buying ~$5K used car: advice?

[sayeo87]

Hi, I'm looking to buy a used car for between 4k and 6k. I don't think I'll use it for more than 4 years. Any advice on what I should be looking out for? The obvious would be like Toyota and Honda, but for those brands I'd be in this price range I think I would have to settle for something at least 8 years old? I've also heard some Ford models are decent. Which models are reliable, Taurus? Also, what kind of mileage should I be looking at? Just hoping some people with experience buying used cars here could help me out. Thanks!

[Will Help]

Hondas and Toys do hold high used prices even at 15 yrs. Look for anything that rides well and gets good mileage. That will make you and your wallet comfortable. Let a mechanic and history reports do the dirty work before you buy.

Its not for us to put you into a vehicle. Too many things we might like that you wouldn't and then you would have to live with the decision for 4 years.

Alot of things go into buying a vehicle and a used car is harder to define as a good car because, unless the car belongs to someone you have known for a long time, you have no idea how the vehicle was maintained, driven or any other history that would tell you that this is the car for you.

Best thing for you to do is to decide what you are looking for in a car, shop around and find one that looks, drives, and rides like you want. Then before you buy it, invest in a CARFAX history of this car. Thousands of "Katrina" vehicles have been sold by insurance companies and scrap yards to unscrupolus individuals who clean them up nice and sell them to unsuspecting customers. Car auction lots may or may not filter out the junk they sell to used car dealers. I have seen this first hand as a gentleman bought this beautiful Oldsmobile only to find out later it had been in a flood. How did he find out? He turned on the air conditioning one day and dried mud started flying out of the vents. These cars harbor all sorts of waste, bacteria and mold spores that were floating around in the water. What can seem like a good deal can and will bite you!

I wish you well. The decision will/should be yours.

[drdisque]

you can get a very clean and low mileage Chevy Malibu, Buick Century, or Pontiac Grand Am in your price range.

While Taurus engines are more or less bulletproof, they tend to have transmission issues once they get over 100k-120k miles.

[Will Help]

Water pumps are the weak link to 90's Taurus 3.0's.

[silentscreams85]

my dad had a 94 taurus wagon that was great until about 50k miles. after that i swear it was in the shop every other month for something. and it was meticulously serviced, always on time.

[driftflow]

look for a nissan. Im gonna buy a 300zx when i get back to the US.

[leadlefthand]

Nissan cars usually have low resale values. I know because I still have my dad's 1992 Nissan Sentra series 2 Super Saloone. I practically inherited it because if I sold it, it would be at a huge loss. (by now, the car would probably have a sales tag comparable to a cheap motorcycle).

But I swear, the car is still in great shape despite nearing its 20th year because Nissan does have quality cars (truly worth more than it's motorcycle price tag suggests).

Of course, you don't have to buy one as old as my car (although such cars would be wll under $2k). But if you want low priced quality second hand cars, I think Nissan cars would be a good choice.

[driftflow]

Originally Posted by leadlefthand

Nissan cars usually have low resale values. I know because I still have my dad's 1992 Nissan Sentra series 2 Super Saloone. I practically inherited it because if I sold it, it would be at a huge loss. (by now, the car would probably have a sales tag comparable to a cheap motorcycle).

But I swear, the car is still in great shape despite nearing its 20th year because Nissan does have quality cars (truly worth more than it's motorcycle price tag suggests).

Of course, you don't have to buy one as old as my car (although such cars would be wll under $2k). But if you want low priced quality second hand cars, I think Nissan cars would be a good choice.

oh haha i went through the exact same steps as yours! excpt i inherited the family's general side car (in case of emergency or stuff). My 92 nissan sentra went through 190k miles and it hasn't been taken to the garage for repairs a SINGLE time, ever since we owned it, which had 90k miles then. It was the most reliable car i ever had, I was forced to sell it off since i moved to the middle east...

[autolender]

Look for mileage that has averaged 12-15K a year. Look for uneven tire wear. Test drive the crap out of it until it gets to the driving temperature and watch for over heating. Note the level of acceleration and watch for any skips. Test the brakes fo spongy brake pedal or if the vehicle pulls to one side or the other.

Best to bring someone you trust with you that is knowledgeable in auto mechanics for help. They can spot most things that will give you financial grief down the line in auto repairs.

[98BlackTransAm]

"Ford" and "Reliability" should not be used in the same sentence. i've never owned one personally, but from what i've seen no other car company seems to have as many issues with their vehicles as ford does.

if reliability is your main criteria then an accord or camry should suit you and your price range well. a grand am may be a good choice as well,, i had a 2000 grand am for my first car and it was very cheap, very reliable, and the 3.4 v6 definately had some good pep for what it was. i put 30k miles on it and never had any real problems with it.

and yeah definately take it to a mechanic, and not to a mechanic that the dealer reccomends (common sense). good luck hunting and let us know what you get!

[BobMackey]

Yeah, Toyota and Honda will probably be out of your price range. Avoid late '90s domestics. Between Katrina and skyrocketing gas prices, it's really a sellers market out there.

But here's a good site to check out reliability problems once you do fine something: http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/. Also, follow autolender's advice.

Re: Ford reliability, they've actually been making some decent cars lately. Look for 2003 or newer.

[Charger02]

I would suggest you go to a car auction to get a good deal on a later model car. Your alright as long as you bring a mechanic with you to check under the hood. Unless you already know you way around cars. I bought my first car from a car auction and all it needed was a new alternator which only cost $100 to fix. I ended up saving a couple hundred dollars on that deal alone.

[adriarac]

Hi,

I wonder even there are lot of replies to your post no body have stated about a best website where you can find both used and brand new cars for low prices. Try this website.It's the best website i have found so far in order to buy something. You can get direct contact details of the seller through their website.

Website : LINK REMOVED BY MODERATOR - UNAUTHORIZED ADVERTISING

Thank You.
shank

[Alexander0076]

Honda have high resale value when compared to Toyota. here is my few tips that you can follow for choosing a car, Try to buy a car with better milaeage so that it does not eat in to the wallet, Check the car with a Mechanic, Get a history report for the car even if you know the owner of the car. The history report can be got from CARFAX. Invest few money to find out the real history of the car. To avoid these issues you better move through a reliable dealer or you just browse through the reviews and decide upon yourself. This website will definitely guide for buying a new/Used car. you can bet on it. link removed by Moderator

[gassaver2]

i think Toyota may out of your budget.Second hand Nisan cars will be more acceptable.
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