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What's the best vehicle for my needs?

1145 messages,  Last post on Sep 17, 2009 at 12:59 PM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying


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#28 of 1145
Re: Help Would be Greatly Appreciated [thetrumphet] by cccompson
Aug 26, 2006 (5:49 pm)
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Replying to: thetrumphet (Aug 26, 2006 2:58 pm)

Are you looking for new or used? If the former, you're pretty much limited to econoboxes. You have a mighty wide selection if the latter.
#29 of 1145
Re: Help Would be Greatly Appreciated [cccompson] by thetrumphet
Aug 26, 2006 (11:52 pm)
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Replying to: cccompson (Aug 26, 2006 5:49 pm)

i can buy new or used, only difference is used takes a lot more time to negotiate/find IMO. any good suggestions?
#30 of 1145
Re: Help Would be Greatly Appreciated [thetrumphet] by steine13
Aug 27, 2006 (6:37 am)
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Replying to: thetrumphet (Aug 26, 2006 11:52 pm)

Go new. Those cars tend to hold their value -- i.e. expensive to buy used, so new is the way to go. Also, they tend to be cheap to run.
 
I'd look at the usual suspects: Toyota Corolla -- last year of production for this generation, should be able to get deals, plus super reliability. Honda Civic, probably a tad pricey. Honda Fit, you'll love it or not. I think it's a great car.
 
The littler Scions, maybe. The styling is a little, uh, different. A used Protege for $10 or $11 if you can find a newish one in great condition. A cheapo Tacoma, if you can handle transporting only two people or three for short distances... GREAT resale value.
 
A Pontiac Vibe or Toyota Matrix if you can handle the noise. Great car otherwise, I used to own one and will again. The Vibe sometimes gives you a good deal if the incentives are aligned right. It's the only domestic I would recommend, except maybe a good deal on an '03+ Focus. The earlier ones can be a mess. Prices are low for what you get.
Oh, and get a stick if at all possible. Econoboxes with auto are a pain, with a stick, theyr'e kinda cool.
 
There. That ought to get you started...
-Mathias
#32 of 1145
Re: Help Would be Greatly Appreciated [steine13] by thetrumphet
Aug 27, 2006 (10:42 am)
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Replying to: steine13 (Aug 27, 2006 6:37 am)

Hey, thanks a lot for the response! Quick question though - when you're talking about the Corolla's and Civics, are you talking about brand new 2006 ones? I haven't done any research on the Civic, but can I really get a Civic for 16k-16.5k OTD? Probably the base with no additional features.
#33 of 1145
Re: Help Would be Greatly Appreciated [thetrumphet] by british_rover
Aug 27, 2006 (11:03 am)
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Replying to: thetrumphet (Aug 27, 2006 10:42 am)

I just helped my sister negotiate a deal on a Corolla S 2006 model with auto transmission and a couple of other options like sunroof and some other stuff for around 17,000 OTD. This was all over the phone as my sister is in NC and I am in CT.
 
I am sure you could get a more base model corolla for 16k OTD or less.
#34 of 1145
Re: Help Would be Greatly Appreciated [british_rover] by thetrumphet
Aug 27, 2006 (9:12 pm)
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Replying to: british_rover (Aug 27, 2006 11:03 am)

Hey british, thanks for the response. What were all of the features of the car and what was MSRP/invoice? How much did you manage to get it below invoice? And lastly, how did you negotiate over the phone? Called the internet manager and just did the whole negotiating in an hour?
 
Thanks
#35 of 1145
Re: Help Would be Greatly Appreciated [thetrumphet] by steine13
Aug 28, 2006 (2:42 am)
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Replying to: thetrumphet (Aug 27, 2006 9:12 pm)

Called the internet manager and just did the whole negotiating in an hour?
 
british_rover is in the business, so he will be taken seriously over the phone. You're not, and chances are you will get nowhere with a phone call.The reason behind it can be found over and over on this board, I won't go into it.
 
For details on what stuff costs, check TMV right here on edmunds, and then go and check the "prices paid" forums for the cars you're interested in.
 
Be aware there is a certain amount of, ah, embellishment going on in those forums. Discount the ones that got their car "$2000 behind invoice, minus the rebates, and free oil changes for life".
 
If you stick to the serious posters, you'll get a good idea, I think. Most cars (probably not the Civic, yet) sell for close to invoice when new. Rebates can be found on cars.com a little easier than here on Edmunds, but they are available both places.
 
And always always ask the dealer nicely before you decide what to get... I've been surprised at times at what was available.
 
Once you've figured out a car and the price you're willing to pay, if the negotiation takes longer than ten minutes, you're doing it wrong or the store isn't run properly.
 
-Mathias
#36 of 1145
Re: Help Would be Greatly Appreciated [steine13] by british_rover
Aug 28, 2006 (5:18 am)
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Replying to: steine13 (Aug 28, 2006 2:42 am)

Yeah it helps when you know exactly what the person on the other side of the phone is thinking.
 
It also helps when you know when he is lying his ass off. The first guy my sister was with was just no good but he tightened up after I called his BS.
 
I think I got the car for a couple of hundred behind invoice. My sister qualified for a 400 dollar marketing support for being a recent college graduate. So they made about 200 bucks on her that way. Then they put 4650 on her VW which seemed fair to me but I don't know the market down there so maybe 5,000 dollars was real money.
 
She seemed to get a good rate for her credit history which is minimal so the rate was pretty high but it was also fair. She did buy an extended warranty out to 100,000 miles which I told her not to buy but she bought it anyway.
 
All in all they probably made 1,000 to 1,500 dollars off of her depending on what the trade was worth.
#37 of 1145
Re: Help Would be Greatly Appreciated [british_rover] by thetrumphet
Aug 30, 2006 (12:38 pm)
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Replying to: british_rover (Aug 28, 2006 5:18 am)

one last question: when you said that I should be able to get a Corolla for ~16k did you mean a Corolla S without the features your sister got or a CE/LE? and what would recommend, a more loaded CE/LE or a base S?

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