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Looking for a New Car

MFS62 Jun 23 2009 06:40 AM

What car/ price websites would you suggest? Later

Edgy DC Jun 23 2009 07:14 AM

I have this suspicion that part of our recovery plan is going to be a four-figure government subsidy to trade in our old wrecks and buy new cars --- maybe with extra incentives to by American cars on the lesser polluting side of the spectrum. Call me wacky, but that's part of my thinking in holding on to Ms. Edgy's old Tercel, even though it is slowly poisoning us to death.

MFS62 Jun 23 2009 07:28 AM

I don't have the luxury of waiting. The transmission on my car went out last night on the way home. Naturally, after the power train warranty expired. So, when the Tercel goes, where will you shop on-line? Later

soupcan Jun 23 2009 07:32 AM

I don't know man, you go to these websites and think you're getting the best deal. Maybe you are, maybe you're not, who knows. The key is to figure out how much the dealer pays for the car and then decide how much of a profit you think is fair for the dealer to make off of you. Finding out how much the dealer bought the car for though isn't so easy. Multiple websites say multiple things. Costco has a program that 'guarantees' lowest prices on pretty much any car you want to buy through a network of dealers associated with them and their program. I bought a new car last December and tried going through the Costco thing. I contacted the dealer they suggested and he said he'd make me a better deal if we didn't go through the Costco program. I wound up getting the car I wanted a great price. So to answer your question - I don't know.

seawolf17 Jun 23 2009 07:32 AM

="Edgy DC":2hobkb0t]I have this suspicion that part of our recovery plan is going to be a four-figure government subsidy to trade in our old wrecks and buy new cars --- maybe with extra incentives to by American cars on the lesser polluting side of the spectrum.[/quote:2hobkb0t] Actually, that is part of the plan. I saw it the other day. It's specifically tied into gas mileage -- your new vehicle has to get at least 10 mpg more than your old one -- but it's something like a $4000 swing. (I don't know if it's a tax thing or a rebate or what, and I don't remember where I saw it.) John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 23 2009 07:35 AM Yes, I think that $$ bonus for flipping your car to a better gas-mileage alternative was supposed to go into effect later this summer. A similar plan apparently was very successful in Germany. Although I read that on an apples-to-apples basis, buying a used car is much more energy efficient & less polluting than running a factory so as to build a new energy efficient car. But this is about stimulus disguised as green. MFS -- I'd hate to have to buy a used car on a tight deadline. Look as local as you can (ads in your local weekly, Craigslist in your immediate vicinity, and spread the word that you're looking for new wheels to relatives, friends and neighbors -- you never know). I don't much trust used car dealers. HahnSolo Jun 23 2009 08:02 AM ="soupcan":68krtdnr] The key is to figure out how much the dealer pays for the car and then decide how much of a profit you think is fair for the dealer to make off of you. Finding out how much the dealer bought the car for though isn't so easy. Multiple websites say multiple things. Costco has a program that 'guarantees' lowest prices on pretty much any car you want to buy through a network of dealers associated with them and their program. I bought a new car last December and tried going through the Costco thing. I contacted the dealer they suggested and he said he'd make me a better deal if we didn't go through the Costco program.[/quote:68krtdnr] BJ's has a similar program. You can get a better price. I think dealerships are only involved in the program to get traffic into their showrooms. Those who don't know better get duped into thinking it is a great deal. The important thing as soupcan said, is to know how much the dealer paid for the car. Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com) is a good place to start. That is your leverage. Then go to 2-3 dealerships and see what the best deal you can get is. You should end up paying very little over what the dealer paid. Swan Swan H Jun 23 2009 08:19 AM 1) Pay Consumer Reports the $15 or so to get their car buying report. Be sure you know the specific model, and order it during the month you are ready to buy. I have used this for all of the cars we have bought, and it gives me the real deal on pricing and current incentives. Soupy is right - different sites say different things regarding dealer price, but this seems to be the most accurate. It's not free, but it's a bargain. You do not need to be a CR member to get this report. 2) Go to the dealer with a specific price in mind. CR says that a fair price is between 4 and 8 percent above the dealer's actual cost after incentives and such. They do have to keep the lights on, after all. If they won't meet a fair price (say 6% above the CR listed cost) somebody else will. 3) Sales tax paid on new cars purchased in 2009 is fully tax deductible this year, per my tax guy. That helps. 4) Buy a Honda. But that's just my opinion. I have bought six since 1999, and haven't regretted any of them for a second. One was returned at the end of a lease, and the other five are still humming along in the family. Benjamin Grimm Jun 23 2009 08:44 AM I like Hondas too. I've owned three cars in my lifetime, all purchased new: A 1985 Chevy Cavalier that lasted five years. A 1990 Honda Accord that lasted 13 years. A 2003 Honda Accord that I'm currently driving. It's been six years and I'm going to try to match (or beat) the 13 years that I got out of the previous car. MFS62 Jun 23 2009 08:51 AM Thanks for the help. I'll let you know how it turns out. Later seawolf17 Jun 23 2009 09:25 AM We have 2004 Honda Civic that we've physically outgrown. The goal is to replace it with something larger -- hopefully a CR-V -- but we need to sell this one first. (It has 88,000 miles if anyone's looking. We're hoping to get at least $7,000 for it.) Benjamin Grimm Jun 23 2009 09:37 AM If you buy a car on Craig's List, does it come with a hooker inside? Fman99 Jun 23 2009 09:41 AM I bought a 2008 Honda Civic last fall and I swear by it. I love that car, and I need to be happy with my ride as I do 100 miles of commuting per weekday. metsguyinmichigan Jun 23 2009 11:54 AM All my friends who have had Hondas have loved them, including one, who had something like 250,000 miles on it when he finally got rid of it. Our own experience, not so good. We had a Civic that had an engine die at 88,000 miles, a great disappointment. The dealer was like, "Wow, that's surprising. Can't believe that happened." So we've been a little shy since then. We've had three Saturns, one is on year No. 11 with about 120,000 miles. Living here, there's a little more pressure to do the American thing. themetfairy Jun 23 2009 12:19 PM I've heard great things about Hondas, but I'm a Subaru devotee myself. MFS62 Jun 25 2009 09:01 AM Thanks for your help, folks. I spoke to my daughter who had bought a Hyundai Santa Fe SUV and she likes it. She also lives inland in Connecticut and has to drive in the same conditions in snow that I do. Then I checked it out on Consumer Reports and they confirmed what she had said - the 2008 is rated by them to be a best buy. The reliability ratings are excellent across the board. So I went to the dealer armed with a price I was prepared to pay. They had a demo with fewer than 10,000 miles and the price was right. They gave me a 100K miles bumper-to-bumper warranty. Done deal. My wife is driving it as we speak. Later