Search | Car Forums | Gallery | Articles | Helper | AF 350Z | IgorSushko.com | Corporate |
| Latest | 0 Rplys |
|
Car Buying Q & A Ask a question, get an answer; it's that simple. Visit AutomotiveHelper.com for useful car buying tools and research. Also, check out Vehicle History Reports to help you avoid chances of finding a lemon. |
Show Printable Version | Email this Page | Subscribe to this Thread |
|
Thread Tools |
10-05-2009, 08:35 PM | #1 | |
AF Newbie
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Morristown, New Jersey
Posts: 1
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Looking for thoughts on these options
We are a three car family right now, but two of our vehicles are fairly old and not in that good shape. I am looking at options to replace one of them. I like German cars so I limited my search to Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW, and Audis... also one Volvo I wasn't sure if I would even find any of the luxury models, but some did come up. The top price for this replacement is $12,000. I also tried to keep everything under 50,000 miles. We only put about 12,000 mile on per year and keep our cars until 12 or or 13 years old or have more than 120,000 miles.
What I am hoping to get in responses are comments on preferences in the following categories, age of the car, luxury vs non-luxury, maintenance costs, insurance costs, reliability, purchase from an individual vs a dealer, What things should I look for ... , etc. I will or have checked carFAX Here are some of the vehicles I looked at: 2006 Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 - $11,999 41,726 miles good condition, no problems in carFAX. 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C240 - $9,795 (obo) Mileage: 48,000 miles, has some dings, so to put it in the condition I want I would have have them repaired. I don't know what (obo) means. supposedly runs well otherwise 2000 BMW 528i - $10,200 47,000 miles, supposedly good condition, comes from a dealer, but they did not put up a picture, which makes me suspicious. 2003 BMW 325 i - $10,995, Mileage: 47,978, looks good, but need to check carFAX 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C240 - $12,000 , Mileage: 46,000, sold by owner, says no accidents and in good shape. Still need to check carFAX This is the one I think I would like to get, but 1)since it doesn't come from a dealer, there is no warantee, 2) I suspect that insurance would be higher than on the VWs despite the older age, and 3) I suspect that maintenance would be more expensive simply because replacement parts would be more expensive. 2004 Volvo S40 - $11,995 Mileage: 33,177 , need to check carFAX sold by a dealer There is also another 2006 Volkswagen Jetta, fewer miles , but the carFAX says that there were two owners, one that only had the vehicle for a month and carFAX says that it was in a collision. It looks good now, but I wonder why the second owner dropped it so fast. In short, I don't know whether getting an older luxury car is wise or not. Sure, they still look good, but what am I going to be paying later on to keep them running? I look forward to your input... Last edited by hjs9999; 10-05-2009 at 08:56 PM. Reason: Just some additonal thoughts. |
|
10-05-2009, 11:04 PM | #2 | ||
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Castle Rock, Colorado
Posts: 778
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: Looking for thoughts on these options
one of those is not like the other...
the Jetta is gona be a compleatly different car. every other car on that list is gona be much funner to drive, but the insurance will obviously be higher. That looks like an amazing deal on that 325i though I'd look into one of the Jettas the 325i and the 2003 Merc I am personaly one of Volvo's biggest haters so thats the last Item on that list I'd suggest. probaly should get an unbiased opinion to though happy car shoping. EDIT: I'd probaly avoid the 2nd Jetta simply because it has an accident on record and the second owner droped it so fast. Somethings probaly wrong with it
__________________
Quote:
|
||
10-06-2009, 07:23 AM | #3 | |
AF Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Homeless, Illinois
Posts: 6,216
Thanks: 1
Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts
|
Re: Looking for thoughts on these options
Don't buy a VW or Volvo. Stick with BMW or Benz. The 325 sounds like the best one too me.
|
|
10-06-2009, 09:18 AM | #4 | |
AF Regular
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: oak
Posts: 481
Thanks: 14
Thanked 18 Times in 16 Posts
|
Re: Looking for thoughts on these options
[quote=Shpuker;6046424]I am personaly one of Volvo's biggest haters so thats the last Item on that list I'd suggest.
I find this statement interesting for several reasons, many consumers enter a dealership and don't want a certain type model or production year for the simple reason a friend or neighbour had a bad experience. The vehicle may be very high rated by consumer reports,,, but that don't matter,,, the third party rules because they had an isolated bad experience. Shpuker, don't get the idea I am picking on you, I am not a huge Volvo fan along with there are several type vehicles I also dislike, I simply am nosy to find out if your hate for Volvo's are the product or bad experience ? my guess is from hearsay or an isolated experience, overall I rate Volvo very high, but it's not my kind of driver.
__________________
http://www.usedcartips.org/ If you think Dealers and salespeople are the # 1 scum in the industry - think again Maybe soon gas stations will start showing PORN movies on the screens of the pumps so that you can watch someone else get screwed simultaneously |
|
10-06-2009, 09:11 PM | #5 | ||||
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Castle Rock, Colorado
Posts: 778
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: Looking for thoughts on these options
[quote=Ray paulsen;6046575]
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
Quote:
|
||||
10-06-2009, 09:37 PM | #6 | |
AF Newbie
|
Re: Looking for thoughts on these options
What's wrong with VW? I was considering getting a GTI as my next car... I heard German made cars were good?
|
|
10-06-2009, 09:48 PM | #7 | ||
AF Newbie
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Male', Maldives
Posts: 2
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: Looking for thoughts on these options
Quote:
Btw what cars did you own before? |
||
10-07-2009, 08:03 AM | #8 | ||
AF Regular
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: georgetown
Posts: 468
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: Looking for thoughts on these options
Quote:
To the OP, luxury vehicles will always be more expensive to maintain, mostly because parts are more expensive, as well as dealer maintenance being recommended - not ever local shop guy knows his way around a Mercedes, BMW or Audi. We have a 1995 E320 in the family and, while the car is reliable enough and still looks excellent, if it needs to go in for repair its expected that the $1000 is not out of the question. Parts usually come from Germany and take time to arrive if its not in stock. To be honest, unless you want the look and the logo of a Mercedes/BMW, stick with a loaded VW. Features that were considered 'exclusive' on a 2000 model 5-series or C-class are now standard equipment on a newer Jetta. Parts are cheaper and easier to find, and I know VW has a 10-year corrosion warranty, so you'll be able to keep her for a long time! If you do your own maintenance a premium brand could be more viable, it's the dealer costs that are the killer. |
||
10-07-2009, 07:44 PM | #9 | |
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Holton, Michigan
Posts: 2,706
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: Looking for thoughts on these options
Volkswagons have lots of problems with their automatic transmissions which are a huge pos.Carfax reports can be off on thier checks.I know another dealer that was taken to court,sold a guy a car and the guy whom bought the car did a carfax check and it said it had a mileage problem which was wrong.This dealer dealer did his research having a title check done and the judge threw it out and told this guy to sue Carfax instead.My father bought a 2005 Chevy Impala which was in a hit and run accident and this was not in the Carfax.
|
|
10-11-2009, 05:28 PM | #10 | ||
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Castle Rock, Colorado
Posts: 778
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: Looking for thoughts on these options
And every English teaches on here that read that just shot themselfs,
I mean seriously dude learn english, And the CarFax website says, "CARFAX Vehicle History Reports are based on information supplied to CARFAX. CARFAX does not have the complete history of every vehicle."
__________________
Quote:
|
||
|
POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD |
Thread Tools | |
|
|