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Car buying, used, Carmaxx, etc.

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Dec. ~ 2006 Feb.: Buyers Banter: Car buying, used, Carmaxx, etc. users admin

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Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Friday, October 07, 2005 - 7:02 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Anyone have any tips? Is there any advantage/disadvantage to buying via Carmax vs. a little used car "stand"?

Bandit
Member

07-29-2001

Friday, October 07, 2005 - 7:33 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bandit a private message Print Post    
I love Carmax...makes the car buying experience so much more easy to take. We've been to Carmax twice, and I doubt we will buy another car from anywhere else.

The best thing about it is, the price on the sticker is the price that you pay. No haggling, no "let me go talk to the manager" BS. You walk in, tell them how much you want to spend, you look for a car, you find one, you are done. It's awesome!

You can even look on the Carmax website, and if you see a car that you like and it's at a different location, they'll bring it to your location to test drive.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Friday, October 07, 2005 - 8:03 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Thanks Bandit! Are the cars at Carmax more expensive (in general) or about the same than cars at a typical used car place or a dealership?

Fabnsab
Member

08-07-2000

Sunday, November 27, 2005 - 6:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Fabnsab a private message Print Post    
I went to buy a car today. I will find out tomorrow if the financing goes through. Now I am starting to wonder whether I should spend so much and am starting to change my mind. I gave them $300 today for good faith money. If I do change my mind tomorrow morning, will they give that $300 back?

I feel like such a flake but I am getting stressed just thinking of the car payment. We have plenty to cover it but I was so against car payments. We've never had one. I go from never to HOLY COW!

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Sunday, November 27, 2005 - 6:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Fab, usually a deposit is not refundable. It's there to help ensure (incentive, if you will) that you'll actually follow through with the purchase. Each dealership is different... if your financing does not go thru, it's possible they will refund your money. Check the contract.

You didn't say... what did you think you wanted to buy?

And if you hate car payments, then double up on 'em, or finance for 2 years. Since you have "plenty to cover it."

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Sunday, November 27, 2005 - 7:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
State laws may vary, but generally on purchases the size of a car, you have a grace period (often three days) where you can change your mind and rescind the contract. Read the paperwork you signed and see what it says.

Webchiq
Member

07-11-2005

Monday, November 28, 2005 - 10:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Webchiq a private message Print Post    
Buying a car can be a stressful process. I have been doing all of the car buying in our family for the last 10 years because I'm very good at it. Never, ever pay what the sticker says, it is always more than you need to pay. Even if you're going to lease, do not lease for what the sticker says. Any price on any car is negotiable and if you learn the techniques, you will actually come out ahead every time.

This is how you do it. Decide which makes and models you're interested in. Then go to www.kbb.com and research the invoice amount (have a notebook where you've kept your notes so you can negotiate better) for your new vehicle. Also go to www.nadaguides.com and research the invoice amount of your vehicle. When you're in the dealership, the kbb is the little blue book and the nadaguide is the yellow book. Once you know how much that new car cost to the dealer then you decide how much over that you are willing to pay.

There are two different types of dealerships, volume and commission. Volume is where the dealership receives incentives from the manufacturer that they pass on to the sales reps based on the number of vehicles they sell, regardless of price. This is the ultimate place to buy your vehicle because you will be able to negotiate down to your price, everytime, althought they will act like you are killing them.

A commission dealership is making the percentage (usually 4% - 5% is the highest I will go) and splitting that between the salesperson and the dealership. These dealerships are much harder to negotiate down because the salesperson is fighting for their money on a different level.

Tips on leasing. Leasing is just like buying, everything is negotiable. You can even negotiate down to 0% interest on a lease and several thousand dollars off the sticker price.

When to buy - always buy between December 26th and 31st. Dealerships are trying to make their numbers.

How to buy - take off your jacket or coat, tell the salesperson that this is your price and if they do a runaround between you and the manager and come back with any price that isn't the one that you've mentioned then you will leave and take your business elsewhere. When they come back with another price (they will) then you pick up your coat and leave. They will chase you (no kidding), tell them they have one more chance and you are on a tight schedule so they need to make their decision quickly. If they do it again, then you must completely leave. When you come back two days later, you will get your price.

An example, I leased a vehicle that said $36,850 on the sticker for $29,000. I got a 0% lease. The lease had a balloon payment at the end of it. When it got to the end of the lease, the vehicle was worth $8,000 more than that balloon payment, meaning that I had $8,000 in equity already. So, I took out a credit union loan and paid the balloon payment. Today, my vehicle is still worth $8,000 more than I owe on it. That puts me on top of the game. This method really works.

Jagger
Member

08-07-2002

Monday, November 28, 2005 - 4:47 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jagger a private message Print Post    
Now a days a lot of car dealers are not negotiating, take Saturn, in our area they will not budge on the price. That is their latest sales gimmic, no hassle car buying, you pay what it says on the window.

I'm just glad I don't need a new car right now, next month maybe, but not today.

Webchiq
Member

07-11-2005

Friday, December 02, 2005 - 8:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Webchiq a private message Print Post    
Saturn has always been a non negotiation manufacturer and all of their dealerships are manufacturer owned. If you buy a one year old used Saturn then you will usually pay what the car is really worth because the depreciation occurs when you drive it off the lot.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Friday, December 02, 2005 - 8:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Is this a good deal; a 2001 Toyota Camry/85,000 miles for $8500?

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 4:23 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Maris a private message Print Post    
from consumer reports on Toyota Camry:

1997 $4,200 - $8,100
1998 $5,000 - $8,600
1999 $5,800 - $10,100
2000 $7,200 - $12,200
2001 $8,400 - $14,100
2002 $10,900 - $17,100
2003 $12,600 - $19,600
2004 $15,000 - $23,000

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 4:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Maris a private message Print Post    
if you go to www.kbb.com and input the information you have about the car, it will give you the value of the car. That is the kelly blue book. I dont know too much about the car but I input this information:

Engine: 4-Cyl. 2.2 Liter
Trans: Automatic
Drive: FWD
Mileage: 85,000


Equipment
Air Conditioning
Power Steering
Power Windows
Power Door Locks
Tilt Wheel
Cruise Control
AM/FM Stereo
Cassette
Dual Front Air Bags


Consumer Rated Condition: Good
"Good" condition means that the vehicle is free of any major defects. This vehicle has a clean title history , the paint, body and interior have only minor (if any) blemishes, and there are no major mechanical problems. There should be little or no rust on this vehicle. The tires match and have substantial tread wear left. A "good" vehicle will need some reconditioning to be sold at retail. Most consumer owned vehicles fall into this category.


Private Party Value $6,675
Private Party Value is what a buyer can expect to pay when buying a used car from a private party. The Private Party Value assumes the vehicle is sold "As Is" and carries no warranty (other than the continuing factory warranty). The final sale price may vary depending on the vehicle's actual condition and local market conditions. This value may also be used to derive Fair Market Value for insurance and vehicle donation purposes.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 5:53 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
I think you can get a subscribtion to CARFAX for something like $25 a month. It will give you the history of any car you are looking at.

Also the industry standard on mileage is an average of 12,000 - 15,000 miles per year for normal usage.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Saturday, December 03, 2005 - 7:16 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Julieboo a private message Print Post    
Thank you Maris--that is VERY helpful. Thank you too Texannie!

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Sunday, February 12, 2006 - 11:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Bumping this thread because I needed to look up Webchiq's good advice. Thanks, Webchiq. We are looking at buying a used car, but I would presume the same principles and strategies apply.

Serate
Member

08-21-2001

Monday, February 13, 2006 - 4:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Serate a private message Print Post    
If you want the TRUE history of a car contact your insurance agent. We bought a used truck in 2001. Before we purchased it we paid for Carfax information - not a thing on it - no accidents, no insurance claims. Moved in 2003 and changed insurance. New insurance guy told us the truck had been turned into insurance three times because of accidents. We'll never use Carfax again.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Monday, February 13, 2006 - 5:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Thanks, Serate.

Abby7
Member

07-17-2002

Monday, February 13, 2006 - 6:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Abby7 a private message Print Post    
i've never heard of carfax. i've only heard of carmax. dh and i have used AAA for several years now.

AAA will give you all the information you want. but the DMV can give you more info. so, check out the dmv, then your insurance. i suggest carmax after that. but i will now check carfax too.

thanks serate.

i've never heard of carfax....but i will check it out.

thanks serate. i'll check out carfax too.