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Used car purchasing?

A

AppleLover9o

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 2, 2009
170
1
I'm curious.. I need a car, not for too long. Just something I can drive 30ish miles a day, every other day.

Would something like.. I'm looking at a 2000 Dodge neon w/ 175k miles be ok? Would I have to fix it all the time? I literally need it for 5-6 month's at most.

I don't wanna spend more than $2300 on a car, the Neon is just an example. Any other dependable recommendations? Fuel efficiency is big for me too! :cool:

Anyone knowledgeable people, please chime in. All input is appreciated.

THANK YOU!
 
Two words for you:

Consumer Reports.

Always consult Consumer Reports before buying a car, especially a used car.


Good Luck,
Keri
 
KeriJane said:
Two words for you:

Consumer Reports.

Always consult Consumer Reports before buying a car, especially a used car.


Good Luck,
Keri
Click to expand...

I second consumer reports-

Go to the library and search through the Consumer Reports guide book to see the repair record on a particular car you are thinking about.

I dont' know about the longevity of the neons but we owned on in the early years and it was decent. I would rec. finding someplace that will give you a warranty on the used car (some places do 12 month warranties) and then at least you know what your cost will be total. It may cost you a bit more, but at least no big surprises.
 
lewis82 said:
For older cars, be sure to get it inspected at a good garage.
Click to expand...

+1 on that suggestion! Do you know a mechanic that you can trust? (perhaps through a friend or parent) There are good Neons and clunker Neons. You really have to have a pro's opinion.
 
I would highly recommend avoiding a Dodge with 175k on it. If it was a Japanese like a Honda I would say maybe okay, but I wouldn't trust a 10 year old American car with that kind of milage.

I would recommend an older Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, etc. Also, why do you only plan on keeping the car six months? I think it makes much more sense to spend more on a car now and then plan on keeping it for a while.
 
Doesn't matter what you buy, just make sure it's Japanese.

Corolla, Pulsar, Echo, Mazda 2/3, Civic, Various Dihatsu, Suzuki whatever... they're all good. (go corolla ;))

Avoid like the plague anything built in America, Australia, China, India or Korea.

Jordan
 
Quad SLi 295 said:
Doesn't matter what you buy, just make sure it's Japanese.

Corolla, Pulsar, Echo, Mazda 2/3, Civic, Various Dihatsu, Suzuki whatever... they're all good. (go corolla ;))

Avoid like the plague anything built in America, Australia, China, India or Korea.

Jordan
Click to expand...

American cars (especially Ford, kind of GM, maybe not Chrysler) are MUCH better than they were 10 years ago, and Korean cars (Hyundai and Kia) are now of really good quality as well.

Still I agree with you, for a 10 year old car, stick with a Japanese.
 
for a car with that many miles, consumer reports will do squat for you. It totally depends on how the car was made and maintained (i.e. regular oil changes, regular repairs, etc. etc.).

you can get a car with 200,000 miles and have not one problem with it for your 6 months while you can get a car with 120,000 miles and have it break down.

i would only buy that kind of used car from someone i know and most likely only after they did restoration repairs on it or rebuilt it.
 
So here's another good example...

Kia Spectra, 2002, 115.5k miles. $2750. Thoughts?
 
Quad SLi 295 said:
Doesn't matter what you buy, just make sure it's Japanese.

Corolla, Pulsar, Echo, Mazda 2/3, Civic, Various Dihatsu, Suzuki whatever... they're all good. (go corolla ;))

Avoid like the plague anything built in America, Australia, China, India or Korea.

Jordan
Click to expand...

Why avoid Australian? The Holden Commodore and Monaro are good cars. :D Some Pontiac buyers can attest to that. :)
 
While consumer reports is a good starting point, take every situation on a case by case basis. Definitely consult a friend who knows about vehicles and exactly what to check before making a purchase. There are just so many things that can go wrong with a car that's ~10 years old and 100k+ miles.
 
iOrlando said:
for a car with that many miles, consumer reports will do squat for you. It totally depends on how the car was made and maintained (i.e. regular oil changes, regular repairs, etc. etc.).
Click to expand...

While yes it depends on how the car was maintained, CR makes charts based on 1.4 million responses to their Annual Auto Survey. Consumer Reports subscribers reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles. THey provide data on 2000-2009 cars as far as reliability- but of course the best reliable car can have issues if not well maintained or even abused so find a reliable dealer, have a reliable shop check it out, and also pick a car that has fewer problems overall which is where CR comes in.

Don't forget CarFax info too- don't want one with a bent frame that was not repaired or anything. If the dealer doesn't do carfax then they are probably not a reliable dealer.

Good luck.
 
European and American cars have improved, but cars from Japan and Korea are really quite good now. They've really improved. In Britain people used to laugh at how bad they are but now some of them are really great. Hyundai and Kia make good cars, even if they are a little boring.

A bit off-topic, but the Hyundai Santa Fe is a great 4X4. Cheap but as rugged as a Land rover. Ideal tow car too. I know you're not looking for anything like that, so I'll stop going on :)
 
Quad SLi 295 said:
Doesn't matter what you buy, just make sure it's Japanese.

Corolla, Pulsar, Echo, Mazda 2/3, Civic, Various Dihatsu, Suzuki whatever... they're all good. (go corolla ;))

Avoid like the plague anything built in America, Australia, China, India or Korea.

Jordan
Click to expand...

Sorry dude, you're behind the times. Korean cars are of a higher quality rivaling the Japanese now.
 
flyfish29 said:
Don't forget CarFax info too- don't want one with a bent frame that was not repaired or anything. If the dealer doesn't do carfax then they are probably not a reliable dealer.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I totally trust CarFax though, so don't forget an independent inspection, and if anything just doesn't feel right, don't do it. I remember going to a dealer and test driving a 2004 Pontiac Vibe, the salesguy kept saying how great a deal it was that they were pricing it like a 2003!, but something just didn't feel right in the test drive. Something seemed fishy so I walked away.

As for CarFax, the reason I don't trust it is because in 2000 I was driving a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire which I accidentally spun out on an expressway and was involved in a 4-car collision. $6000+ in damage (I don't know why they didn't just write it off). It never drove the same after that so we quickly got rid of it for another car. A few years ago I looked it up on CarFax, just for fun. Apparently the car's still out there, being driven, but no record at all of the accident or repairs.
 
what state are you in? It's tough to find something reliable for under 3k. it will usually need some kind of work. try ebay

also, you can't go wrong with a Nissan. I owned a sentra that was tops and just bought a Murano certified pre-owned. Beautiful car
 
Signal-11 said:
Sorry dude, you're behind the times. Korean cars are of a higher quality rivaling the Japanese now.
Click to expand...

Got to agree, I'm afraid. In Britain the Korean cars are really good now, even if they are a little dull and average.
 
Choose a model you like and do some research. Make sure you know about common problems as all cars have one or another.

Always buy on condition as a mileage can be deceiving.

Look for a good service history and meet the previous owner if buying private as they're appearance/attitude can give you lots of clues to how they treat their cars.
 
AppleLover9o said:
So here's another good example...

Kia Spectra, 2002, 115.5k miles. $2750. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

LOL, you can buy a brand new one for 6k. That's a total rip.

Is there a reason you're not looking at anything older than 2000? The older you go, the better the deal on the price and insurance. As long as a mechanic passes it off, you'll come out ahead the less money you spend, especially since this is only for 5-6 months.
 
I think it is hard to get a decent car under $3,000. If I were you, I'd consider one of two things: Save up to around 4k or just get something you think is the best deal that you can turn around and sell it without losing too much money if any in a few months (giving you time to save up some money).

I wouldn't touch a dodge neon...ever. Also, I just saw a 2004 Neon for 3300 in good condition, so just remember that cars tend to have a bottom value if it runs and is in decent condition. So most often than not, you can check around for the same model a couple years newer for a similar price when they get so old.

I can't tell you what the used market is like in your area, but in 10 minutes of searching, I found several 2000 and newer honda civics and accords for around $4k. One significant repair on a cheaper car will make up the difference to get a far more reliable car.
 
R94N said:
Got to agree, I'm afraid. In Britain the Korean cars are really good now, even if they are a little dull and average.
Click to expand...

I'll third that. Kia is making serious inroads in the US market as well. I bought a 2007 Rondo (known as the Carens in other countries) when it first appeared on the US market. Nowadays I see Rondos everywhere.
 
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