Used car buying advice needed

Pixels

New member
About to buy my first used car. Any tips would be appreciated. Private sale, Craig's list.

I know I need to:
negotiate price. I plan to base my offer off KBB value.
check Carfax
ask about crash history
ask about maintenance
test drive
take it to my own mechanic

Anything else? What to ask, what to look out for?
 
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jjordan

Moderator
I've heard that if you bring cash, they're more likely to accept a low(er) offer than if you don't come prepared with the cash. Whether or not that is true probably depends on the seller, but it is worth a try!
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
I'm sure you know that KBB and most places have wholesale, retail and private party numbers. Also be sure to check the others, like Edmunds, Black Book etc. They can all vary somewhat but then you will have a range of numbers to use. Definitely take it to a mechanic for an inspection. There could be stuff even the owner doesn't know about. Tires and brakes could be big expenses you'd need sooner than later, not to mention major mechanical stuff.
 

Pixels

New member
Wow, there is a big variance among KBB, Edmunds, and NADA. Anywhere from $11,600 to $15,375 for the same vehicle. That's huge!
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
Wow, there is a big variance among KBB, Edmunds, and NADA. Anywhere from $11,600 to $15,375 for the same vehicle. That's huge!

One other thing to check is cars.com and autotrader.com. I think you can filter results to those being sold by private parties vs. dealers, depending on where you are buying yours you can see how others are being priced.
 

jess71903

Ambassador
We've bought our last 2 vehicles from very small, independent dealers and had good luck. The ones around here anyway generally have high-mileage cars, but you get lucky sometimes. With them, we have gotten our own financing, and gone with Shelter Financial (a division of Shelter insurance) each time. Farm Bureau also had good rates and could get a check to us the same day. With Shelter (and probably FB too) you can apply online and then you can pick up your check from a local agent's office.

Make sure you really look a car over, top to bottom, front to back, and don't feel stupid doing it. Open every trap door and tumble all the seats if they do. Our last Explorer was a rental car and had a cigarette burn on the back seat under the headrest that I didn't notice until we were done dealing. Only one, and it didn't smell or anything, but that burn bugged me the entire time we owned the car. The one before that had a dent like a garage door had come down on the liftgate. If I had noticed it before, I still would have gotten the car, but I may have been able to bargain them down a bit, or gotten their garage to fix it (it was a big dealer).

This Expedition was listed online as a 4.7liter V8. I knew I didn't want the 4.7 (not enough engine for the size vehicle), so I looked under the hood and it is in fact a 5.4. In that case, I found out something good about it.
 

Pixels

New member
I don't have any advice, but whatcha gettin'?:p

We want a 2006 or 2007 Toyota Sienna LE 8-passenger.

8-passenger, because then we have the option to put three kids across the middle row, stow the third row, and have room for stuff. Didn't like the Odyssey 8-passenger, so that's why we chose the Toyota.

8 passengers were optional on the CE and LE trim levels (not available on higher levels). The CE doesn't have cruise control, which is a dealbreaker for us, so that leaves the LE.

2005 and older, side torso and side curtain airbags were optional. In 2006 they made them standard, so I don't have to try to figure out if each one has them or not.

In 2008, they took OFF the tow package, but it seems there was a lot of confusion and even misinformation coming from the Toyota to the dealers and to consumers, so while there are a very few 2008s with the tow package, many people believe they have the tow package but don't. I don't want to mess with THAT headache, and we do want to be able to tow (for a future trailer purchase).

The one I'm going to look at this afternoon is loaded. It looks like it if was an option, this one has it, except backup camera and navigation and rear entertainment. Power driver's seat, power sliding doors, power hatch, moonroof, electrochromatic rear view, heated outside mirrors, vehicle stability assist, traction control, it's got it all. I'm a simple gal, as long as the wheels go round, it's safe, and has cruise, I'm happy. Of course I'm happiER with options and toys, but I'm content without them as well. DH is more into having all the options, so he's happy about this one.

Added bonus, it's not silver, grey, or gold. It seems like sooo many vehicles on the road today are one of those colors. It's kinda like Graco, while you can find actual color if you really look for it, mostly it's just blah everywhere. :eek:

Wish us luck! I'm going to look at it this afternoon with my brother. My brother is not a mechanic by trade but he has done way more than his fair share of fixing cars, including restoring a 1964 and keeping beaters going long after most would have given up. He's also the family mechanic for most jobs, so he has a vested interest in making sure it's decent. DH is staying home and just trusting my judgement on it (it will be my daily driver).

The ad is on Craigslist, and it's been up for a month and still available. The asking price seems about right (in line with KBB, between trade-in and retail values on NADA, but well above Edmunds), and it looks great in the pictures. Kinda makes me wonder why it's still available a month later, yk? So going in hopeful but cautious.
 

Chely7425

New member
We have a CE with cruise control... but it's a 2008 so maybe that's the difference? Good luck with the one you are looking at today!
 

luckyclov

New member
Excellent choice! I realllllly wanted a previous gen Sienna, but DH wouldn't buy used and we couldn't locate a new 2010 during our search last year. I ended up with an '11 8 passenger LE (with some package that included power doors and back up camera) because I couldn't force myself to love the Ody (previous or new gen). Obviously not as child seat friendly as the 2004/5-2010, but it fits our family fine, so whatever.

And, I have to say, Toyota sucked me in for life, simply based on their braking system/brake time and precise steering. I was able to avoid what could have been a significant, multi-vehicle crash (for me) the other day by easing into the break down lane and jumping the brakes...on a WET road. I didn't even skid...I just...stopped. Vehicles in front AND back of me were not so fortunate. And we've seen how well Chely's performed in their crash.

Additionally, Toyota defers to child seat manufacturer for LATCH limits...and I know how you feel about top tethering over specificed LATCH weight limits.:p

I think you'll be really happy with your choice once you find *the one*. Good luck!
 

Pixels

New member
Looked at it tonight and as long as nothing funky comes up on the Carfax and negotiations work out, I'll be buying it. It is beautiful. One owner, a mechanic who has maintained it well. There are little details that are unusually clean, like the engine compartment, inside of the fender, and firewall. The undermount spare tire has no rust on the rim. The only things we could find wrong were a quarter-sized dent in the hood, a cigarette burn on the middle-most seat (but it did NOT smell of smoke and I have pregnancy hyper-sensitive scent), and two broken minor things that will be easy to replace.

DOM: 9/05. Too bad my Radians predate SuperLATCH.
 

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