How to buy a used car

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BReeves

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Decide what you want then go to the CarFax web site to get a blue book value. Take a thousand or two off that and make it your out the door walk away price. Search the net for local dealers that have what you are looking for then start kicking tires. Find one you like and make your offer. No games, say that is your out the door price, if they don't accept it be prepared to walk. Do not fall in love with any one vehicle, you must be willing to walk away even if you really like the car. Have cash on hand, visit your bank or credit union and get a loan pre approved. Also works best at the end of the month or the end of the year.

I bought a 2013 Caravan in 2013 with less than 10000 miles for 3000 less than the dealers asking price. Last year I bought a 2010 Chevy Silverado 4x4 for 9000 out the door, blue book on the truck at the time was 13000. Both are now paid for giving us two really nice vehicles and no car payment.

Works for me and might save someone a few bucks.
 

Okie4570

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I know many aren't FB folks, but FB market place will save you a bundle. It's used so much, and since you can search across the nation, you can compare easily. Best part is you can go look back thru thei seller's profile.............how a person lives their life is how they take care of their vehicle usually as well, and you can also be selective with the age of the person you buy from. When we were looking for my daughter a Jeep, we saved several thousand over dealers, and pretty much able to pick one out from someone who had maintenance records, etc. As we were looking at Jeeps we found one in KS that fit the bill. I decided to look back thru the guy's profile and pics..........what I found in the pics changed our mind on buying it. There were several pics of it buried in a river where they were out playing in the sand and water, and pics of it in his shop with the engine out on the ground. No mention of any engine work or anything in the ad. Pretty revealing and it's a good place to save yourself a ton of headache and money imo.
 

swampratt

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People usually tell me of deals or I go to an auction and buy a wreck that does not run then fix it.
My first car was a wrecked 66 mustang $75 bucks.
I did spend $6000 one time on a car it was 5 years old 1995 Corolla with 70,000 miles on it.

I will never again in my life spend that much on a car.
I still have it and drive it, 342,000 miles on it now.

I wanted to harm people that dinked it with their car doors because I spent so much (6000) on it.
I have issues and need to stick to my 100 dollar cars.. I do not care so much if those get dinked.

I do not like disrespectful people.

I see people spend way more money on vehicles and can care less about dinks from other people.
Good on you guys for not wanting to pound someones head into his fender.

:)

If I ever spend $9000 on something it will be a classic from the 50's or 60's and I do not see that happening.
 

tyromeo55

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I know many aren't FB folks, but FB market place will save you a bundle. It's used so much, and since you can search across the nation, you can compare easily. Best part is you can go look back thru thei seller's profile.............how a person lives their life is how they take care of their vehicle usually as well, and you can also be selective with the age of the person you buy from. When we were looking for my daughter a Jeep, we saved several thousand over dealers, and pretty much able to pick one out from someone who had maintenance records, etc. As we were looking at Jeeps we found one in KS that fit the bill. I decided to look back thru the guy's profile and pics..........what I found in the pics changed our mind on buying it. There were several pics of it buried in a river where they were out playing in the sand and water, and pics of it in his shop with the engine out on the ground. No mention of any engine work or anything in the ad. Pretty revealing and it's a good place to save yourself a ton of headache and money imo.

wow. In this day and age Ya think the seller would of Scrubbed those pictures.

Also. Don’t just take a dealers word for it no matter how great their reputation is. Wife and I very recently had CarMax bring in a car from quite a way away. Really low miles and only a couple years old. When it finally got here I got under it and saw a few areas with what I considered really heavy rust for the age. Really worries me about the parts I could not see. Manager said it was only surface so it passed their inspection. Didn’t feel good about the deal after that so we walked.


ETA: I felt like everyone at the dealership / other customers included thought I was off my rocker crawling under a car I wanted to buy. To me just another sign the world as I know it is headed to the crapper
 
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filbert

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Decide what you want then go to the CarFax web site to get a blue book value. Take a thousand or two off that and make it your out the door walk away price. Search the net for local dealers that have what you are looking for then start kicking tires. Find one you like and make your offer. No games, say that is your out the door price, if they don't accept it be prepared to walk. Do not fall in love with any one vehicle, you must be willing to walk away even if you really like the car. Have cash on hand, visit your bank or credit union and get a loan pre approved. Also works best at the end of the month or the end of the year.

I bought a 2013 Caravan in 2013 with less than 10000 miles for 3000 less than the dealers asking price. Last year I bought a 2010 Chevy Silverado 4x4 for 9000 out the door, blue book on the truck at the time was 13000. Both are now paid for giving us two really nice vehicles and no car payment.

Works for me and might save someone a few bucks.
Look at the NADA retail, and I never pay more then 80% of high retail. In 2011 I bought a 2005 Nissan Murano, 1 owner, 57k miles, leather seats, it had everything except AWD for $12,500, nada was $18,750. Also, it helps to have a friend who manages a dealership. He called me and I bought a 2009 Toyota Camry, list $12,000, he let me have it for $9000. By the way the Murano was not thru the dealer manager. But, like you say, have cash, be approved for a loan. Dealers love losers, those are people who have bad credit, bad work history, and no money.
 

beardking

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Find a car you like, fall in love with it, ignore the glaringly obvious deficiencies, pay WAAAY more than you should, regret it until the day it dies (or you do). Seems like the only responsible way to do it. :-)
 

O4L

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We don't have any requirements here to start new threads :)
Right... I thought that maybe something got deleted that started this thread, like someone asking for advice or information.

It just seems like a random thread out of nowhere. [emoji16]

Carry on.

Oh yeah...Can we get one on how to sell a used car? I've got one that I need to move. [emoji4]
 

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