Advice for buying a cheap used car in NYC?

March 25, 2005 7:34 AM

I'm in NYC/Brooklyn, and we're looking to buy a cheap used car for the first time. Advice?

We've done plenty of price/quality research into makes and models online, but we're looking for some advice from the experienced on how to get this done efficiently and wisely at the low end of the market.

We've only got 5-8K to spend, and we're looking primarily for a small-to-midsize reliable sedan or wagon (we're looking at mostly late-90s Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans, Mazdas, using Consumer Reports as a quality baseline). Buying through craigslist or local classifieds would be the cheapest route, but we're not seeing that many cars we like, and have started looking into going to a dealer. There is the additional problem of transport to go shopping: we have to borrow a car to get to almost any place that sells them (and may need to get babysitting as well), so we want to make the most of any excursion. Visiting individual after individual who has a car for sale and several potential offers on it is pretty difficult. All of this pushes us toward driving to someone who stocks several models that look feasible, and hoping to find one we like in a single day.

Does anybody who's done this -- particularly in this area -- have particular recommendations on what to do or not? Avoid the dealerships altogether, or pick the most respectable-seeming? I don't know if New York is a special case with regard to car dealers. More generally, I have some sense about how to negotiate price with an individual, but not a sense of how to approach the used car guy. Also, with an individual one can make the sale contingent on a mechanic's checkup, but is that even possible with a dealership? We seem to be below the price threshold for "certified pre-owned" cars.

posted by BT to shopping (11 comments total)

My advice would be to use ebay motors and do a search on some of the upstate zip codes that are within an hour or two train ride. Start with 12590 and 12508. This is Wappingers Falls and Beacon. You will get better prices and you will also find individuals. I think the best deals are from individuals. You won't get the pressure you get from a dealership. You can also try some of the classifieds in The Poughkeepsie Journal. Cars upstate don't have the wear and tear that a city car does. And you can get up there very easily on the Metro North. I wouldn't trust the dealerships in NYC, and especially not in Brooklyn. Maybe I have no real basis for that other than emotion, but I think it's a good instinct.
posted by spicynuts at 7:48 AM on March 25, 2005

Spicynuts is absolutely right on both counts... upstate will have better, easy to access deals, and dealerships should be avoided at all costs.

One other point of advice: make absolutely sure that you thoroughly inspect the underside of the car before buying it. Road salt can cause some pretty spectacular, but largely undetectable rust problems in northern cars. I'm talking rear suspension comes shooting through your rear strut towers spectacular. If you don't know what to look for, BRING SOMEONE WHO DOES.
posted by saladin at 8:12 AM on March 25, 2005

Check out my previous question on AskMe too:
posted by xammerboy at 8:25 AM on March 25, 2005

Respectfully, asking someone without a car to take the train upstate and then, I guess, walk from town to town checking out the great deals that they saw in the classifieds is not a particularly practical idea. The lemon law applies the same upstate as it is in Brooklyn, and frankly, the people there, dealers included, are just as honest or dishonest.

Plus the lemon-law, as I understand it, doesn't really apply in person-to-person sales anyway. So, if you go to a dealer you will pay a premium, but you will have some protection and there will be, likely, an attempt made to make you happy while fleecing you. If you go person to person you will pay less, but you are just getting some persons car, for better or for worse, and maybe they are out to fleece you and maybe not. At any rate you have very little recourse once they cash the check.

You might've already done so, but I found Autotrader to be a pretty good place to look, it carries both dealers and classifieds and gave me a pretty good idea of local prices. My wife and I recently went through basically the same set of circumstances you are, and ended up buying through Craigslist.

Good luck.
posted by dirtdirt at 8:39 AM on March 25, 2005

Speaking as someone who's had a car in Park Slope for several years, it may be worth seeing if some of the alternatives work, with the cost of insurance and the hassle of alternate side parking what they are.

I had friends use Zipcar when they lived in Europe, and loved it - it looks like it's now available in Brooklyn as well. Easy to use by the day or by the hour car rentals, over the web, no hassle or checkin required. Just for the cost of my car insurance alone, I could rent a zipcar for 72 days each year - and, not have to worry about parking. Something to consider, perhaps.
posted by bemis at 8:51 AM on March 25, 2005

Thanks, xammerboy: my search for previous questions included "used", so yours didn't come up. Good stuff in that thread too. Apologies to anyone who saw this and thought "damn double post!"

(And bemis, we've looked into Zipcar -- but we are really interested in being able to plunk an infant car seat in a single vehicle, and go places when we want without having to make too many arrangements in advance. We have the luxury of living on a street with pretty available parking out front of the building.)
posted by BT at 9:07 AM on March 25, 2005

Respectfully, asking someone without a car to take the train upstate and then, I guess, walk from town to town checking out the great deals that they saw in the classifieds is not a particularly practical idea. The lemon law applies the same upstate as it is in Brooklyn, and frankly, the people there, dealers included, are just as honest or dishonest.

Point taken, however, I live in Brooklyn. I wouldn't go anywhere near most of the dealerships I see. And, you can rent a car upstate and drive around. I guess it comes down to how much you want to work for a good deal.
posted by spicynuts at 9:12 AM on March 25, 2005

I disagree that a dealership is a bad place to buy a used car. A substantial (i.e., not 12 cars behind razor wire on a corner somewhere) used car dealership is under significant regulatory scrutiny, has a large inventory, and has an interest in maintaining their reputation. None of these protections applies to person-to-person sales.

What used car dealerships do have, is salesmen who are skilled in getting people to pay more than a car is worth if they can be persuaded to do so. However, they are all working for a living and will glady make a $250 profit from you rather than let you walk off the lot because they can't make a $1,500 profit. It's the nature of the business.

What you have to do is to have a very clear idea of the right prices and a very clear understanding of the financing. One of the very best tactics for getting a good price out of a dealership is putting little money down. They'll knock down the asking price with the plan to make it all back on the expensive financing. You sign, buy your car, and a month later pay down the entire note. Unless there's a pre-payment penalty you come out ahead. (You just have to read the finance papers carefully to be sure there isn't a prepayment penalty.)

As for where to look, there are a number of large used car lots in Long Island City, Queens (a G train away). Every one of them is likely to have dozens of late 90s Camrys, Altimas, and Accords.
posted by MattD at 2:51 PM on March 25, 2005

Want to buy a 1987 Honda Accord with 280K miles? Seriously... I am in the process of selling mine. I'm on Long Island. Email me for more info.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 6:05 PM on March 25, 2005

Thanks everyone -- this was my first AskMe question, and I got some good info here. I hadn't thought about checking for salt damage, for example, and Autotrader has some search features that nicely complement the ones on Cars.com. And MattD, your point about the way to handle money down/financing is a good one.

I think for now we're going to continue to look in the city/Long Island, just because we don't have the time to make trips upstate.

(Oh, and ObsRefMan, thanks for the offer -- I drove a 1980 Accord for many years as a young person and loved it. But I think we're looking for something a little less...seasoned... than your venerable vehicle).
posted by BT at 8:40 PM on March 25, 2005

No problem! Maybe I should wait a few years and sell it as a "classic". Good luck in your search!
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 6:34 AM on March 27, 2005