YACT: car n00b looking for advice

[Special K]

Alright, let me start by saying I am a total n00b when it comes to cars. I owned 1 car several years ago in high school, although my dad was largely responsible for picking out the particular make and model. I did not own a car throughout college and grad school because I was a long ways from home, and in the particular circumstances I got along just fine without one.

Now I will be starting my first real job in a couple months and need to get a car. For my first car, I want something lightly used that will be very reliable and will hopefully last a long time. My drive to work will only be a few miles each day, so I wouldn't expect this car to see any heavy use for the forseeable future.

I have been looking at mid-size sedans and have 3 in particular that I am currently considering: the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Ford Fusion. All 3 received pretty high marks on Consumer Reports for reliability.

My budget is ~$15k, although I might be able to go a little higher if it would get me something a lot better, given my requirements.

Would any of these be good choices?

 

[Q]

Accord FTW

 

[thedarkwolf]

They are all fine. Just drive them and see which one you like best. Might want to add the mazda 6 and mercury milan since they are the same car as the fusion. Might be able to score a better deal on one of the other two.

 

[overst33r]

Don't forget the Nissan Altima

 

[Q]

Fusion is pretty cool looking though, I have to admit

 

[kevbot]

Lotsa folks will automatically say "Accord FTW" or something similar. A "lightly used" Camry or Accord is a horrible idea. The price for a nearly new Camcord will be damn near the price of a new one. Not saying Camry/Accord is a bad car, just a poor value as a used car. Some Buicks and other similar GM vehicles give good reliability and can be purchased for pennies on the dollar compared to Toyota & Honda.

Don't get me wrong, Toyota & Honda flavored kool-aid tastes great, but as used cars, domestic makes will get you much more than Japanese brands in the used car market.

If you do your homework, you can find a good value in any recent "lightly used" car, regardless of brand.

Good luck.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

How about a Hyundai?

kevbot is right - they won't depreciate very fast.

 

[PowerEngineer]

Anything of these would be fine -- as long as you pay cash. Don't get flattened by a car loan.

 

[Special K]

Is the cost of repair for an import higher than for a domestic?

 

[compnovice]

IMO, lightly used (slightly old) is not the way to go for many models... You do save a couple of thousands (depriciation), but many newer models have special financing where as older car loan rates are high. That itself to a large degree offsets the depriciation...

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Go domestic, a lot of the American cars depreciate a lot faster than their Japanese counter parts. Look at some stuff by GM, you can probably get a pretty nice car that will last for ages. Sure it won't be nice looking and may drive a bit like a boat but if main priorities are point A to point B and reliability find yourself a Lincoln or a Buick or something like that.

 

[manimal]

I have been seeing some CRAZY deals on new cars being blown out in special events. Just this weekend here in indianapolis you could buy a brand new Nissan Altima for 12K. Even a barebones altima retails over 19k these days. I saw a local ford dealer offering 100 over invoice. etc. If you have time to wait, keep a keen eye on the newspaper and wait for some event and try to find what you like a great deal.


I bought my wife a 2 year old toyota avalon for relatively cheap with low miles.

 

[LS20]

buy a brand new honda fit for 15k

you get reliability of a honda , practicality of a 4 door wagon, still have compact footprint for driving/parking, fuel economy, and full warranty should anything happen

 

[angminas]

Mid-sized is bigger than you need, unless you plan to have 8 kids or develop rheumatoid arthritis anytime real soon.

 

[funboy6942]

Buy a $1K beater every year for the next 15 years
Screw new, buy a throw away car, find something cheap, and cool you like to own, buy it, when it breaks, junk it, and buy another one. What I been doing for over 20 years.

 

[Vette73]

Look at the Saturn Aura. Can be had loaded for 22k. I am sure you can get a low intrest rate and be in a new car that is much nicer then even I thought it would be.

 

[LordSnailz]

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/message...=698426&highlight_key=y&keyword1=camry

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: mariok2006
Don't forget the Nissan Altima

Altima is a nice car with some pep to it...esp in the 3.5L flavor.

$15k is a good budget for a reliable car though. Almost all your choices are good ones.

The Honda Accord is the popular choice by many. It is a nice car.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: funboy42
Buy a $1K beater every year for the next 15 years
Screw new, buy a throw away car, find something cheap, and cool you like to own, buy it, when it breaks, junk it, and buy another one. What I been doing for over 20 years.

Some people can't afford to be assed out when driving around and stranded at each 'upgrade' time.

Just the amount of work to find a $1k car that will drive for more than a few weeks reliably has to be daunting.

 

[Special K]

Is the cost of repair for an import higher than for a domestic?

 

[funboy6942]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: funboy42
Buy a $1K beater every year for the next 15 years
Screw new, buy a throw away car, find something cheap, and cool you like to own, buy it, when it breaks, junk it, and buy another one. What I been doing for over 20 years.

Some people can't afford to be assed out when driving around and stranded at each 'upgrade' time.

Just the amount of work to find a $1k car that will drive for more than a few weeks reliably has to be daunting.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I have bought many a cars for $1k that didn't need more then oil changes and gas, that kept going for many years, after I had it, before anything ever broke on it. I have never been stranded. I never needed anyone to come get me. I have owned well over 300 cars, and out of them all had one blow an engine, and one need a rebuilt tranny under my care. I pitched the one with a blown motor, and had the tranny rebuilt for $450 for it was cheaper then buying another car, thats the beauty of older, domestic, rwd cars. Cheap to have repaired.

My wife drives a 98 jeep I paid less then $3K for she has had going on 2 years that needed no more then brakes, oil changes, and a normal tune up with over 100K on the OD, and gets used every single day for the last 2 years. I drive a 88 Lincoln TC, with over 100K, Paid $1,100 for it, haven't sunk another dime into it, for it needs nothing but just has a slight ps seep that I have to refill ever 4-6 moths with 1/2 quart.

People are soooooo worried that if it has over 100K, or doesn't have a warranty it is going to blow up on them and cost a arm and a leg to have fixed. Not true, why you only buy a cheap car, and if you treat it right, and get it what it needs when it needs it, like oil changes, tire rotations, brakes, it will last a very long time. Just as long as when you buy the car the trans doesn't slip going into gears, or there is no delay in shifting, engine has little to no leaks, doesn't make any weird noises like ticks or knocks, and when you pull off the oil cap no smoke come bellowing out of the hole, or out the exhaust, its good to go for many years provided you treat it right. You dont and YES, it will blow up on you and leave you stranded.

And most of my cars I have bought were between $300-$1500 that needed no more then tlc. You can find good used cars that can, and will last, a long time if you know what your looking for, and willing to put a few bucks into it, that it needs, that the other owner neglected to do, and thought because all the little things it needed, made the car a POS, and worthless. it makes no sense to me to buy a new car and spend $20K on a new one because the car you have now needs brakes, or $1500 in repairs, and put yourself in dept for 5+ years and pay $20K, then $1500 and continue to drive your car dept free. Or take the $1500 and buy yourself something else you thought would be fun to drive till it goes boom, or hell buy 2 of them one as a spare so your not stranded

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Originally posted by: Special K
Is the cost of repair for an import higher than for a domestic?

Not at all.

I would personally avoid anything GM, Ford, or Chrysler, but that is just my opinion based on 15+ years of working mostly on new cars.