-Truck (Ram, F150, Silverado)
Once you have narrowed in on 1 or 2 types of vehicle that would fit your needs, narrow in on a brand and/or specific model and shop until you find the lowest price with lowest miles, and as many options as you can find.
12. Stay away from anything with a salvage title. The car was destroyed in an accident and declared a total loss by the insurance company. Somebody else bought the vehicle cheap, repaired it, and put it back on the road. These will be very cheap to buy, but who knows what problems you will encounter later?
13. Stay away from anything that was in a flood.
14. Vehicles with surface blemishes (hail damage for example) will generally be mechanically fine but will sell at a discount because of the surface flaws and can be a great steal if you don't mind a couple dings. Rust is the exception to this, if you see rust, it will get worse pretty quickly. Same for major scratches that reach the metal. You are asking for rust.
15. Haggle, haggle, haggle, haggle. Anything you can use about the car to reduce the price, do it.
16. Ahead of time set a price you want to pay for the car and haggle towards it and try to get the vehicle for that price "out the door". "Out the door" means including taxes, title, fees, etc.
17. If shopping at a dealer find out what the trade in and wholesale price of the car is. Trade in is what the dealer would pay for the car if it was traded in. Retail is what they try to sell it for. The difference between the two is the profit the dealer tries to make and also covers their cost of preparing the vehicle for sale (carrying costs, repairs, commission, etc). Use kbb.com to find out what these values are and try to strike a balance between trade in and retail.
18. If shopping from a private party find out with the trade in and private party values are and again try to strike a balance between the two. Always remember to add tax and title fees to the price when shopping privately. Again, kbb.com has these values.
19. Shop around for the best interest rates on a loan. Credit unions will generally have better rates than banks, and sometimes dealers can get you better financing than you will find by yourself.
20. Try not to let a dealer have you name a monthly payment. They can work the numbers a multitude of ways to fit that monthly payment and it rarely works out in your favor! For example, they can extend the number of months you pay on the loan of the car to lower the payment but does nothing to reduce the amount you pay for the car and you'll pay more in interest in the long run.
21. If at any point you aren't comfortable, walk away. There will be another vehicle down the street.
Anyway, I'll stop here. There's probably more I could say but I think I've done enough to muddy the waters already!
how to buy cars 
always depended on the husband for everything, driving me to places, paying the bills...EVERYTHING..and now he's left, I've got my three kids with me. of course he won't leave us with nothing so he's helping me out until i get back on my feet....i know exactly what his problem is, and i am trying to move lightning fast to get him back...and learning to drive is first the thing i have to do...
Re: how to buy cars 
