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Sedans Best new or used vehicle for $30,000
64 messages, Last post on Dec 10, 2006 at 6:26 PM
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good questions. here's the thing ... you need to be objective in the results they give you. What you want them to tell you is whether its been in an accident and if anything major is wrong. If you go to a honda dealer, there is a chance they will nitpick and give you a laundry list of things that aren't necessarily a problem, but they think you should take care of ... then a salesperson may want to show you a nifty Accord they happen to have on the lot that they feel is in better condition. Of course, they are just trying to steal your business from whoever is trying to sell you this other accord. As far as independent mechanics ... they aren't trying to get your purchase business ... but they may still have other motives. First, you are paying them for an inspection, so sometimes they fall under the spell of feeling they NEED to find things wrong to justify you paying them for this inspection. Second, they just may want to find some things wrong so that you'll buy the car and bring it to them to fix. So, again, you are looking for answers to the major questions. Has it ever been hit and repaired? Are there any oil/tranny/brake/coolant leaks? Are the fluids indicative of a car that was taken care of and the maintenance performed properly and on time? What percentage of life is left on those tires and brakes? (and be cautious on this last one. my lincoln dealer is telling me i need new tires, but when pressed to tell me the life left, they say 40% .... yeah, i'll be replacing those ... in like 2 years.) So, you want an inspection, but you want to be objective in how you interpret the results. Don't let them interpret them for you. Get the hard data and decide for yourself, because their "opinion" can be jaded. For the question of dealer vs indy ... well, if you have a relationship with an indy you trust, there is nothing wrong with that. But given 2 unknown entities (1 dealer and 1 indy), I'd personally chose the dealer. Reason being, obviously, they are much more familiar with the cars they sell and service every day. An indy mechanic, in this case, may never have even seen a newest generation accord in his shop, so he/she might not have a frame of reference to answer some questions. "is this steering lose, or do all new accords feel this way?" "is that bend in the frame supposed to be right there? or is that on all new accords?" etc etc.
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Replying to: qbrozen (Jan 06, 2006 6:34 am)
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Replying to: fredvh (Jan 06, 2006 6:42 am) one thing i should have mentioned. ALWAYS follow your gut. If a deal is too good to be true, then it is. If you drive a car and something doesn't "feel" right, then walk away. There are plenty of cars out there, you just have to be patient and find the right one. |
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Replying to: ezshift5 (Jan 02, 2006 3:46 pm) fedlawman.. Are you sure you weren't thinking of a 2001 M3 for $30K?  A $30K 1991 M3 would have to be the nicest one on the planet.... or do you have a particular one in mind?  regards, kyfdx Host-Prices Paid Forums
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For $30K new.. I'd take a TSX, or a 2.0T Quattro A3 (oh right, you can't get Quattro in the 2.0T..duh). 2-seater? '03 Boxster or new S2000..
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Replying to: kyfdx (Jan 06, 2006 8:04 pm) A non - navi 06 TL is selling for the low $31s.....
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Replying to: jimmy81 (Jan 06, 2006 8:08 pm) Plus... If I'm going over $30K, then that opens up a whole 'nother list... |
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I guess I would throw in Altima SE-R, Speed6, Magnum V-8, Charger V-8, Saab 9-3 turbo, Legacy, Accord, Impala SS. All of these are quick and can stow 4 Sunday bags for a road trip to a nice golf course. I would exclude the Camry, Fusion, Galant since they aren't as performance-minded as the above. Not that they are bad cars, just not as high performance. Maybe add the Maxima. My personal pick is the base Altima 3.5SE because my budget is < $24K and I love the manual shift auto. I have to get auto because of my co-drivers. Who else makes manual autos? Thanks! |
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In the paper today.. '05 BMW 325i.. CPO with 12K miles.. for $28,900.. That is my new top pick for under $30K...
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| great ideas, folks | |
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