*sigh* The Used Car Blues
Mar. 4th, 2004 04:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hkellickI don't like this used car buying.
Here's the problem... dad is willing to buy me a newer used car.. but there are two issues involved.. as usual, one is money.. he's only willing to spend about $8000 (including tax) on a car. The other is size. Many of the good cars (e.g. The Toyota Corrolla) are a little too cramped for me.
The ones I am finding in my price range are all being related as semi-unreliable. We have our eye on a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am with 37,000 miles on it.. the problem is that a number of consumer sites (along with my mechanic) says this car has problems.
Before the Pontiac Grand Am, we had our eyes on a 2001 Ford Focus which apparently was all over the news semi-recently because they did are totalled in a wreck, completely.
The only other one I remember liking off the top of my head was the 2000 Dodge Intrepid with 47,000 miles which also doesn't seem to be a great car.
So... it seems like I'm going to be trading in one money-sink for another.
As far as good choices in my size go.. well.. the Toyota Corolla, a good choice, I remember feeling too cramped in the bank. I haven't gotten into a Honda Civic yet. Possibly.
*sigh* I dunno. I'm hating this. On one hand, keeping the 91 Mercury, while I do love the car, I've been spending alot of money on it.
And all of these cars are past their warranty which means I can probably expect problems from all of them..
I could try Saturn again, but the last time I was there, they didn't have too much in my size.
But still.. :p
I hate this. :p
I guess we'll see what the mechanic has to say about the Grand Am. If he says it's a POS, I'll keep looking i guess. If not.. I guess I'll take my chance for the moment.
Here's the problem... dad is willing to buy me a newer used car.. but there are two issues involved.. as usual, one is money.. he's only willing to spend about $8000 (including tax) on a car. The other is size. Many of the good cars (e.g. The Toyota Corrolla) are a little too cramped for me.
The ones I am finding in my price range are all being related as semi-unreliable. We have our eye on a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am with 37,000 miles on it.. the problem is that a number of consumer sites (along with my mechanic) says this car has problems.
Before the Pontiac Grand Am, we had our eyes on a 2001 Ford Focus which apparently was all over the news semi-recently because they did are totalled in a wreck, completely.
The only other one I remember liking off the top of my head was the 2000 Dodge Intrepid with 47,000 miles which also doesn't seem to be a great car.
So... it seems like I'm going to be trading in one money-sink for another.
As far as good choices in my size go.. well.. the Toyota Corolla, a good choice, I remember feeling too cramped in the bank. I haven't gotten into a Honda Civic yet. Possibly.
*sigh* I dunno. I'm hating this. On one hand, keeping the 91 Mercury, while I do love the car, I've been spending alot of money on it.
And all of these cars are past their warranty which means I can probably expect problems from all of them..
I could try Saturn again, but the last time I was there, they didn't have too much in my size.
But still.. :p
I hate this. :p
I guess we'll see what the mechanic has to say about the Grand Am. If he says it's a POS, I'll keep looking i guess. If not.. I guess I'll take my chance for the moment.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-04 02:56 am (UTC)Love,
A.
OH! My mom got herself a shiny new iron. Did you want me to save the old one for you? It's not that it doesn't work; it's just that sometimes she buys shiny new things.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-04 04:52 am (UTC)I'm not trying to be annoying. I'm not paying for this car. My father is financing it through his credit union. That's why there's not much play in the numbers. If it were up to me, I might give myself some play but, honestly, I doubt I could afford car payments on top of everything else. Not at the moment.
Love you too,
But not kissing your ass :)
(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-04 05:35 am (UTC)97 Chevy Blazer - 6,900.00
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/car/25607362.html
99 Isuzu Rodeo - 8,500.00
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/car/25443623.html
98' VW Passat 1.8T 6,900.00
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/car/25424703.html
01' Jeep Cherokee 7,900
http://autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=158129387&dealer_id=4234658&car_year=2001&make=JEEP&distance=25&max_price=8500&model=&advcd_on=n&end_year=2005&min_price=6000&address=14589&search_type=used&advanced=n&start_year=2000&color=&cardist=54
(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-04 06:13 am (UTC)Mine only has 98k miles on it and I've had _very_ few problems with it other then what can be expected with age (brakes, tires, timing belt, etc). I had a starter problem a while ago that I found out later a lot of the older accords have but it was less then $100 to fix so it was not a big deal. I will say that if you look at them ask if the timing belt has been changed recently. If a timing belt goes in an accord, your engine is toast and its something that will cost $400-$800 to fix (you do it with the 90k mile check up). You might be able to knock the price down a bit if that belt needs to be changed soon.
Also, I still get good gas mileage. Seattle-->Walla Walla (300+ miles) on one 14gal tank with a 1/4 tank to spare. Honda's tend to hold up very well so you might want to look at a mid-90s accord.
Good luck!
(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-04 07:22 am (UTC)I always check consumer reports before I buy. They keep great reliablity records and give used car advice.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-03-04 07:52 am (UTC)Exactly how much time do you plan to spend sitting in the backseat, dearest? It's YOUR car, presumably you'll either be driving, or occasionally riding shotgun.
I want to say the second rental car I had when my Cavalier needed fix from the 4x4 truck was a Corolla. It was puuuuuuuuurtty. s:) First time in ages that I hadn't driven from a bucket seat.