A New to Me Car
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Carfax is a good start, but be sure to have the car inspected by a good mechanic. Not every accident is reported to Carfax but a good mechanic should be able to find the tell tale signs if it has been in something serious. There was a recent story on the news where the news team did some good investigating and found that a car that had a clean Carfax had been the middle car in a three car pileup.
Another note about Carfax: odometer fraud indication - probably should ignore it.
There seem to be numerous cases online where Carfax indicates odometer fraud (mileage discrepancies) and the owners of the vehicles swear they never tampered with their odometers. Modern odometers are virtually tamper-proof because now they are digital and run by the car's computer. I found this out when my parents looked into a car they wanted and it said possible odometer fraud but if you looked at the mileage numbers carefully in the report you would see that according to the numbers they like drove only 3,000 miles one year but like 25,000 miles the next year even though they always lived and worked in the same place. It happens when mileage is misreported to Carfax by whoever reports that stuff (repair shops I guess). You'll see an event where the mileage was say 10,000 and then the next chronological event in the report will show mileage at 8,000. Its most likely just a reporting error(either mileage or date of event is inaccurate).
There seem to be numerous cases online where Carfax indicates odometer fraud (mileage discrepancies) and the owners of the vehicles swear they never tampered with their odometers. Modern odometers are virtually tamper-proof because now they are digital and run by the car's computer. I found this out when my parents looked into a car they wanted and it said possible odometer fraud but if you looked at the mileage numbers carefully in the report you would see that according to the numbers they like drove only 3,000 miles one year but like 25,000 miles the next year even though they always lived and worked in the same place. It happens when mileage is misreported to Carfax by whoever reports that stuff (repair shops I guess). You'll see an event where the mileage was say 10,000 and then the next chronological event in the report will show mileage at 8,000. Its most likely just a reporting error(either mileage or date of event is inaccurate).
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S
FORD, aka: Fix Or Repair Daily.....or backwards...Driver Returns On Foot. 
reminder: Mazda's are Fords.
It seems that all brands go through periods of decline or improvement, though.
Lots of good advice for her, yall
keep it coming.Do your homework, know where all the bits came from, for example:
Lotus - powered by an uptuned Toyota Matrix motor. Chrysler Crossfire - Mercedes motor. 1st gen Dodge caravans - rejected Mitsubishi motors.
What is the country of origin of the vehicle? What is the country of origin of all its bits?
After the 2011 earthquakes & tsunamis, the plant that made my Honda isn't there now. The US demand for Fit's grew, though, so many a Fit is made in Mexico.
Speaking of Mexican made cars, there's the vee dub... the fact that they put Plastic gears in transmissions should say plenty.
If you will consider Hyundai's, look at Kia's. Often the same power train... because they are the same company. One bought the other a while back.
Subaru is another brand with big history of reliability... like Kia/Hyundai, the Subaru is a Korean car.
Fear the ratcheting sounding noise that is a tell tale sign of needing a CV job.
Compare KBB.com with NADA.com, print & take with you whichever you can use as a supporting document to talk em down on price. Don't let them dismiss it.
I'm a fan of carfax, but not of Carmax... I dislike the idea of moving used cars around all over the country.
Check for over-spray from when it was painted. this may involve getting down on your hands & knees looking around the base of the car. Mufflers and tailpipes should Never show paint evidence, but that's just one spot to look.
Avoid leaky sunroofs. FEAR signs of mold. Mold, while a bad problem on its own, is a warning of worse.
Fear moisture damage or rust in odd places. Too many major storms over the past decade. Too many flood damaged cars that didn't get properly dealt with. Look for multiple state to state transfers. Missouri is one of several states that does not brand titles on titles, and this allows for some title laundering.
Buy something that fits you and you are comfortable driving. check the rear visibility. Can you merge in the Friday night Dallas traffic with it? (same bumper to bumper as the Monday 7:45 am traffic,... but doing 90.)
V
Ford, at least they circled the problem.
reminder: Mazda's are Fords.
It seems that all brands go through periods of decline or improvement, though.
Lots of good advice for her, yall keep it coming.
Do your homework, know where all the bits came from, for example:
Lotus - powered by an uptuned Toyota Matrix motor. Chrysler Crossfire - Mercedes motor. 1st gen Dodge caravans - rejected Mitsubishi motors.
What is the country of origin of the vehicle? What is the country of origin of all its bits?
After the 2011 earthquakes & tsunamis, the plant that made my Honda isn't there now. The US demand for Fit's grew, though, so many a Fit is made in Mexico.
Speaking of Mexican made cars, there's the vee dub... the fact that they put Plastic gears in transmissions should say plenty.
If you will consider Hyundai's, look at Kia's. Often the same power train... because they are the same company. One bought the other a while back.
Subaru is another brand with big history of reliability... like Kia/Hyundai, the Subaru is a Korean car.
Fear the ratcheting sounding noise that is a tell tale sign of needing a CV job.
Compare KBB.com with NADA.com, print & take with you whichever you can use as a supporting document to talk em down on price. Don't let them dismiss it.
I'm a fan of carfax, but not of Carmax... I dislike the idea of moving used cars around all over the country.
Check for over-spray from when it was painted. this may involve getting down on your hands & knees looking around the base of the car. Mufflers and tailpipes should Never show paint evidence, but that's just one spot to look.
Avoid leaky sunroofs. FEAR signs of mold. Mold, while a bad problem on its own, is a warning of worse.
Fear moisture damage or rust in odd places. Too many major storms over the past decade. Too many flood damaged cars that didn't get properly dealt with. Look for multiple state to state transfers. Missouri is one of several states that does not brand titles on titles, and this allows for some title laundering.
Buy something that fits you and you are comfortable driving. check the rear visibility. Can you merge in the Friday night Dallas traffic with it? (same bumper to bumper as the Monday 7:45 am traffic,... but doing 90.)
reminder: Mazda's are Fords.
It seems that all brands go through periods of decline or improvement, though.
Lots of good advice for her, yall
keep it coming.Do your homework, know where all the bits came from, for example:
Lotus - powered by an uptuned Toyota Matrix motor. Chrysler Crossfire - Mercedes motor. 1st gen Dodge caravans - rejected Mitsubishi motors.
What is the country of origin of the vehicle? What is the country of origin of all its bits?
After the 2011 earthquakes & tsunamis, the plant that made my Honda isn't there now. The US demand for Fit's grew, though, so many a Fit is made in Mexico.
Speaking of Mexican made cars, there's the vee dub... the fact that they put Plastic gears in transmissions should say plenty.
If you will consider Hyundai's, look at Kia's. Often the same power train... because they are the same company. One bought the other a while back.
Subaru is another brand with big history of reliability... like Kia/Hyundai, the Subaru is a Korean car.
Fear the ratcheting sounding noise that is a tell tale sign of needing a CV job.
Compare KBB.com with NADA.com, print & take with you whichever you can use as a supporting document to talk em down on price. Don't let them dismiss it.
I'm a fan of carfax, but not of Carmax... I dislike the idea of moving used cars around all over the country.
Check for over-spray from when it was painted. this may involve getting down on your hands & knees looking around the base of the car. Mufflers and tailpipes should Never show paint evidence, but that's just one spot to look.
Avoid leaky sunroofs. FEAR signs of mold. Mold, while a bad problem on its own, is a warning of worse.
Fear moisture damage or rust in odd places. Too many major storms over the past decade. Too many flood damaged cars that didn't get properly dealt with. Look for multiple state to state transfers. Missouri is one of several states that does not brand titles on titles, and this allows for some title laundering.
Buy something that fits you and you are comfortable driving. check the rear visibility. Can you merge in the Friday night Dallas traffic with it? (same bumper to bumper as the Monday 7:45 am traffic,... but doing 90.)
Ford, at least they circled the problem.
reminder: Mazda's are Fords.
It seems that all brands go through periods of decline or improvement, though.
Lots of good advice for her, yall keep it coming.
Do your homework, know where all the bits came from, for example:
Lotus - powered by an uptuned Toyota Matrix motor. Chrysler Crossfire - Mercedes motor. 1st gen Dodge caravans - rejected Mitsubishi motors.
What is the country of origin of the vehicle? What is the country of origin of all its bits?
After the 2011 earthquakes & tsunamis, the plant that made my Honda isn't there now. The US demand for Fit's grew, though, so many a Fit is made in Mexico.
Speaking of Mexican made cars, there's the vee dub... the fact that they put Plastic gears in transmissions should say plenty.
If you will consider Hyundai's, look at Kia's. Often the same power train... because they are the same company. One bought the other a while back.
Subaru is another brand with big history of reliability... like Kia/Hyundai, the Subaru is a Korean car.
Fear the ratcheting sounding noise that is a tell tale sign of needing a CV job.
Compare KBB.com with NADA.com, print & take with you whichever you can use as a supporting document to talk em down on price. Don't let them dismiss it.
I'm a fan of carfax, but not of Carmax... I dislike the idea of moving used cars around all over the country.
Check for over-spray from when it was painted. this may involve getting down on your hands & knees looking around the base of the car. Mufflers and tailpipes should Never show paint evidence, but that's just one spot to look.
Avoid leaky sunroofs. FEAR signs of mold. Mold, while a bad problem on its own, is a warning of worse.
Fear moisture damage or rust in odd places. Too many major storms over the past decade. Too many flood damaged cars that didn't get properly dealt with. Look for multiple state to state transfers. Missouri is one of several states that does not brand titles on titles, and this allows for some title laundering.
Buy something that fits you and you are comfortable driving. check the rear visibility. Can you merge in the Friday night Dallas traffic with it? (same bumper to bumper as the Monday 7:45 am traffic,... but doing 90.)
reminder: Mazda's are Fords.
It seems that all brands go through periods of decline or improvement, though.
Lots of good advice for her, yall
keep it coming.Do your homework, know where all the bits came from, for example:
Lotus - powered by an uptuned Toyota Matrix motor. Chrysler Crossfire - Mercedes motor. 1st gen Dodge caravans - rejected Mitsubishi motors.
What is the country of origin of the vehicle? What is the country of origin of all its bits?
After the 2011 earthquakes & tsunamis, the plant that made my Honda isn't there now. The US demand for Fit's grew, though, so many a Fit is made in Mexico.
Speaking of Mexican made cars, there's the vee dub... the fact that they put Plastic gears in transmissions should say plenty.
If you will consider Hyundai's, look at Kia's. Often the same power train... because they are the same company. One bought the other a while back.
Subaru is another brand with big history of reliability... like Kia/Hyundai, the Subaru is a Korean car.
Fear the ratcheting sounding noise that is a tell tale sign of needing a CV job.
Compare KBB.com with NADA.com, print & take with you whichever you can use as a supporting document to talk em down on price. Don't let them dismiss it.
I'm a fan of carfax, but not of Carmax... I dislike the idea of moving used cars around all over the country.
Check for over-spray from when it was painted. this may involve getting down on your hands & knees looking around the base of the car. Mufflers and tailpipes should Never show paint evidence, but that's just one spot to look.
Avoid leaky sunroofs. FEAR signs of mold. Mold, while a bad problem on its own, is a warning of worse.
Fear moisture damage or rust in odd places. Too many major storms over the past decade. Too many flood damaged cars that didn't get properly dealt with. Look for multiple state to state transfers. Missouri is one of several states that does not brand titles on titles, and this allows for some title laundering.
Buy something that fits you and you are comfortable driving. check the rear visibility. Can you merge in the Friday night Dallas traffic with it? (same bumper to bumper as the Monday 7:45 am traffic,... but doing 90.)
hehe just kidding.
I'm not surprised. Mechanics really value their time and I'm sure it would take awhile to properly inspect a used car.
You might also look into buying a certified pre-owned vehicle from a dealership. They usually warranty the whole vehicle for like 30,000 miles or so, but of course it will cost more than buying from a private party.
You might also look into buying a certified pre-owned vehicle from a dealership. They usually warranty the whole vehicle for like 30,000 miles or so, but of course it will cost more than buying from a private party.
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Man, information overload! Thank you all SO MUCH for your input! I'm having to do this all by my lonesome and I don't know what I'm doing. I friend of mine used to be a car sales man, and I'm sure he and his wife would go with me to deal with the cost of the car. However, he's not a mechanic. The one mechanic I know is being a big jerk face.
I am looking for a honda or toyota because this is my theory. They run forever. I'm not financing, so it's okay if I by a higher mileage vehicle (100,000 or so). And when I become a nurse (about 3 years from now), my car will still be running and I can buy another car after establishing myself in a hospital. I want an SUV because I'm stinkin tall! I'm 5'9", and I'm sick of crawling into cars. I want a small SUV though, like a CR-V or Rav4.
As questions come up, do y'all mind if I keep asking questions? Or even if I post a link or two?
I am looking for a honda or toyota because this is my theory. They run forever. I'm not financing, so it's okay if I by a higher mileage vehicle (100,000 or so). And when I become a nurse (about 3 years from now), my car will still be running and I can buy another car after establishing myself in a hospital. I want an SUV because I'm stinkin tall! I'm 5'9", and I'm sick of crawling into cars. I want a small SUV though, like a CR-V or Rav4.
As questions come up, do y'all mind if I keep asking questions? Or even if I post a link or two?
S
paying cash for a car is pretty cool. I've done that more than twice. This last time around I had multiple justifications for financing to get something more than what I could pay cash for at the moment. I debated new versus relatively new. I did my homework, knew what I was getting, and financed through the manufacturer. Because they were doing a finance special at less than one percent, I could get a brand new car for much less than what it would have cost me to buy the same car as a used car.
Be it a home with a mortgage or a hamburger on your credit card, I recommend running the math to see what your purchases will actually cost you before making the purchase.
Be it a home with a mortgage or a hamburger on your credit card, I recommend running the math to see what your purchases will actually cost you before making the purchase.
In other words, buy new!
hehe just kidding.
hehe just kidding.
If I could buy new, I would! But while I would have a good down payment, I don't make enough at work to handle a payment, insurance, gas, bills, saving for nursing school, saving for moving, saving because it's just a good idea. Maybe after I start making 30 something dollars an hour. In the mean time, as long as I'm smart and pray A LOT, I think I'll be okay.
S
there was a period of CRV's that following a redesign they had problems with engine fires following an oil change. The problem has been addressed. I forget what years, or if it was more of a design flaw, or more sloppy techs doing too many cars an hour (double gasketing the filter, not wiping down spills, cross-threading, or similar problems). I'd not really fear it at this point, but it might be something you look into a little.
I totally understand, Aimee. To help try to clear up some confusion, here is exactly what I would do if I was about to start looking for a used car:
1. Figure out how much car I could afford
2. Go to edmunds.com, and in the 'research used cars' section look up what used cars fall into my budget (search according to price or make or year, etc..) Here's the link: Used Cars - Edmunds.com
3. Decide on like the top 3 or 4 models you want to research more thoroughly
4. Start reading ratings and and reviews on the models you chose (they have a lot of those on edmunds.com too)
5. By now you should have a 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice.
6. Start looking for the car/s you want on sale in your area (edmunds.com is once again a good resource. you just enter your zip code).
7. compare listings and start zeroing in on the best looking deal/s for you.
8. If you see something that looks like its worth checking out, make an appointment and bring a friend with you who knows a lot about cars (hopefully).
9. Don't forget to pray about it.
1. Figure out how much car I could afford
2. Go to edmunds.com, and in the 'research used cars' section look up what used cars fall into my budget (search according to price or make or year, etc..) Here's the link: Used Cars - Edmunds.com
3. Decide on like the top 3 or 4 models you want to research more thoroughly
4. Start reading ratings and and reviews on the models you chose (they have a lot of those on edmunds.com too)
5. By now you should have a 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice.
6. Start looking for the car/s you want on sale in your area (edmunds.com is once again a good resource. you just enter your zip code).
7. compare listings and start zeroing in on the best looking deal/s for you.
8. If you see something that looks like its worth checking out, make an appointment and bring a friend with you who knows a lot about cars (hopefully).
9. Don't forget to pray about it.
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