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Car-buying (because my timing is effing splendid).

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Hammer Pants, Mar 25, 2009.

  1. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Buy used.
    Simple reason: The previous owner has paid for the automatic and inevitable depreciation the minute they drove off the lot.
     
  2. buckweaver

    buckweaver Active Member

    I wholeheartedly agree.
     
  3. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Well, thank you Buck.
     
  4. Hammer Pants

    Hammer Pants Active Member

    Yeah, I'm looking at 2008s with less than 25k miles.
     
  5. dreunc1542

    dreunc1542 Active Member

    When I was looking a few months ago, this seemed to be the case with most cars, but not Civics. It ended up making more sense just to buy new.
     
  6. I've been with my dad twice while buying a new truck, and each time when it came to the negotiating he had a simple line he used that seemed to get him a good deal.

    When the salesman would get up to talk to the general manager about knocking of some from the sticker price, my dad always said, "You have one shot to do this. If you have to go back to your general manager again, I'm gone because that means you didn't get me the best deal you could get me the first time."

    I think it knocked about 2 grand off the sticker price each time. Of course, my dad's a little more forceful with something like that than I could ever be.
     
  7. Sam Mills 51

    Sam Mills 51 Well-Known Member

    Bingo. This applies even moreso if you're more looking for the best deal than strictly a particular make and model.

    HP, if you're willing to look at slightly used cars, consider a more used Honda or Toyota. They're built to last and FWIW, in your shoes I'd look at a two-, three- or even a four-year-old Honda or Toyota before any domestic program vehicle. They're usually made that much better. Will they be the same bargains that you can find with equivalent model year of most domestics? No. But, in general, they will be more dependable and likely won't have an engine malady which leaves you on the side of the road.
     
  8. qtlaw

    qtlaw Well-Known Member

    For a good read on the market, look at your local craigslist listings. That should give you a pretty good barometer.
     
  9. ArnoldBabar

    ArnoldBabar Active Member

    Lowball the hell out of them. Seriously, start the negotiations at like $11K. You might not get that, but these guys are beyond desperate right now.

    I bought a car last year for just north of $10K under the sticker price. And that was when things weren't anywhere near this bad for their industry.
     
  10. Sam Mills 51

    Sam Mills 51 Well-Known Member

    Curious to see what these folks try to tell HP. Might get some great stories out of it.

    But, again, they get one shot. They screw it up, walk away and don't let someone else there play good cop/bad cop. That's a popular ploy, too ... tried playing that the last time I was car shopping.
     
  11. three_bags_full

    three_bags_full Well-Known Member

    Pony up tonight and buy Consumer Reports' used car buying guide(s).
     
  12. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    I'll take note of that. I didn't have to buy my car. My grandmother gave me hers.

    I still had to pay all the transfer taxes and for repairs so it could pass inspection. But I didn't have to negotiate with anyone to drive it off a lot.

    Getting a program car sounds like a good idea. I was thinking about going to a car auction at some point if I could ever get money again.
     
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