Possibly buying a Vue and selling car question

[lupi]

My wife is still in the 96 grandam. I figure I could probably push it another year before I would have to start paying for mechanical repairs. A relative is offering to sell a saturn vue (2004) for $7000 (v6). How is this car/anything to be worried about?


Also, what's the best method for getting cash for the older vehicle. Given that the paint needs work (particularly the spoiler area) and the from interial body panels have the pleather coatings coming off, I'm not expecting much. Should I just go to one of those used car malls that will give everyone an offer, or just try and sell it to a person?



edit for year

 

[Arkaign]

A dealer won't give you squat for the GA.

Try Craigslist, take good pictures, be honest, and sell it at a good price. Once you decide the lowest price you want to sell it for, put 'FIRM' in your ad, so you don't have to waste time with all the people trying to offer you dick for your car.

Know nothing about the VUE, sorry, but I'm sure someone here does

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: Arkaign
A dealer won't give you squat for the GA.

Try Craigslist, take good pictures, be honest, and sell it at a good price. Once you decide the lowest price you want to sell it for, put 'FIRM' in your ad, so you don't have to waste time with all the people trying to offer you dick for your car.

Know nothing about the VUE, sorry, but I'm sure someone here does

Some folks still never learn though. Even though I put $20000 firm for my G35 in my ad in craigslist, I still got calls from some morons for $16k or so on my answering machine.

 

[nakedfrog]

I seem to remember hearing about some problem with the early Vues. Was it the CVT, perhaps?

 

[radioouman]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
I seem to remember hearing about some problem with the early Vues. Was it the CVT, perhaps?

Yep... Avoid those. Get one with the Honda V6, or get a new (redesigned) VUE.

 

[lupi]

From a description I read, this 2004 MY was the first with the honda V6.

 

[thecritic]

Originally posted by: lupi
From a description I read, this 2004 MY was the first with the honda V6.

It was, but the VUE still had a lot of problems with the suspension, BCM problems, wheel bearings, etc. The engine/transmission was great, but it had all of the infamous Saturn/GM mechanical failures.

The later VUEs seem to be a bit better, but the VUEs were hardly what I called reliable. They were just as bad as the older Saturns (I have a '96).

 

[lupi]

But are those problems bad enough to be wary of an 04 model that can be bought for between 5000-7000$?

 

[radioouman]

My sister-in-law owned one with the CVT. She only had two problems with it: the exhaust resonator came apart inside and it started making a rumbling noise, but only at random times. The CVT made a grinding sound at times, but it never failed. She ended up trading it in before she had any major problems with it. If the VUE that you are looking at has relatively low mileage, I think that it is worth the risk. By the way, buying/selling a car to/from a relative is never a good idea.

 

[thecritic]

Originally posted by: lupi
But are those problems bad enough to be wary of an 04 model that can be bought for between 5000-7000$?

How long are you planning to keep it?

Can you perform all scheduled maintenance and repairs yourself?

Is the vehicle near 100k miles? If so, budget in another $1000 for a timing belt service (or $400 in parts if you DIY).

 

[lupi]

From what I heard while they were discussing it the miles are about 60k.

I have a mechanic in the family that's local that I can hit up every now and then to eliminate most labor charges.

Bought the 96 grandam new and kept it for all she was worth, plan on doing the same with the replacement vehicle. (Except for a couple alternators, main belt, and the dexcool fiasco, mechanically it's really not that bad off)

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: zoiks

Originally posted by: Arkaign
A dealer won't give you squat for the GA.

Try Craigslist, take good pictures, be honest, and sell it at a good price. Once you decide the lowest price you want to sell it for, put 'FIRM' in your ad, so you don't have to waste time with all the people trying to offer you dick for your car.

Know nothing about the VUE, sorry, but I'm sure someone here does

Some folks still never learn though. Even though I put $20000 firm for my G35 in my ad in craigslist, I still got calls from some morons for $16k or so on my answering machine.

That's par for the course. For every moron out there, there is someone that took a lowball because they had to sell.

I picked up a 1988 Mustang GT loaded in 1990ish with T-Tops. It was the service manager for Lincoln/Mercury/Ford's car and had tons of things you couldn't get factory.

While regular GT's were selling in the $10,500+ range at the time, he needed $7500 cash for a boat that that seller needed cash for that day.

I practically stole the car as I had the money ready.

To the OP...I like the Saturn Vue. It's more an intermediate SUV to me though and I don't know if I'd pick one myself rather than a compact (CRV/RAV4) or a full sized...

People I have known with them have spoke highly of them.

 

[thecritic]

Originally posted by: lupi
From what I heard while they were discussing it the miles are about 60k.

I have a mechanic in the family that's local that I can hit up every now and then to eliminate most labor charges.

Bought the 96 grandam new and kept it for all she was worth, plan on doing the same with the replacement vehicle. (Except for a couple alternators, main belt, and the dexcool fiasco, mechanically it's really not that bad off)

Then you should be fine. Just remember that if the BCM or one of the other major components goes bust, you could be out $500 or more for the part alone.