I'm buying a new car but it has to be second-hand. I've heard that if you buy a car that is 5 or 6 years old that you run the risk of things starting to go wrong with it as it is about this time with most cars that part replacements are needed. If this is true, is it worth my while, spending a bit more and buying a car that is 2 or 3 years old instead? or is it possible to buy a 5 or 6 year old car without running into major problems. Any advice appreciated and thanks!
2006-10-11 13:01:24 · 12 answers · asked by applecheeks 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Buying & Selling
The best thing to do is research it.
You can go to http://www.carfax.com and get a list of things that have happend to the car. If you want complete deltailed listings on it you pay a fee.
You can check out http://www.lemon.com and see if the car itself is classified as a 'lemon'
You can also go to http://www.autotrader.com fill out the info and you can see what they would charge for that type/make/model of the vehicle.
Last but not least, you can go to http://www.kbb.com and it's kelly's blue book and fill out the info and they'll give you the blue book value of the car in its condition.
2006-10-11 13:06:59 · answer #1 · answered by lacymichelle38901 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You will encounter a lot of risk buying a used car, that can't really be avoided. The best thing to do is buy it from a reputable dealer. It's definitely preferable to buy a car that still has some of it's factory warranty left (a car that's only 2-3 years old should). Also, always have the care examined by a mechanic - not the one at the dealer who's trying to sell you the car. They'll know tell-tale signs to look for that could indicate major problems to come. This is extremely important to do if buying from a private seller, or a car that is beyond it's warranty period.
2006-10-11 13:05:27 · answer #2 · answered by UNITool 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My opinion is that milage would be the deciding factor, not age. If a 5 or 6 year old car has low milage (or around the milage it should for that age: approx. 50-75k miles) and it has had regular service with the paperwork to back it up, it might be problem free. My addvice would just be to take ANY used car, regardless of it's age to a trustworthy mechanic in order to get an unbiased opinion on the condition of the car. Hope this helps
2006-10-11 13:14:12 · answer #3 · answered by hohoeho321 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look man buy a newer car definately. Sure, maybe the cost is a little more, but think about your safety for one thing because you don't want a car that will smash up on you. For example, once I backed up into an Excursion ok. I wasn't even driving fast because I was coming out of my grandparent's driveway. My car only left a small paint scratch on the Excursion, while my car got a huge dent in it. Now you tell me, my car is crap! Then again, you should go to car fax, it would help.
2006-10-11 13:25:02 · answer #4 · answered by Rebel6 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not true I know allot of chryslers pontiacs, fords that out run most new cars, not to mention hondas, toyotas and the forever runing datsun's
so thats not true at all. besides all the new cars have computer chips and nothing gets fixed if they cant adjust the chip
no more pull over and wiggle something, you gotta get it towed.
New cars suck
you cant work on them, but hey whatever floates your boat
its a car an over priced material item that unfortunately depreciates in value as soon as you drive off the lot. I for one dont want to pay for anything that wont retain value or make money.
2006-10-11 13:05:11 · answer #5 · answered by Xae 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have any car you are considering checked out by your own qualified mechanic. Expect to pay about $100 for a full check. Do a title history report (carfax) to check for problems.
A car of any age can be a good one or a problem. If you have it checked thoroughly, you can reduce the risk!
2006-10-11 13:14:34 · answer #6 · answered by fire4511 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you find the used car that you really want. Ask the owner if the two of you can take it to AAA for a full auto diagnostic. I think it will cost like $75 and AAA will tell you what's wrong with it, what needs repairs, what needs changing, etc.
If the owner does not agree to let you take it to AAA, you can always walk away.
2006-10-11 16:51:18 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
unless the car is 1 year old or less take someone with u that knows about cars or you run the risk of getting shafted bigtime ...
2006-10-11 13:09:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
just be carefull avoid 100,000 mile cars inless you can work on them just check the oil make sure it isnt milky like blown head gasket oil up doesnt smoke miss or sound like a piece of crap and shifts ok and doesnt overheat id concider it you can go to kbb.com and see what price a car should have so you dont pay to much
2006-10-11 13:14:39 · answer #9 · answered by jb 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What ever car you find make sure you use car fax.com . It will let you know if it has been wrecked.
2006-10-11 13:04:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋