Why does buying a new car have to suck so bad?

[White Squirrel]

I agree with hating the back and forth that you get from most car dealers. Don't waste my time asking for a ridiculous price and rejecting my reasonable offer.

That is probably why I drive a nine-year old pickup with 130,000 miles on it that is getting $1,500 in repairs done to it today. Once these repairs are completed, I should be good for another 65-70,000 miles since there is nothing else of a major nature wrong with it.

The longer I can go without buying a vehicle, the happier I am.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

Bow tie born and bred here.

My family only had GMs until my dad broke the mold a few years ago. I'd still say I'm a GM guy, but they don't make a minivan any more.

 

[Tactically Fat]

but they don't make a minivan any more.

Our Kia Sedona has been fantastic.

Bought it, an '09, in '11 with like 14k miles on it. We've since put another 100k miles on it since we've had it.

And a 2 year old Sedona was about HALF of what everyone was wanting for the same age & mileage Toyota and Honda.

Granted, I'd love to have a new Toyota or Honda - but they're spendy. Even a new Sedona is about the same starting price these days.

The huge savings comes in to play when buying a 1-2 year old Sedona.

These days, the starting price for a Nissan Quest is about $5k lower than the three above as well. Prices don't fall off as quickly for a used Quest as they do a Sedona, but they're not commanding the same used prices as Toyota or Honda.

 

[UTL]

I feel the pain. I need a new truck terribly, my F-250 has 345,000 miles. I have to have 3/4 or 1 ton though, and they are just so expensive it is cheaper for me to rebuild my old one. You know, there is a guy in Clayton that will take you to the dealers auction for a small fee.....I have been told you can get some good deals at it. The downside is you have to have cash or financing lined up, because once he bids he has to pay....he can't back out. May be worth taking a trip to Adesa to just watch and see what they are selling for. They get a bunch of lease returns at that place.

I have a friend that took me there Aug of 2015 when I was looking for a truck. THey had the perfect one that I wanted, it was a GMAC repo with 10k mile. The guy that they repo'd it from had it for 2 months before they snatched it back. It did have some scratch marks where the repo guy got into the vehicle with a slim jim but other than that it was pretty minty. THe window sticker that was in the glove box had it listed as 47k. It auctioned that day for 32K. My friend wasnt happy with the price, said it should of been closer to 29-30. I didnt care, I just wanted the truck. He has a 30 day grace period there when he doesnt have to pay them for the vehicle until 30 days. I drove the truck home from the auction. He took the truck that I was driving, cleaned it up and took it to auction the next week. I wrote him a check for the difference plus 500.00 and moved on down the road. As of a few months ago the trucks private sell value was still over 32k. It took me a few weeks there watching what the vehicles sold for until I found the truck that I wanted. It was interesting what other vehicles sold at auction for and what they were being sold for retail for at the dealerships. Some vehicles hold there value really well, High end trucks and jeeps. Some were terrible, like crossover SUvs and cadilacs.

 

[Indysioux]

I didn't see it in any of the previous posts, so I would recommend the following for getting a decent starting price for a new vehicle.

Go to www.cars.com and search on your vehicle. Make the search area larger (100 miles). You can't specify features or a level, just the make / model. However, if you set the results for price (high to low), vehicles similar to what you are considering will be clustered together.

In my case, the asking prices listed were lower than what KBB or Edmunds were recommending. Plus, its very easy to print out the page and show the dealership what their competitors are asking.

Good luck.

 

[CHCRandy]

Are we comparing top of the line trucks to top of the line vettes? Top of the line vettes will run you over $100k.

Well of course not, just stock vehicles. I know a 2017 Stingray is about $52,000....GT is what around $85,000? A 2017 Duramax 2500 is $68,000........I am sure you could get near $85,000 on them as well with a little aftermarket work, tires, snow plow, hitch, etc. Of course this is all chump change to some people, a friend just bought a new Audi, $180,000. I can't even imagine that.....even if I **** money.

 

[Scuba591]

This thread is timely as I am looking for a vehicle for my 16 year old son. My options are as follows: I have a 2010 Pathfinder with 88,000 miles on it that has been recently paid off. I could give him this and look for another vehicle for me. My thinking is that he is getting a reliable auto with known history. While I do not like payments, I can search for a car for me with a lower payment than I have been used to.... thus increasing my savings with a lower payment than I have been used to. Some of my friends think this is too nice a car for someone just starting to drive. Insurance for the boy as a rider to my policy is about 1 k per year. My thinking is that I will not have the headaches of buying an unknown 3 - 4k that may need additional work. I hate the down time while the car is in the shop getting things fixed.
Another option is to search for a "cheap" car that may or may not have repair issues and hope for the best.
Either way, the boy will have some skin in the game so he can appreciate the work involved as he takes the next step towards independence.
I like my Pathy and am not really looking for anything different. I would not buy new for my purchase.

Thoughts?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Well of course not, just stock vehicles. I know a 2017 Stingray is about $52,000....GT is what around $85,000? A 2017 Duramax 2500 is $68,000........I am sure you could get near $85,000 on them as well with a little aftermarket work, tires, snow plow, hitch, etc. Of course this is all chump change to some people, a friend just bought a new Audi, $180,000. I can't even imagine that.....even if I **** money.

I don't mean to be pedantic but according to GM's website, a base Corvette "starts at" $65,000. (I'm sure you can get discounts and whatnot). And a 1500 Silverado "starts out at" $27,000. I saw a Corette Z06 at a parade awhile back and I am pretty sure it stickered at $109,000. Options and upgrades add up. Of course, used to be on a truck, the main upgrades were 4x4, AC, and FM radio. Now, you can get them with rear seat entertainment systems, sun roofs, and all sorts of upgrades that weren't available back in the time you're referring to. Sad thing to some is you still can't buy a truck with 4 on the floor, bench vinyl seats, and an AM radio.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

This thread is timely as I am looking for a vehicle for my 16 year old son. My options are as follows: I have a 2010 Pathfinder with 88,000 miles on it that has been recently paid off. I could give him this and look for another vehicle for me. My thinking is that he is getting a reliable auto with known history. While I do not like payments, I can search for a car for me with a lower payment than I have been used to.... thus increasing my savings with a lower payment than I have been used to. Some of my friends think this is too nice a car for someone just starting to drive. Insurance for the boy as a rider to my policy is about 1 k per year. My thinking is that I will not have the headaches of buying an unknown 3 - 4k that may need additional work. I hate the down time while the car is in the shop getting things fixed.
Another option is to search for a "cheap" car that may or may not have repair issues and hope for the best.
Either way, the boy will have some skin in the game so he can appreciate the work involved as he takes the next step towards independence.
I like my Pathy and am not really looking for anything different. I would not buy new for my purchase.

Thoughts?

Or your son could get a job and buy the Pathfinder off of you (at a family discount of course) and reduce your burden even more.

My kids saved up their own money and bought their own vehicles. They didn't do it right when they turned 16, so they had to wait until mom and dad were able to lend them our cars and truck to drive but I think that gave them incentive to save even more for the freedom.

 

[KMaC]

This thread is timely as I am looking for a vehicle for my 16 year old son. My options are as follows: I have a 2010 Pathfinder with 88,000 miles on it that has been recently paid off. I could give him this and look for another vehicle for me. My thinking is that he is getting a reliable auto with known history. While I do not like payments, I can search for a car for me with a lower payment than I have been used to.... thus increasing my savings with a lower payment than I have been used to. Some of my friends think this is too nice a car for someone just starting to drive. Insurance for the boy as a rider to my policy is about 1 k per year. My thinking is that I will not have the headaches of buying an unknown 3 - 4k that may need additional work. I hate the down time while the car is in the shop getting things fixed.
Another option is to search for a "cheap" car that may or may not have repair issues and hope for the best.
Either way, the boy will have some skin in the game so he can appreciate the work involved as he takes the next step towards independence.
I like my Pathy and am not really looking for anything different. I would not buy new for my purchase.

Thoughts?

You should talk to your insurance agent about what the son's license will do to your insurance in the various scenarios. Will all family cars have to be insured for him or just his car, if he has one. Insuring a 16 year old male may be more expensive than buying him a car.

 

[terrehautian]

I am in the early process of possibly buying a new vehicle. I pretty know what I want, now I just need to figure out if I want brand new or certified new, base model or not, etc. Already know I will be financing through Indiana farm bureau as thier rate is a full percentage rate below jeep financial. I am wanting a wrangler unlimited but too many options. Hard top or soft top, sport, Sahara, etc. plus trying to find a good price in terre haute might be hard so might have to go to Indy.

 

[CHCRandy]

I don't mean to be pedantic but according to GM's website, a base Corvette "starts at" $65,000. (I'm sure you can get discounts and whatnot). And a 1500 Silverado "starts out at" $27,000. I saw a Corette Z06 at a parade awhile back and I am pretty sure it stickered at $109,000. Options and upgrades add up. Of course, used to be on a truck, the main upgrades were 4x4, AC, and FM radio. Now, you can get them with rear seat entertainment systems, sun roofs, and all sorts of upgrades that weren't available back in the time you're referring to. Sad thing to some is you still can't buy a truck with 4 on the floor, bench vinyl seats, and an AM radio.

I was just going by Champion Chevy website. They have 5 nice Vettes under 60,000, starting at 52,000. Yeah, I was talking about a truck for working....3/4 to 1 ton, 4x4...Diesel, not just another pretty truck. I would break a half ton in nothing flat...first time I set 5,000 pounds in the bed it would have all kinds of bells and whistles yelling at me. I can remember in 1978, and I am sure you do as well.....when a new F250 4x4 3/4 ton MSRP was less than 6000....and a Vette MSRP was 10,000-15,000. Now you can easily spend more on a truck than a Vette. Never thought I would have seen that in my lifetime.

 

[Rookie]

I am in the early process of possibly buying a new vehicle. I pretty know what I want, now I just need to figure out if I want brand new or certified new, base model or not, etc. Already know I will be financing through Indiana farm bureau as thier rate is a full percentage rate below jeep financial. I am wanting a wrangler unlimited but too many options. Hard top or soft top, sport, Sahara, etc. plus trying to find a good price in terre haute might be hard so might have to go to Indy.

I've owned four Wranglers, three with soft tops and one with a hard top. I'll never own a soft top again. I'd either go with a sport or a Rubicon.

 

[terrehautian]

I've owned four Wranglers, three with soft tops and one with a hard top. I'll never own a soft top again. I'd either go with a sport or a Rubicon.

I would probably get hard top from dealer and then buy a best top nx. It has options to remove back windows leaving just the top.