Buying a used car?

I need a new ( to me) car. Mine just isn't reliable. I didn't have a car until I was about to have DD. So we went and bought one that we saw posted on CL. We couldn't afford car payments, so I went and got a $1000 99 Pontiac Sunfire. Car turned out to be a lemon. There were several problems that weren't disclosed and within a month and had to put just as much money in parts as I paid for the car. Six months later another $400 and now new seatbelts. I can't get out of town, I never go more tha half an hour away, I am afraid is gonna break down and I will be stuck somewhere with the baby. DH has a truck that he uses for work, and that's one isn't much better either, so we have two vehicles that we can't really go anywhere in.

So I need a new car. How do I go about it? Any tips? where's the best place to find reliable used cars? My DH is uselees when it comes to that stuff. Again, we would want to pay cash for it. But how do I know I won't get another crappy one? Right now there's a 01 Pt Cruiser listed that I love and it's $2200. The price seems too good to be true. I don't need a big car. We most likely won't have more children ( maybe one more). I just need something that won't break down on me like this one did so many times.

I like asking around. Friends of friends. That's how my family has always bought our sub $5K used cars.

CL is also good but you can obviously have bad experiences. If I had to buy a CL car, I would really judge (yes judge) the people I was buying it from. The people can't give me that weird "I don't think I should be buying a car from these people" feeling.

Classifieds in the good ole newspaper. Older people still use it. They most likely took care of their cars.

I would check eBay too. Again, some people in your area may use it.

Yes to all of the above!

We are in the market for a 5K to 6K honda/toyota commuter car for DH..... and i have been stalking like mad. CL, autotrader, classifieds, etc. The perfect car popped up (99 Camry with 69K miles, leather, loaded, only asking 6K at a reputable dealer!) but DH won't go for it because it's grandma gold! But i guess since we don't *need* it (his truck works fine, we just want something better on gas!) he can be picky.

In general though i would buy from a dealer preferably before a private party mainly because dealerships are less likely to sell you a "lemon"..... either way though always get a carfax (dealerships should give you this for free, private parties probably won't) which is a good way to catch any problems. Its not always 100% because if someone took it to a mechanic that didn't report it then you won't have the problems on the report. Generally though the carfax will show at minimum where it was bought, how many drivers have owned it, and a few other basic things if not more detailed things about it.

Another place to check is to call around to the banks in your area and ask if they have a repo lot. A LOT of banks do, some send them straight to auction, but others also keep them and try to unload them. You will probably get a killer deal if you can find a decent one there. Personally for something reliable i would stick to a Honda, Toyota, Nissan or Ford product. Every Chevy and Chrysler product my parents ever owned was always in the shop once it hit the 70K miles +...... my poor mom! You will probably need to buy one with higher miles, but IMO a high mileage Honda that has been taken care of is better than a lower mileage chrysler any day!

If you have some room in your budget for gas if you don't really drive a lot, you might also consider an SUV simply because with gas prices high everyone is scrambling for little cars and the less fuel efficient vehicles are sitting more, which means you can probably get a better deal on one!

And lastly, the biggest thing is to not get rushed. I know you are dying to have reliable transportation, but there are good deals to be had out there if you are just patient!


Good luck!

If you have driven a car and are really interested in it, offer to buy it contingent on it passing a pre-purchase inspection. Dealership service departments will do this, so will most shops, but I would find a dealership in your area for that make of car and have it taken there (preferably one with a good service department reputation). If the buyer does not agree, walk away. No, run away! There is zero cost to the buyer, and a minor inconvenience to have it taken in for an inspection. This way, the dealership has no vested interest in the car passing their inspection like they do with their own inventory, so you are likely to get an honest report of what troubles you might encounter. The techs there have probably seen many many of the same model and know what to look for. Good luck and happy hunting!