Would you buy this car?

[Antisocial Virge]

As an update to this thread.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=38&threadid=1236632

Wife and I started looking at Hondas. This car is a great looking car. They are more than willing to deal on the price. In fact he was throwing out numbers that surprised me before I even started to talk price.

Now this is the situation, the car is actually kinda cheap compared to the other cars in the same range of year and mileage on the lot.

Now this is a even bigger issue, the car is riced a bit. The rims look fine, the wing looks good and factory to probably almost anybody, the tailights are a little much but can probably be changed for factories pretty easy. The exhaust has to go though, its not a huge watermelon shooter but its definetly too large. Its a Greddy or something like that. They say they will change that back to stock for me (stunned look "but why would you want us to do that"

Now the question, would you buy a previously riced car over fears that it has been driven hard or would that worry you too much? They say they will find out who the previous owner is if wanted. What would you do?

 

[boyRacer]

Nope. You can buy a 2003 with less mileage for that much... at least around here you can.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge
As an update to this thread.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=38&threadid=1236632

Wife and I started looking at Hondas. This car is a great looking car. They are more than willing to deal on the price. In fact he was throwing out numbers that surprised me before I even started to talk price.

Now this is the situation, the car is actually kinda cheap compared to the other cars in the same range of year and mileage on the lot.

Now this is a even bigger issue, the car is riced a bit. The rims look fine, the wing looks good and factory to probably almost anybody, the tailights are a little much but can probably be changed for factories pretty easy. The exhaust has to go though, its not a huge watermelon shooter but its definetly too large. Its a Greddy or something like that. They say they will change that back to stock for me (stunned look "but why would you want us to do that"

Now the question, would you buy a previously riced car over fears that it has been driven hard or would that worry you too much? They say they will find out who the previous owner is if wanted. What would you do?

greddy exhaust will outlast anything oem from honda...keep it.
If the car has altezzas, remove them and set them on fire. Im sure all civics are driven farily hard, you gotta rev the tiny engine to get any power out of it...

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Originally posted by: boyRacer
Nope. You can buy a 2003 with less mileage for that much... at least around here you can.

Well I went to a non honda dealership and they had a 97 with less options. 70K miles for $7000. They are expensive around here.

If the car has altezzas, remove them and set them on fire

Not sure the make but it looked close.

 

[Thegonagle]

No deal! First, make sure it's not a better deal to buy a new Honda. It can be because Hondas have such high resale value that buyers are easily gouged on newer-used ones.

See if there's not a new 2003 still out there waiting for you. I think my mom's 2003 LX was barely over $14,000, and she got a great APR, something like 1.9% (or it might have even been 0%).

 

[boomdart]

In list form...

1. Have to change tail-lights; costly procedure
1a. Could trade a little rice kid tail lights, if you could find one.
2. Wheels are nice
2a. Could sell the wheels and get stocks wheels; giving you a little extra pocket money.
3. Exhaust needs to go
3a. The factory will switch it for free, no problem.
4. Driven hard?
4a. You bet it was, but it's a honda. It couldn't be hurt too much. I'd have a mechanic look over it though.
5. Good deal?
5a. Could get another car around the same price and less mileage. Try autotrader.com.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Originally posted by: boomdart
In list form...

1. Have to change tail-lights; costly procedure
1a. Could trade a little rice kid tail lights, if you could find one.
2. Wheels are nice
2a. Could sell the wheels and get stocks wheels; giving you a little extra pocket money.
3. Exhaust needs to go
3a. The factory will switch it for free, no problem.
4. Driven hard?
4a. You bet it was, but it's a honda. It couldn't be hurt too much. I'd have a mechanic look over it though.
5. Good deal?
5a. Could get another car around the same price and less mileage. Try autotrader.com.

They will change the exhaust for free and I never asked about the tail lights but probably them also. The wheels I'll keep because they actually look fairly good. I could probably find a better deal private sale but time is an issue, I don't have any and private sale will not take a trade-in, finance it and warrenty it for a year. I'll check around on what the new ones are going for cause it sure seems like they hold the value used.

Private sale is what I would do if I had the time to do the running around but I don't and it being winter and all just compounds the car shopping problems.

See if there's not a new 2003 still out there waiting for you.

A 2003 of the same model and trim level is $17600

 

[Dunbar]

How much are they willing to deal? I'd also at least drive an Accord in the price range and even a Camry (2002 for $12k isn't out of the question.) Civics are nice but being popular with the young crowd means they command a premium.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge
A 2003 of the same model and trim level is $17600

That better be Canadian dollars. If you're paying that much for last year's Civic, you're getting Prison-Raped (TM).

As far as the parts - we need an ass-shot to determine the damage. If the exhaust is a catback or even axle-back, if might be worth keeping on. If not, do the same as you will the Altezzas (clear taillights, not a brand name) - rip them out and sell them to some local riceboy. I'm sure you can close the deal by throwing in some NOS-brand octane booster. Wheels keep - just get a set of steels for winter tires and use the shiny stuff in summer only.

- M4H

 

[The Sauce]

I agree. If we're talking US dollars than thats quite pricey for that mileage. Bought my wife the same coupe '98 with 36K miles three years ago for $12K. It sucks in the snow and it's not very comfortable but it does get around and is relatively trouble free.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

After a few PMs and checks, apparently that is USD, and that's the norm for Hondas in the area. :Q

- M4H

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge

Originally posted by: boomdart

A 2003 of the same model and trim level is $17600

Ah, but invoice is $1,500 less.

And do you need the EX? If you got the LX instead, invoice is about $15,000.

Are you really getting a 4.5% APR car loan on a 4 year old vehicle? If so, that's wonderful, but if that's right, you can probably get a slightly better APR on a newer used car, or, in my area at least (don't know about yours--check edmunds), you could get a 2.9% APR on a 48 month loan (and 1.9 on a 36 month or 3.9 on a 60 month). Also in my area, there's currently a $400 dealer incentive, so you could conceivably buy a brand new 2004 Civic for LESS THAN invoice price.

That's what I'm talking about when I tell you to make sure you can't get a better deal on a new one.

Whatever you do, don't pay more than mid-nines for that 4 year old ricer mobile. If they can't give you that price AND replace the exhaust and taillights, find a different car to deal on. They almost certainly bid that trade-in taking into account the fact that the mods might have to go to make the sale (meaning they paid a lot less for the modded car than they would have for one that's stock), so they'll probably be able to do it.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge

Originally posted by: boomdart

A 2003 of the same model and trim level is $17600

Ah, but invoice is $1,500 less.

And do you need the EX? If you got the LX instead, invoice is about $15,000.

Are you really getting a 4.5% APR car loan on a 4 year old vehicle? If so, that's wonderful, but if that's right, you can probably get a slightly better APR on a newer used car, or, in my area at least (don't know about yours--check edmunds), you could get a 2.9% APR on a 48 month loan (and 1.9 on a 36 month or 3.9 on a 60 month). Also in my area, there's currently a $400 dealer incentive, so you could conceivably buy a brand new 2004 Civic for LESS THAN invoice price.

That's what I'm talking about when I tell you to make sure you can't get a better deal on a new one.

Whatever you do, don't pay more than mid-nines for that 4 year old ricer mobile. If they can't give you that price AND replace the exhaust and taillights, find a different car to deal on. They almost certainly bid that trade-in taking into account the fact that the mods might have to go to make the sale (meaning they paid a lot less for the modded car than they would have for one that's stock), so they'll probably be able to do it.

I do realize there is room for bartering and we havn't even started talking price yet. That 4.5 is the going rate right at the moment I guess.
The one that is riced out is actually kinda cheaper than the other cars that compare to it. I'm by no means hooked on this particular car, it just stood out from the crowd more than others.

The car is for the wife so she has a few demands. Small and comfortable, automatic, not a light color and it has to be dependable

mid-nines for that 4 year old ricer mobile

Don't think thats gonna happen for any Honda around here. The Toyota dealership has one that the wife is gonna test drive. Its a 98 Civic with 70K miles and they have a sticker of $8 on that.

 

[hytek369]

keep it. hondas are high-quality

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

What about a 98 or 97 honda? Might find a better deal and value for the price, if it's still in good shape that long, a ricer probably didn't have it

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge

Originally posted by: Thegonagle

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge

Originally posted by: boomdart

A 2003 of the same model and trim level is $17600

Ah, but invoice is $1,500 less.

And do you need the EX? If you got the LX instead, invoice is about $15,000.

Are you really getting a 4.5% APR car loan on a 4 year old vehicle? If so, that's wonderful, but if that's right, you can probably get a slightly better APR on a newer used car, or, in my area at least (don't know about yours--check edmunds), you could get a 2.9% APR on a 48 month loan (and 1.9 on a 36 month or 3.9 on a 60 month). Also in my area, there's currently a $400 dealer incentive, so you could conceivably buy a brand new 2004 Civic for LESS THAN invoice price.

That's what I'm talking about when I tell you to make sure you can't get a better deal on a new one.

Whatever you do, don't pay more than mid-nines for that 4 year old ricer mobile. If they can't give you that price AND replace the exhaust and taillights, find a different car to deal on. They almost certainly bid that trade-in taking into account the fact that the mods might have to go to make the sale (meaning they paid a lot less for the modded car than they would have for one that's stock), so they'll probably be able to do it.

I do realize there is room for bartering and we havn't even started talking price yet. That 4.5 is the going rate right at the moment I guess.
The one that is riced out is actually kinda cheaper than the other cars that compare to it. I'm by no means hooked on this particular car, it just stood out from the crowd more than others.

The car is for the wife so she has a few demands. Small and comfortable, automatic, not a light color and it has to be dependable

mid-nines for that 4 year old ricer mobile

Don't think thats gonna happen for any Honda around here. The Toyota dealership has one that the wife is gonna test drive. Its a 98 Civic with 70K miles and they have a sticker of $8 on that.

Well, the sticker price is not the sale price.

If that's all she wants, you can damn near steal a Chevy Prizm. Look in to that. They're mechanically identical to the same year Toyota Corollas, but they've got Chevy resale. You could probably get a 2K1 for under $8000! Just make sure it's a 4-speed auto. 3-speed was the "standard" automatic, and 4-speeds were optional. The LSi version will be nicer (standard alloys, bigger wheels, more features, NO 3 speed auto), but harder to find and more expensive.

I'm a big-time Honda fanatic, yet, I drive a Mazda. Why? My personal theory on new vs. used can be summed up as follows: If you can and want to buy a new car, buy a Honda (or possibly a Toyota) and nothing else. If you need to buy a used car, forget about Honda (and Toyota) and buy almost anything else. (I didn't want to buy a new car.)

 

[Antisocial Virge]

I actually drove a Chev Prizm for a week or so, I figure she won't like it. We went to a chev dealership and they had mostly rental cars that were sent back in for sale and I don't want to touch a old rental car. According to the salesman there we could get a brand new Cavalier for $10700. I guess I simplified her demands a little much. She wants a little more than just something to get from point a to point b. She keeps drooling over the mini's and I have to keep saying no.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge
I actually drove a Chev Prizm for a week or so, I figure she won't like it. We went to a chev dealership and they had mostly rental cars that were sent back in for sale and I don't want to touch a old rental car. According to the salesman there we could get a brand new Cavalier for $10700. I guess I simplified her demands a little much. She wants a little more than just something to get from point a to point b. She keeps drooling over the mini's and I have to keep saying no.

Well, I test drove a Chevy Prizm too, and I didn't like it much either. I might as well have been driving a sponge (I didn't find an LSi to test, so I tried the squishy base model). My rental at the time inspired my purchase of a Mazda Protege because it handled so well--it reminded me of what Honda Civics used to be before the 92' model year (a modest sedan that was actually fun to drive due to its excellent handling).

 

[isekii]

For 12k you can get a 99/00 Civic Si which is the Civic that gives you 160hp if you don't mind rowing your own gears.
I would suggest you shave the Si badge tho, so the thieves won't notice it.
It also holds it's value best among all the civics