Denisemomof4 Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 I've always bought new cars, and I've always been told it's how to lose the most money. I'm also attempting another Suburban, and don't want a new one because our last new one was NOT reliable. What's the best way to search for a used car? I'm getting frustrated and don't want to bother dh, who is outside working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in AL Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 autotrader.com and craigslist. A car loses 46% of its value in the first 3 yrs, so I look for 3 yr old, low mileage vehicles. Set the radius in the search function for a large area. For me, I be sure it includes Atlanta who has the lowest prices in our area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 We've had good luck using the Consumer Reports car issue to get information on what cars hold their value and are less likely to be lemons. The times my folks didn't use CR were the times they bought cars that were in bad shape. Get a mechanic to check out the car before you buy it. It costs a bit to get it looked over before buying, but it'll save you a lot of money in repairs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 When we bought our Chevy pick-up truck for $2,000 :D, we started by asking our friends/relatives if they knew anybody who was selling their truck. Sure enough, some friend of a friend's neighbor of my dad's was trying to get rid of their pick-up. My friend had a good experience on autotrader, but she specifically looked at dealerships on their website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted May 17, 2010 Author Share Posted May 17, 2010 thanks! I tried Craigslist and Auto trader..... I couldn't get AT to work the way it was supposed to. Maybe there was an issue yesterday. We will only buy a used vehicle if it's got a good warranty on it. We're looking for a Suburban that has 30k miles or less, with a warranty for 100k. It's the only way I'll try it!!! My friend in GA would LOVE for me to get a car in Atlanta!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Mouse Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 When we bought our Chevy pick-up truck for $2,000 :D, we started by asking our friends/relatives if they knew anybody who was selling their truck. :iagree: This is what we just did. Dh mentioned to a coworker that he really wanted a truck and it so happened that his coworker's dad had a truck that he was sort of wanting to sell. He was holding on to it for sentimental reasons. He sold it to us for less than the book value and it has really low miles. It was a great deal and we know we can trust that it's not a clunker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted May 17, 2010 Author Share Posted May 17, 2010 When we bought our Chevy pick-up truck for $2,000 :D, we started by asking our friends/relatives if they knew anybody who was selling their truck. Sure enough, some friend of a friend's neighbor of my dad's was trying to get rid of their pick-up. My friend had a good experience on autotrader, but she specifically looked at dealerships on their website. this sounds good for an extra truck, like to go to the dump, haul farm stuff, etc. but my car is the car the kids and I will be in, and I want it to be newER, instead of brand spanking new. I've never bought used, but it's got to be like new with low miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krista in LA Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 We've bought 2 used cars from friends so I definitely agree with the ask around advice. Also, when buying used, you might need to make more compromises - does it have to be a Suburban or would and Expedition be okay? And definitely get a mechanic to look it over first. That said, my db has had good luck buying used cars on e-bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 (edited) Are you a member of a credit union? If so, you might check if they have a Repo lot or repo-auction program. The credit union to which I belong (and for which I do contract work) has a LOT of them right now, and they are being sold for ridiculously great prices. If you find a vehicle you want, definitely have it checked by an independent mechanic that you trust. Most offer a used-car check service for a nominal fee. They might even offer a CarFax check (the credit union might offer this as well). The amount that you could save from a repo auction or lot purchase would probably more than cover the cost of a check-over. Edited May 17, 2010 by BikeBookBread GRAMMAR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacnchs Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 I second autotrader.com...another way we have sold our cars is through our mechanic - he has a great repor (sp?) w/his customers. We have NEVER bought a new car b/c we feel it is such a waste of $$$. We normally buy ours 2-3 yrs old but last year, we bought a Honda Odyssey that was 4 years old b/c it had great mileage and an "old" Honda is sometimes better than a new Kia. It has been great - I wouldn't be so concerned w/warranty as I would be w/how many owners it has had. I would be hesitant to buy a car that has had more than 1 owner. DO NOT buy a car w/o the carfax (esp. if from a dealer) and if you are buying from an individual, I would take it to my mechanic to have it checked out before buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 We have bought two used cars from Carmax. They do a very good job inspecting the car, and have a good warranty. If you're used to new car shopping, you might like shopping at Carmax. Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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