Would you buy a used car with 150+ miles?
Im getting my permit next summer and i'm trying to get an idea on a nice car but not expensive. Around 3-4 grand.
I was looking at some grand prix's and the bodys are in excellent condition but have high mileage. They look super clean though. Would you buy a car with that many miles?
Any other suggestions on cars? Not just "get a honda or toyota" I want the model of the car also lol..
2007-08-30 02:28:38 · 7 answers · asked by Ryan M 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
It was a 1999.
2007-08-30 03:25:16 · update #1
If the car has been maintained mechanically as well as the outside suggests, it would probably be a safe buy. I've gotten a lot more miles out of vehicles than that. You might ask if they have any service records or check that carfax thing for servicing. Just remember the carfax only reports services performed that were recorded. If some Joe Blow swapped trannys in the back yard, it won't show. Just remember that it's a lot cheaper to overhaul an engine or replace it with a remanufactured engine and be good for another 150,000 miles than it is to do body work. $2,500-$3,000 would surely get you a reman engine installed; that same amount wouldn't even get you started on a good, quality paint job or body work. The latter is why so many wrecked but mechanically sound vehicles are totalled out. Oh, those $200 Maco paint jobs are just that, $200 paint jobs.
2007-08-30 02:42:26 · answer #1 · answered by bikinkawboy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm wondering what the year of the Grand Prix is. Based on what you're telling me, I would not buy the Grand Prix. You can get a car with less mileage for about the same price. For example, I saw a 2000 Ford Focus the other day...it had 90,000 miles and the price was $3,995. I would suggest that you find a car auction in your area and take an adult with you to buy a car this way. If I were you, I would look at: Toyota, Corrollas-Honda, Civic-....I myself like Fords: Ford, Focus & Ford 500.
2007-08-30 09:32:53 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm assuming you mean 150,000+ miles. The only cars I would look at with that kind of mileage would be Hondas or Toyotas. And in most cases $3000-$4000 would be way too much for a car with that kind of mileage.
If you're looking for a decent used car that should give you a few years of relatively trouble free driving, you really shouldn't buy anything with more than 50,000-60,000 miles. When you get beyond that you're more likely to see major components start to fail or have problems. That doesn't mean a high mileage car WILL have problems, it just means it's more likely to have problems.
2007-08-30 09:36:23 · answer #3 · answered by Justin H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buying a used car like that is kind of a crapshoot. My brother just replaced his old Buick that has 230,000 miles and is still running. He drove it all over the country. My dad got my mom a 2002 VW Jetta TDI (diesel engine, excellent gas mileage) with a little over 100,000 miles. It's been perfect so far! My husband bought a used Cadillac Eldorado with about 90,000 miles and 6 months later we spent $2,000 more to rebuild the engine after a headgasket blew on the notorious Northstar. That was actually a bargain too... it should have cost a lot more. My point is that sometimes a used car with high mileage will keep on going forever with little maintenance, other times it croaks right away. I would say you'd be okay to buy a used car with high mileage if it's not foreign and you know how to work on cars! It would be ridiculous to buy a car that old and not know how to fix things yourself.
2007-08-30 09:37:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What year are the Grand Prixs you're looking at?
If you're fixed on a specific car, ask if they mind if you have the car checked over. Local mechanics may come out and have a look at the vehicle for you for a small charge, and it's better than finding out it has a cracked head or valve problem BEFORE you buy it :) I bet you're excited, hope you find a great car and don't forget to leave some extra $ for the insurance!
2007-08-30 09:37:29 · answer #5 · answered by nikiandneish 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well no your asking for problems if you do and a Grand Prix your 16 not 50 lol
2007-08-30 09:33:02 · answer #6 · answered by ME® 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every car can be reliable if it is taken care of.
I'm in Canada so everything is by KM, and my max would be buying a car with 150km.
Go to this site -- www.insidecarsecrets.com
This guy used to be the finance manager at a dealership and he knows all of the secrets in the car biz. Go through his site, it will help you.
http://www.insidercarsecrets.com/buyingused.html
Same site, but this one shows you How to Buy a Used Car and Get Low Used Car Prices
http://www.insidercarsecrets.com/negotiateused.html
This is how to negotiate pricing on a used car.
Good luck with your search!
2007-08-30 09:36:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋