used or new car

Cash for clunkers also fucked with used cars for a while.

Usually you'll want to get a used car, but there are exceptions. Know what you want before you go talk to a car salesman. They have a rep for being scumfucks but honestly I've only ever met one that was horrible. Mostly they're just working a job.

There's no excuse anymore with the internet. The car salesman job has changed. You don't have to even be a car guy anymore to be well informed when buying.

clear #1 is buying a used car from a guy you know to take care of his things.

iAnus_sl said:

You don't have to even be a car guy anymore to be well informed when buying.

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This right here. Doesn't matter if it's new or used because there are so many variables - like we've seen in this thread already about low interest rates - so get yourself educated on what you want in a car and then go looking. Use things like Truecar.com to give yourself a baseline to work from and don't let a dealer screw you.

I got my most recent daily driver at $250 under invoice and it comes with 4 years of free maintenance, great service at the dealer and a handy whenever I stop in. For me it made more sense to go new and lease this car, while others I have bought new for cash and not leased, or bought used and financed when I needed to. All depends on what you need and what you feel comfortable paying.

I'm surprised he doesn't want a used car that isn't newer than 14 years old.

If you buy used, get a fucking inspection and check carfax AND autocheck.

I bought my first car used, 2 year old F-150 that looked perfect, totally clean carfax. Got a great deal on it, so pulled the trigger. After 2 years in the snow, rust started appearing, took it to an autobody place and they said it had been repainted. When I went to trade it in I was told that it had frame damage and they offered me 6k less than if it was fine. The carfax was perfectly clear while the autocheck showed an accident and it being put up for auction. I bought it at a great price, so I probably only lost 1-2k on it, but still sucks.

Prime_sl said:

If you buy used, get a fucking inspection and check carfax AND autocheck.

I bought my first car used, 2 year old F-150 that looked perfect, totally clean carfax. Got a great deal on it, so pulled the trigger. After 2 years in the snow, rust started appearing, took it to an autobody place and they said it had been repainted. When I went to trade it in I was told that it had frame damage and they offered me 6k less than if it was fine. The carfax was perfectly clear while the autocheck showed an accident and it being put up for auction. I bought it at a great price, so I probably only lost 1-2k on it, but still sucks.

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If someone here sold a car with an accident and fails to mention that, you can get your money back from him. Even after 5 years. Makes buying used cars a lot safer here

New vs. used are two different conversations b/c you can fuck up differently. New car buyers need to stick to logic, reason, and an engine that has been used for 5+ years in the real world already and have a proven record. I maintain my vehicles far beyond recommendations and my 2005 car that I bought new looks almost as good as the day I bought it. Runs like the day I bought it. However, even with that attitude if I bought the 2014 equivalent of the Ford Pinto, I would be a moron even with my maintenance OCD. You pay a lot more for a new car, and it only pays off if you are the type of person that keeps it long term and maintains it to last forever. If you're the 5 year itch type and have to buy another just because, then leasing/used is where you need to be.

Used car buyers require a level of trust that I don't have in my brain. Someone fucked with it or neglected it and I know I'll never get a straight answer from the owner even if it looks good. If you buy used mentally tell yourself that 2 years is how long it needs to last before the next major fix. If in 2 years you're financially not able to put yourself in another used car if the worst case scenario happens, it's likely not the right choice.

If you can't afford new and you're too stupid to diagnose used (like me), just buy the best $1,500 car and be glad it lasts 6 months and call it good. Or lease I guess.

Used.

My friend used to be a car salesman. He would tell me that a car that's three years old is the way to go. He had done the math on it and... overall... at three years you're getting the best value. Whatever was going to go wrong with the car initially has gone wrong and been fixed. It's still in good shape with low mileage... but you're not overpaying just to have the new model. This is assuming that you're a working class stiff like the rest of us who's trying to get the best value out of what you're driving.

If you have fuck-you-money, then quit being a pussy and buy new.

If you're on any sort of a budget, then used is probably the way to go. In my life I've had 5 cars, and only one of them was new. It was awesome being able to pick all the options etc and get exactly what you want. But it was not awesome selling it 5 years later for only about 40% of what it was originally worth, and that's even with low mileage, no accidents, and near perfect condition (a couple paint chips here and there).

I think the sweet spot is finding a used car that's 1-2 years old, low mileage, and been cared for properly. That way you've still got another year or two of warranty, and it's nearly new, but the other guy has taken the big depreciation hit from driving it off the lot. However if you're looking for a particular, specific car, it can be hard as fuck to find one that fits.

And as a couple people have mentioned, the used car market in North America has been stupid the past couple years because of the recession and the huge drop in car sales. If you were looking for 2009-2011 used cars, good fucking luck finding one that was reasonably priced. Went through that last year with the special lady friend. They were like unicorns. Things should be getting back to normal now though, as car sales picked up in 2011/12 (or 12/13 model years).

Not sure if I'll ever buy new again. I've got "fuck you money" by most people's view, but it just seems silly to buy a new 50-100k car that you instantly lose 15-30k on when you drive it off the lot. In any case I've got a 2010 with low miles that I intend on driving in to the ground, so it'll be awhile.

Get a quote from the internet department of the dealership.

I bought my most recent car (2009) in 2011 for about 1/2 of what the starting price for a new model would have been. 20k miles on it and through my dealership have unlimited roadside assistance, free keys in case mine are lost/broken/I decide to throw them out the window, free auto tune-up, free diagnostics, and warranty for mechanical failure. I just strong-armed my dealer into saying I wasn't going to pay more than 200 a month for it (even when she offered $210.) 5 years at 3.7 apr with 2k down. Used is the way to go.

Thread is over. TF got himself a used van.

train a giant emu or ostrich, paint it yellow, and ride it around like a chocobo