Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with carbuying

Is there a family-sized Echo substitute?

nickmark — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:36:00 -0800

Our family has grown 50% this year. Sadly, the laws of science are a harsh mistress, and my Toyota Echo is unable to grow at the same rate. What car would you recommend to replace it? The new car will serve two main roles: As my car-about-town (dropping off Baby at daycare, commuting to work, assorted errands) and as the Family Trip Vehicle. We became convinced of the need for a larger car after the last family trip, when Baby's various gear, plus our own luggage, threatened to overflow our larger car, a Honda Accord. The need to replace the Echo (rather than the accord) became apparent when it turned out that our rear-facing infant seat only fits in the car if you move the front passenger seat so far forward that there's no room for a front passenger. So the Echo is out, and the new car needs to provide more space than the Accord, in order to work for trips (plus the potential future addition of Baby Two).

Here's the thing: I love the Echo. It's the first and only car I've owned; it's a 2001 purchased new, so I've had lots of time to grow attached. I'm not in love with my car specifically, but its features. I'd like for the new car to have as many of the features I love about the Echo as possible. There's a lot of cars out there, so can you help me narrow down the list, based on what I like about the Echo?

- I love having the instrument console in the middle of the dashboard, instead of on the other side of the steering wheel. I find the steering wheel keeps me from seeing the speedometer when I drive the wife's Accord. (I'm not aware of anyone but Toyota doing this in the US, though, and I think only on the Prius, which may not have the space we're looking for.)
- The visibility is tremendous (I suspect due to the high ceiling) - when I've driven rentals of various makes, they've made me feel like I'm looking through a tunnel to see what's behind me. In the Echo, I always know what's around me.
- The upright seating is great. In other cars I often feel too reclined; I like how my joints can make right angles in the Echo. This, too, may be due to the unusually high roof.
- I love how efficient it is. 32 mpg city! Woo! I know a larger car means lower efficiency, but I just get depressed at the idea of buying a car half as efficient after the industry should have been advancing for eight years. So decent mileage would be nice (I recognize I may have to revise my concept of "decent," since I'm in the habit of sneering at 27 mpg)
- Lots of convenient compartments!

It's just a great little car. Basically, the only problem is the "little" part of that sentence. What should I be looking at for a replacement that will hold Baby?

Inflexible requirements for the new car are: more space than the Accord and automatic transmission. Bonus points for safety and efficiency. We're pretty much imagining something in the wagon/crossover categories, but we're flexible on style.

Cash for Flunkers

Susurration — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:31:00 -0800

When will 2010 car models (Nissan, Honda, Toyota) be available this year? I spoke to a local dealer, who told me that the 2010 models are likely to be really delayed this year and may not come in until 2010 itself. In previous years, the next year's models have been available from September of the previous year. I care because I really want Electronic Stability Control, which was not available in the 2009 small cars I was interested in, but is expected to be standard on the 2010 models. (ESC becomes mandatory from 2012). Does anyone work for one of these companies or have any better information than I do? Was the dealer just trying to sell me a 2009 model or is he right?

Which of These Cars is Best for Me?

batmonkey — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:47:15 -0800

The batmonkeymobile was in an accident today (everyone's ok) and will be totaled. My last car-buying attempt worked out splendidly and I want to repeat it, but I'm having a harder time figuring out which makes/models will best fulfill my desire to have car happiness many years into the future. Can you help? batmonkeymobile is was an '02 Hyundai Accent 4dr GLS (basic sedan) with a manual transmission. Other than idle pondering, it wasn't my intention to replace her anytime soon. Now I have to, but I don't want to give up the things that made me love her. I did a ton of research today and think I have my candidates.

These are the cars I have it narrowed down to:
Honda Fit
Toyota Yaris
Hyundai Elantra GLS

I'll mostly use the car for errands, monthly trips to nearby cities and the occasional distant spot, like NOLA or Las Vegas (admittedly, at some point in the future, I may be using it for commuting but currently work at home). I also sometimes go camping and driving in less urban areas, so anything addressing that would be helpful.

My two questions:
Which of those three would you/did you choose?
If you already have/had one of these cars, what year is it and what is your experience with it so far?

Cars I've ruled out:
Scions, Kias, Mazdas, Mitsubishis, Nissans, Fords, Suzuki, Subaru

Buying a car in the current recession: need advice

Ligament — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:54:10 -0800

Hi All, We are in need of a car. New or used, does not matter. Our current car is near death and we cannot postpone. Friends have told me that with the current economic recession, this is a great time to buy a new or used car. If this is indeed the case and it is a good time to take advantage of the poor economy, then in what ways do I maximize my savings? Obviously I can't walk into the dealer and tell them how they are not selling cars so they should give me a deal. Are any class of cars being discounted more than others? Any ways to find out which companies are deeply discounting their cars? How about the used car market, what can I do there? Financially, I am doing well. I don't have to finance, I have cash on hand. We are looking at sedans and sports cars under $50K new or used. Thanks!

Stickshifts and safety belts, bucket seats.

furnace.heart — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:49:54 -0800

Help a terrified consumer buy a first car. Okay. I've never owned a car. Never really needed a car until this point in my life: i've always owned vintage vespas that i've repaired and worked on myself. The idea of owning something like a car is absolutely terrifying to me (huge initial cost, potential mechanic bills, crazy insurance and gas).

Max budget is 3k. The biggest criteria i need to fulfill is reliability. It can be ugly, guttless or anything else, i just can't afford to figure out how to fix something every week on this vehicle (even though i would love to). Good mileage is important, and the car needs to be a wagon, large hatchback or light truck.

I'm leaning towards early-mid 90's Volvos, just because their wagons are quiet large-ish, and they have the reputation of being bulletproof (are there certain years i should avoid? is this bulletproof reputation true?)

I really have no idea how to approach this entirely foreign world of the car.

A slightly larger, small used car for $15k or less

codger — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:57:23 -0800

Buying a slightly larger, small used car for $15k or less, big enough for a growing family. We live in suburban Ohio, driving a 1998 Mitsubishi Galant that just turned 100k miles. This is also the year that the air conditioning decided to crap out.

While the lack of A/C is annoying, that's not the reason we're looking for another car. We've got an 18-month-old, and hauling her around (or even just having her car seat in the back) seems to have shrunk the backseat significantly.

We're not thinking SUV or mini-van yet, nor are we intending to add any other children to the family at the moment. However that said, we'll likely still be driving any car we buy now when we do have additional children (well, maybe one, I say) in the next 2-5 years.

Safety considerations may figure into this, but we haven't specifically discussed those yet.

So here's what I want: a 4-door sedan or wagon (though I won't rule out the Fit and its ilk until I've actually driven one) that's bigger, mainly in the backseat, than what I've got, for around $15,000. I've even gone as far as starting a spreadsheet with all of the specified numbers for the cars we're looking at, which unfortunately would rule out the Honda Civic which is smaller in every dimension but front head room. I realize that actually sitting in the cars will likely give me more feel for the size than just numbers alone, but it's a start.

I would also love to get better mileage - I've been hovering around the very low 20s in the city and know I can do better. To do so I think I need to stick with a 4-cylinder engine, but that's not set in stone. For me and my wife to both drive it, we're looking at an automatic transmission.

I prefer to drive cars until they die, and moreover would like cars that die later, so this does tend to rule out most American makes. If I'm wrong, please, let me know! I'm thinking that I'm going to look around 2-4 years old, with 20-40k miles on it.

Back to size, though, since not that many people have probably sat in a Galant, that Civic is probably a fine baseline.

If it matters, I'm 6' and broad-shouldered, and my wife is average height and build. Right now our (3' tall) daughter can kick the back of the passenger seat sitting in her car seat.

So, what can I find that's bigger than a Honda Civic with comfortable room for a child seat + assorted stuff reachable from the front seats, with good mileage, reliability and longevity, for under $15,000?

Car confusion

Alive N Kickin — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:42:22 -0800

Ok. My car is literally falling apart, and I'm really confused about the whole car buying process. I haven't decided which car I want yet, but I do know I want it to:

1. Be Used
2. Be Reliable
3. Be Sporty/Fun/Not Ugly......if possible
4. Have a good amount of room, not too big, not too small
5. Have the ability to handle a few cross-country trips without worry
6. Be at or under $10,000

So onto my questions...

If I'm not sure exactly what car I want, but I want to get pre-approved for a loan on a car from my bank or credit union, can I do that if I know the price range I'm looking for? What if I decide to go higher or lower on the price range, do I have to get pre-approved again for a loan if I was pre-approved before? And if I find the car I want and I have the pre-approved loan, how does the whole process work? Do I call the bank/credit union from the dealer and tell them I want the loan? If I tell the dealer I'm paying cash, and will drive the car off the lot if they give me the price I want, does a pre-approved loan count as cash-in-hand? I guess my main confusion is that I don't understand the steps, and in what order I need to take them in order to buy a car. I've done alot of research, but I can't seem to find any good information on the steps and what order I need to take them in. If I find a car I want, will the dealer hold it for me until I get these things worked out and do my homework on it? Will they let me take the car to a mechanic to get checked out before I buy it? Do I have to have a deal worked out before I do that? If I really want the car, but not the dealer financing, how do I go about getting the car? Let's say I have a pre-approved loan for $7000, but I find a car I want instead for $10k...then what do I need to do?? Confusion!!!

Can someone baby-step this with me? Any help greatly appreciated!

She just wants to pay cash for a new car.

ScarletPumpernickel — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 21:41:56 -0800

Please help -- How do you buy a new car in California for cash? Dealer has agreed to a cash deal, but at 11th hour, insists on signing a loan agreement?!? Help my cuz get this guy to close a cash deal. My cousin has saved up to buy a new car for cash in
SoCalifornia. She got the deal she wanted, and they knew
from the start that she was paying cash. So they should've
gotten a deal they can live with, too.

She pays by cashier's check, signs over the trade-in, signs
all the papers, then finally comes the sales agreement...

...and it's a loan agreement.

She declines, they insist. She reads, and the contract
says:

(a) customer can choose to pay cash. Sign this form, and
you're choosing to pay by credit;

(b) oral amendments are not binding, mutual written consent
only.

She declines, they insist, complete with lies and tactics.
Around and around they go. Finally, she leaves. She has a
paper trail on everything she's given them, so she feels she
can get it back with just some hassle. Most importantly,
she'd like to buy that car -- in cash.

What tactic/consumer law/shibboleth/ninja-finger-sign can
she use to get the deal closed without a loan?

P.S. -- In between claiming that it was State Law that she
sign a loan agreement, one of them offered to make it a
"zero-dollar loan." WTF?

Thanks in advance for prompt suggestions. Clock is ticking.

How do you make car dealer refund a bogus fee?

StarForce5 — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:23:15 -0800

A relative of mine just bought a new car in Massachusetts and was blatantly robbed with bogus dealership fees. Example: $500 "registration fee" and of course the deluxe "extended warranty". Unfortunately the deal is done and it appears each bogus fee is perfectly legal in Mass and there's no "cooling off period". Is there is any recourse to persuade the dealer to reconsider these fees?

mileage vs. age in used cars

needs more cowbell — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 10:22:58 -0800

All other things being equal, do I pick the older car with lower mileage or the later model with high mileage? I've seen the other thread, but I'm looking for advice that's a little more specific to my situation.

I'm buying my first car. It will be used, probably purchased privately, and it will cost less than $5000. It will probably be a Honda, Toyota, or Subaru (for their known reliability, etc). I also need an automatic transmission & four doors, which limits things a little when I'm looking for cheap cars. I live in Maryland, in case climate matters.

Should I go for lower mileage (under 100K, but probably over 80K from what I've seen) or for something that's newer but with high mileage? What about "really new" cars (say, 2001) that have 150K (or even more) on them? Let's say all the cars have been used for the same kind of driving (highway vs. city) and have been maintained equally well.

One thought I've heard is that ultimately it's rust, not usage, that kills cars, and cars rust regardless of how much they've been driven...hence newer is better, even with high mileage. I'm not sure if that makes sense, though. I had set 100K as an arbitrary limit, but I'm starting to wonder if that's silly.

Dog Wagon.

BrotherCaine — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 01:26:26 -0800

What new wagons/autos are dog friendly? My sister in law is looking for a car that will hold her, a (human) passenger, two (medium 40-50lb) dogs, and hopefully two dog crates. I recommended the Scion xB, but I don't actually know that it will do the job. Anyone who drives multiple dogs around care to comment? Vibe, Matrix, Focus, Mazda5, RAV4?

When should I buy a car?

fogster — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 12:58:34 -0800

When's the best time to buy a (probably used) car? I've been looking off and on at buying a car. (Not sure quite yet whether it'll be new or used, but I'm leaning more towards used but relatively new.) Time and time again, I start looking, and ultimately decide to wait until a given point in the future. And then a month later, I start again, and decide to put it off. There are some complicating factors:

My insurance will drop significantly when I turn 21 in December. This seems to coincide with the advice of people who tell me that I should buy a car at the end of the year, when they're looking to get rid of the 2006 models. However, about 60% of my funds are tied up in a certificate that matures in late February. (A week or two after President's Day: a second time everyone says to buy.)

I've also heard it said that late summer is a good time to buy cars, as the 2007 models are starting to come out. So when is the best time to buy a car, and does any of that advice even relate to buying a used car?

Where to buy a car?

feloniousmonk — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 13:51:43 -0800

I'm moving from New England to Southern Florida and I need to buy a car. Should I bother to look here, or just wait until after I move? I'm more likely to purchase outright than to lease, so mileage restrictions aren't much of an issue.

A tale of two Saabs

astruc — Sun, 26 Jun 2005 17:28:47 -0800

I have been shopping for a used Saab. I have narrowed it down to two... 1. 2000 Saab 9-3 SE, 2.0 liter 4 Cyl. Turbo with 80K miles on it. $11K.
2. 1996 Saab 900 SE Turbo with 46K miles on it. $8.5K.

Both cars are immaculate and well-maintained. The 9-3 is slightly sexier with the wood dash. The 1996 had a tighter clutch (well, to me-- I had an easier time driving the 900 for some odd reason). The 2000 is from a reputable dealer, but neither car has a warranty. The '96 will be checked out by a third-party mechanic, but let's assume it checks out ok. Which would you choose, and why?

When you buy a new car, does it really matter when in the model year you buy it?

smackfu — Wed, 14 Jul 2004 06:26:38 -0800

When you buy a new car, does it really matter when in the model year you buy it?

Any input about electric cars?

stbalbach — Fri, 11 Jun 2004 23:10:16 -0800

I drive a truck which is great for long distance, car camping and off-roading and hauling stuff but I estimate about %70 of the miles are done within a 30-mile range of home. As I recently switched home electricity to a Wind Powered utility provider (delivered via Pepco the incumbant local utility) I could now theoretically charge an electric car and be %100 pollution free. But I know nothing about electric cars reliability, maintaince, cold weather, etc... Does anyone have any experience or suggestions to offer? Ideally I'd like a car that can go 50+ mph for 40+ miles and cost under $10,000.

How do I buy a used car in Montana?

davidmsc — Sun, 22 Feb 2004 10:38:03 -0800

Purchasing a car for my daughter from a co-worker/friend. Clueless about any legal requirements -- transfer of title, taxes (Montana), odometer, etc. Any advice at all...?