Car Shopping Advice – especially used ones
09-05-2018, 12:51 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Car Shopping Advice – especially used ones
A friend of my daughter plans to buy a new car, so my daughter ask me to give her some advice. My daughter shared that the information I gave her saved her from buying a questionable car. Here's what I shared. I would like to hear any advice others here may have.
TrueDelta is a site that has lots of honest useful information. There are over 100,000 members who report quarterly how well their cars are holding up and they list specific issues and expenses that are outside normal maintenance costs. And the site road tests new cars as well. The site is: www.TrueDelta.com
This is another site that is worth checking. As the name suggests it is all about complaints, so it is one-sided but still worth a quick check: www.carcomplaints.com
When it comes to trade-in values the dealerships always want to show you the values shown on www.KellyBluebook.com however, the prices there always favor the dealer. For a more realistic look at what your car is actually selling for look at www.AutoTrader.com Dealers will often be listing them there at twice what they told you it was worth. Knowing the two prices gives you facts to negotiate.
Buying a “Certified” used car that is a couple years old is often the best value, saving 25% or more off sticker, while providing good warranty protection.
TrueDelta is a site that has lots of honest useful information. There are over 100,000 members who report quarterly how well their cars are holding up and they list specific issues and expenses that are outside normal maintenance costs. And the site road tests new cars as well. The site is: www.TrueDelta.com
This is another site that is worth checking. As the name suggests it is all about complaints, so it is one-sided but still worth a quick check: www.carcomplaints.com
When it comes to trade-in values the dealerships always want to show you the values shown on www.KellyBluebook.com however, the prices there always favor the dealer. For a more realistic look at what your car is actually selling for look at www.AutoTrader.com Dealers will often be listing them there at twice what they told you it was worth. Knowing the two prices gives you facts to negotiate.
Buying a “Certified” used car that is a couple years old is often the best value, saving 25% or more off sticker, while providing good warranty protection.
09-05-2018, 08:01 PM
#2
Registered User
A little off topic- I had 45 minutes to kill in San Francisco today and the Honda dealer was across the street, so I walked over. They had a total of four cars on the showroom floor. Two were 2018 models, one was a 2017 Accord and the last one was a Jaguar. Took me about 60 seconds to make the rounds and leave.
09-06-2018, 05:31 AM
#3
^ "a little off topic" ???
Dave, I would add that buyers should find the forum boards for the particular manufacturer and car they are considering. Look in the "under the hood" and general driving sections of those forums and you can find a lot of discussions about common problems that owners experience. Just keep in mind that they are usually fan-based sites and some posters have a tendency to minimize the importance of any particular problem.
Dave, I would add that buyers should find the forum boards for the particular manufacturer and car they are considering. Look in the "under the hood" and general driving sections of those forums and you can find a lot of discussions about common problems that owners experience. Just keep in mind that they are usually fan-based sites and some posters have a tendency to minimize the importance of any particular problem.
09-06-2018, 07:09 AM
#4
Thread Starter
Bill, good advice
09-06-2018, 07:21 AM
#5
Good advice, you guys. Couple of thoughts.
-Not all CPO programs are created equal. Honda offers a very attractive warranty extension. Some other brands, not so much. Read the fine print.
-The spread between dealer trade in value and retail/private party can run around 40%. They have to recondition the car (assuming they don't just ship it off to auction), often bring the service up to date, carry it on the lot, and pay the selling rep. Also, dealerships vary widely on how much they discount the new car vs. how much they will offer on the trade-in. Some are hard to talk down on price but generous with trade in offers, while others are the other way around.
Great tip on getting a 2 or 3 year old CPO. Consumer Reports did an article supporting their opinion that 3 years is the sweet spot for car purchases. Someone else eats the early depreciation but you still get most of the latest tech and safety features.
-Not all CPO programs are created equal. Honda offers a very attractive warranty extension. Some other brands, not so much. Read the fine print.
-The spread between dealer trade in value and retail/private party can run around 40%. They have to recondition the car (assuming they don't just ship it off to auction), often bring the service up to date, carry it on the lot, and pay the selling rep. Also, dealerships vary widely on how much they discount the new car vs. how much they will offer on the trade-in. Some are hard to talk down on price but generous with trade in offers, while others are the other way around.
Great tip on getting a 2 or 3 year old CPO. Consumer Reports did an article supporting their opinion that 3 years is the sweet spot for car purchases. Someone else eats the early depreciation but you still get most of the latest tech and safety features.
09-07-2018, 12:35 PM
#7
Trending Topics
09-24-2018, 11:43 AM
#8
Thread Starter
This doesn't seem good for Pandora listeners in the long run....... which we are. We listened to Pandora for hours just last night sitting by a fire on wonderful Michigan evening.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...newstopstories
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money...newstopstories
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