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Used Vehicles Best Values

948 messages,  Last post on Aug 11, 2009 at 11:51 AM

You are in the Smart Shopper Forum. Your Hosts are kirstie_h & tidester

What is this discussion about? Car Buying, Car Values, Certified Used (CPO)


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#902 of 948
Re: What are the Best non-Japanese Used Cars? [dtownfb] by plekto
Apr 05, 2009 (11:36 am)
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Replying to: dtownfb (Apr 04, 2009 6:07 pm)

You don't need a 8-10 year old car.
 
1 - Avoid anything nice or trendy or that claims high resale value. You want something that is a reliable car that is panned by the industry and magazines.
 
2 - Get something with a reliable engine. Ever moreso, get something with a cheap to fix transmission. . A Camry's transmission is about $3500-$4000 last I checked. A GM's 4 speed is half that to fix, because the design was unchanged for nearly 20 years.
 
3 - Get a used midsize car. Small is fun, but a tin can, no AC, no ABS.. it's just not worth it. And the larger and originally more expensive cars were built better - thicker metal, heavier brakes, better tires... So they age less quickly.
 
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=259699218
5 years old, GM 3.8 Engine. It's a basic car, nothing special. But it will do another 100K easily, while averaging 28-30mpg highway. It'll fit 5 people and luggage as well in a pinch. Not bad for a 3600lb car. This is the same car as that year LeSabre, just different interior trim and body panels.
 
I'd recommend stretching the budget a bit and getting a 2003-2005 GM with the 3.8 in it. Pay cash. No loan means you can also drop collision/full coverage as well.(I have everything on mine except if I hit someone and kill my own car) - This saves me a good $400-$500 a year. It's not worth spending the extra money on a $K or less vehicle. If you have a loan, though, they'll require it.
 
**
Note - the is an exception. If you are mechanically inclined, go much older and get a 4x4 with manual transmission. I drive my manual 4Runner in Los Angeles traffic every day. It's not impossible, or even hard to do. The $400 clutch job versus a $2000 automatic replacement is a huge incentive.
 
A good daily driver that's been gone over and had work done on it to go off-road can be had for 3-4K. I recommend a Toyota(4Runner or Pickup) or a Jeep Wrangler. Both are fun and cheap to fix. It won't depreciate a dime while you drive it, because there is such a following and desire for them.
 
Though, you will have to spend a hundred or so per month keeping it up fixing small things. That's far less than car payments on even an Aveo or other super cheap tin can.
 
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=260405317
Perfect example. Mine has almost 400K on it, so this much mileage is nothing.
#903 of 948
Re: Garmin Streetpilot C330 GPS Navigator Refurbished [maryjfelton] by deltheking
Apr 05, 2009 (5:10 pm)
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Please do not post spam here.
Mods,,please ,,delete this,,of no use to anyone.
Poster registered today and posts this!
#904 of 948
Re: What are the Best non-Japanese Used Cars? [lilengineerboy] by lhy
Apr 05, 2009 (8:47 pm)
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Apr 05, 2009 6:12 am)

It has about 129K with 2 previous owners. No maintenance records since it is being sold by a dealer. They are asking $3900 for it.
#905 of 948
Re: Garmin Streetpilot C330 GPS Navigator Refurbished [deltheking] by pat HOST
Apr 06, 2009 (5:38 am)
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Replying to: deltheking (Apr 05, 2009 5:10 pm)

Emailing a host (see the profile(s) at the top of each discussion) is a quicker and more direct way to ask for help. By the time the host sees a post such as this, he or she has also already seen the problem. Thanks.
#906 of 948
Re: What are the Best non-Japanese Used Cars? [lhy] by kirstie_h HOST
Apr 06, 2009 (6:42 am)
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Replying to: lhy (Apr 05, 2009 8:47 pm)

The G20 is the Infiniti version of the Nissan Sentra. The maintenance costs will likely be higher on it than the Nissan version, and you could get a newer Sentra for the same price. I have owned 2 Infinitis and I'm a fan, but I think the G20 is a dog.
#907 of 948
Re: What are the Best non-Japanese Used Cars? [kirstie_h] by corvette
Apr 06, 2009 (8:02 am)
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Replying to: kirstie_h (Apr 06, 2009 6:42 am)

To add insult to injury, the G20 looks almost exactly like an old Sentra, too.
#908 of 948
Re: What are the Best non-Japanese Used Cars? [corvette] by jipster
Apr 06, 2009 (1:10 pm)
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Replying to: corvette (Apr 06, 2009 8:02 am)

I had a co-worker who had a G20. When describing it she said it was like "a baby Mercedes".
#909 of 948
Re: What are the Best non-Japanese Used Cars? [kirstie_h] by lilengineerboy
Apr 06, 2009 (3:09 pm)
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Replying to: kirstie_h (Apr 06, 2009 6:42 am)

The G20 is the Infiniti version of the Nissan Sentra. The maintenance costs will likely be higher on it than the Nissan version, and you could get a newer Sentra for the same price. I have owned 2 Infinitis and I'm a fan, but I think the G20 is a dog.
 
I don't know...if its still an SR20DE motor, it would be a 2.0 litre 4 cylinder with 140 hp compared to the somewhat sorry 1.8 or 1.6 liter sub-110 hp 4 cylinders in the 4 door Sentras. They might have had the one special edition SR20DE Sentra by then but I think it was just the 200SX SE-R.
 
That said, 4k for a 15 year old car seems a bit much. I would keep looking.
#910 of 948
Re: What are the Best non-Japanese Used Cars? [lilengineerboy] by lhy
Apr 07, 2009 (2:28 pm)
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Apr 06, 2009 3:09 pm)

I used to have an old Nissan Sentra. The transmission was a nightmare. I had to replace it 3 times. The G20 has more power than a Sentra, but I've also heard that it's a glorified Sentra.
 
Is it true that Nissans in general tend to have tranny problems? Even Maximas and Altimas?
#911 of 948
Re: What are the Best non-Japanese Used Cars? [lhy] by lilengineerboy
Apr 07, 2009 (4:44 pm)
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Replying to: lhy (Apr 07, 2009 2:28 pm)

I used to have an old Nissan Sentra. The transmission was a nightmare. I had to replace it 3 times. The G20 has more power than a Sentra, but I've also heard that it's a glorified Sentra.
 
Was it a manual? 5th gear pop out?
 
I did some track events in SE-Rs and an NX-2000. Never ate a gearbox and they were a lot of fun. There were guys out there in G20s as well. There were so many SR-20 vehicles they made them their own class.
 
Is it true that Nissans in general tend to have tranny problems? Even Maximas and Altimas?
 
I have never known anyone with an automatic transmission Nissan, actually. The Altimas and Maximas were manual transmissions also. I don't think the automatic that goes with the 4 cylinders in Mazdas was particularly robust (626, MX6, Probe, Contour) but I hadn't heard anything about the Nissans.

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