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Used car purchase

taterhed

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I need to buy used car for my daughter and don’t want to spend over 7k. Can you suggest reputable sites I should be researching and what I should focus on?. Car will be probably purchased in Colorado and will be used in Minnesota. She liked my Toy Matrix. All suggestions welcome. Thanks.

So.
Colorado (COS) has some really great 'rebuilt' cars for sale. I've included the main dealer in COS below.....It's a great way to get a 'newer' car (most with warranty) far cheaper than the regular open market.
Let's face it: Inner-city? Younger driver? Commuter-type car?? Street parking?
The worst damage will probably be done to the car while it's parked!

upload_2019-9-18_12-49-5.png
 

Krteczech

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Thank you all for your sincere advice. I already spotted one car that we are familiar with and fits our budget on cars.com. It is only 80 miles from our home. I have VIN#...
is there a place I should look for info related to this specific VIN before we test drive it?
 

Nolte

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I think carfax would be a good lookup to find any details on owners and accidents related to that specific car. I haven't done one recently but have in the past and they do give quite a bit of helpful info.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 

taterhed

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Thank you all for your sincere advice. I already spotted one car that we are familiar with and fits our budget on cars.com. It is only 80 miles from our home. I have VIN#...
is there a place I should look for info related to this specific VIN before we test drive it?


That's easy.

Just google the actual VIN number. all sorts of stuff may/may-not pop up.
Look for a pattern of multiple dealers listing the car for sale in a short period of time (hard to sell)
Look for insurance auctions or car-fax listings.

or just buy the carfax if you're really interested (or ask the dealer/owner to buy it)
 

wackymother

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Thank you all for your sincere advice. I already spotted one car that we are familiar with and fits our budget on cars.com. It is only 80 miles from our home. I have VIN#...
is there a place I should look for info related to this specific VIN before we test drive it?


Just be sure not to rely completely on the Carfax. You need a good mechanic to check the car out before you buy.
 

Luanne

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Just be sure not to rely completely on the Carfax. You need a good mechanic to check the car out before you buy.
When we sold my dd's car on craigslist this was something the buyer insisted on, and paid for.
 

wackymother

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Thank you all for your sincere advice. I already spotted one car that we are familiar with and fits our budget on cars.com. It is only 80 miles from our home. I have VIN#...
is there a place I should look for info related to this specific VIN before we test drive it?

You're not in north Jersey, are you? I just heard about a 2011 Ford Fiesta w 20,000 miles for $5800.
 

Gypsy65

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So.
Colorado (COS) has some really great 'rebuilt' cars for sale. I've included the main dealer in COS below.....It's a great way to get a 'newer' car (most with warranty) far cheaper than the regular open market.
Let's face it: Inner-city? Younger driver? Commuter-type car?? Street parking?
The worst damage will probably be done to the car while it's parked!

View attachment 14120

We have purchased a few rebuilt title vehicles
Make sure you google the vin
It will take you to the auction site
Usually you can see pics before it was fixed and therefore tell if the seller is being honest and if the damage was in an area that wouldn’t be an issue
 
Last edited:

Gypsy65

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You can also check most vin information for free at
Vehiclehistory.com
 

Krteczech

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Why was I thinking buying used car will be easy? First week passed, I spent countless hours online, one whole day visiting car dealers and have nothing to show. We were focusing on large well known dealerships and on the way home we noticed dozens of little fenced lots in the city with used cars only.
What is the difference between small used car dealers and branded ones that sell mostly new cars and some traded in used vehicles?
 

Luanne

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Why was I thinking buying used car will be easy? First week passed, I spent countless hours online, one whole day visiting car dealers and have nothing to show. We were focusing on large well known dealerships and on the way home we noticed dozens of little fenced lots in the city with used cars only.
What is the difference between small used car dealers and branded ones that sell mostly new cars and some traded in used vehicles?
Before I bought from one of the small used car dealers I would want to check their business ratings. I would also want to have the car I was considering checked out as well. I usually feel safer with a larger dealer, who also has used cars. Supposedly they check out the cars before they put them on their lot. That said I got a lemon with a used car I bought back in 1972. I also know that when I traded that lemon in, and the dealer put it back out on the lot, they didn't have time to do much more than wash it. They they tried to re-sell it to me as a "great little car". Nope, been there, done that.
 

Gypsy65

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Why was I thinking buying used car will be easy? First week passed, I spent countless hours online, one whole day visiting car dealers and have nothing to show. We were focusing on large well known dealerships and on the way home we noticed dozens of little fenced lots in the city with used cars only.
What is the difference between small used car dealers and branded ones that sell mostly new cars and some traded in used vehicles?

The big companies want to sell new. They will keep a few used on the lot but those are usually there to sell against

In other words. Prices high so you see value in new
Most big dealers either take the trades to auctions or they wholesale them to the smaller dealers
 

Chrispee

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Most new car dealers’ used car departments are stocked trade-ins and lease terminations. Usually only the good trade-ins are kept to sell, and the bad and/or low value trade-ins are sent to auction.

The used car dealerships generally have no lease returns and less trade-ins. They buy cars at auction and from private parties.

There are exceptions to the rule, but statistically speaking I would suggest you’ll have a better chance of getting a good used car at a new dealership. At your price point buying a private sale would be the best bang for your buck though I think.
 

wackymother

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I usually start by setting up my parameters on cars.com, then use my mechanic's zip code to sort by distance. Because it's important that the car be close enough to the mechanic that the dealer will let it go over to be inspected.

Also it helps if you really narrow it down to just one or two or maybe three models that you want. If you just say "small sedan," it gets overwhelming fast.
 

Bucky

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The small lots you see are what is called an “Independent Dealer” and not necessarily less regulated but definitely less managed. They get their vehicles from auto auctions and they are primarily vehicles traded in to new vehicle dealers that the dealer wholesaled out to the independent because it didn’t fit their quality profile. The independents will also buy frame damaged vehicles that have been fixed and resale them where the “franchised dealer” won’t touch that or a flood damaged vehicle.

Then you will have the independent dealer that has solid connections to a particular franchised dealer and gets most of their perfectly good trade ins they just don’t have the room to keep on their lots. These will be better quality and lower mileage vehicles.

Franchised dealers are better managed because they have to answer directly to the manufacturer on their facilities and business practices. Sure, you will get the occasional shady character but when that happens it usually catches up to them and all of a sudden you see a change in the name of that dealership. Most will just not risk that for a sale. The independents answer only to themselves.

Do your research. Check the dealer out. Google is a wonderful thing. Check the BBB for feedback.

Overall you are going to get a better quality vehicle at the franchised dealer but you still have to do your due diligence. Have any vehicle you are planning to buy checked out by an independent mechanic before purchasing.
 

VacationForever

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If you want a reliable used car, you may look at Carmax, although I do not know if they carry cars in the price range that you are looking at.
 

Bucky

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If you want a reliable used car, you may look at Carmax, although I do not know if they carry cars in the price range that you are looking at.

and you are paying a premium price for that reliable used car! The no negotiating policy of theirs is great for those that don’t want to deal with it but, I would rather save thousands by doing my homework and standing my ground.
 

geist1223

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Last time I bought a used car while at the Dealership I called my Credit Union and asked how much they would loan to buy the vehicle I was interested in buying. This was done on speaker fone with salesman present. It was less than they were asking. The salesman accepted that amount.
 

louisianab

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So.
Colorado (COS) has some really great 'rebuilt' cars for sale. I've included the main dealer in COS below.....It's a great way to get a 'newer' car (most with warranty) far cheaper than the regular open market.
Let's face it: Inner-city? Younger driver? Commuter-type car?? Street parking?
The worst damage will probably be done to the car while it's parked!

View attachment 14120
Depending on where you live, "rebuilt" sometimes cannot get all of the same insurance coverages as a standard title (but not as bad as a salvage title) just an FYI. Since we live in Michigan, I always check the insurance cost of a new-to-me vehicle, because they can vary so widely.
 

Gypsy65

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Depending on where you live, "rebuilt" sometimes cannot get all of the same insurance coverages as a standard title (but not as bad as a salvage title) just an FYI. Since we live in Michigan, I always check the insurance cost of a new-to-me vehicle, because they can vary so widely.

And some States like Florida will require an inspection by the police and the car has to be rebuilt and not a salvage title I believe
 

Passepartout

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I'd be VERY wary of buying ANY used car- including near-new late model ones since the (fairly recent) spate of flooding in low-lying areas. A car that's been flooded can't just be dried out and suffer no damage over the long term. The spaces inside doors, electrical connections, behind carpets & insulation will continue to deteriorate for a long time- years. All those cars are going to go somewhere, and your neighborhood new car dealer is one of the places. Yet another reason to have an INDEPENDENT mechanic check out any potential purchase before you commit- or pass a 'free return' time.

Jim
 

Bucky

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All those cars are going to go somewhere, and your neighborhood new car dealer is one of the places.

Jim

Very, very, very unlikely. There is a form that has to be completed by any person trading in a vehicle that ask whether the vehicle has been involved in any accident where 25% or more of the vehicles value was involved. It’s called a damage disclosure statement. There is also a form for disclosure of flood damage!

Now, a shady buyer may lie about his trade in but a good dealer used vehicle appraiser will catch flood or damage. They are not perfect for sure but they usually catch the lies.

When a vehicle is run through an auto auction for sale there are lights that literally go off that indicate whether the vehicle has a damage or flood disclosure with it. I don’t know a single franchised dealer that will ever knowingly purchase one of these.

The system is not perfect but these types of vehicles are usually purchased by independent dealers that have the “buy here, pay here” type of business.
 

Glynda

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Most new car dealers’ used car departments are stocked trade-ins and lease terminations. Usually only the good trade-ins are kept to sell, and the bad and/or low value trade-ins are sent to auction.

The used car dealerships generally have no lease returns and less trade-ins. They buy cars at auction and from private parties.

There are exceptions to the rule, but statistically speaking I would suggest you’ll have a better chance of getting a good used car at a new dealership. At your price point buying a private sale would be the best bang for your buck though I think.

I would add to buy any car from a dealership which approaching the end of the month. They have quotas to make and may be more willing to negotiate...or at least that's what they tell you.
 
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