Madrusty's Diary of a Car Buying Process

[madrusty289]

My car buying process is much simpler than Jang's, though. I've got an "inside hook up" with a salesman at a Honda dealer. He claims he can find me any used Honda, and will sell it to me at the price he buys it for. This really is just an opinion question of which Honda I should get, based on the following things:

My price range is $10000 and lower. It must be automatic, and I would prefer it to have 4-doors. I don't care about speed, but I do care about stats, if you can understand that. In other words, I don't want to have a car that people laugh at when they hear about it's horsepower. That's pretty much it. Remember, no more than $10000 (but at dealer's cost).

[maddawg]

The honda accord is a good car. Good mileage and good specs. or you could get a civic althought its only 2 doors its cheap at good for your everyday use.

[madrusty289]

There are 4-door civics. Also, the salesman told me that in my price range I could get an '00 Civic or a '98 Accord. I assume that is both 4-door prices. If it was a lower model (like LX vs. EX) it would also reduce the price.

When telling me what Honda I should get, I would appreciate it if you could give me specifics like year, # of doors, and model edition(LX, EX, etc...).

Thanks everyone who will be replying. I really appreciate it. All suggestions will seriously be considered, since I truly have looked but can't decide.

[speedydave]

Best way to decide on a car is to go drive each choice.

[hippyredneck]

i have a "76 cvcc i can let you have for about 10k. it is pimped.
neon yellow
slammed with 12's
8 track with 9's
let me know what you think;)

[vaio]

K, first of all, you goto learn somthing, the dealer is obviously lieing to you. Clearly no idiot will sell somthing and earn no profit, thats just plain stupid. If he is that stupid, i guess you are in a better position, but the thing is, you aint gonna buy it for the price he buys it at, plain and simple. I dunno if you can even find a honda for 10K, one thats in good shape, you'll prolly find one that will be laughed at, so i am not sure.10K for a decent car is not practical. But thats my definition of decent, i think decent is like, 25-30k. But thats just me:)

[madrusty289]

vaio said:
K, first of all, you goto learn somthing, the dealer is obviously lieing to you. Clearly no idiot will sell somthing and earn no profit, thats just plain stupid. If he is that stupid, i guess you are in a better position, but the thing is, you aint gonna buy it for the price he buys it at, plain and simple.

You also have to learn something. There are things called "friends." My grandpa has them. And guess what? The dealer is one. Why sell it at the price he bought it? To repay my grandpa for getting him a job! Makes sense, huh?

vaio said:
I dunno if you can even find a honda for 10K, one thats in good shape, you'll prolly find one that will be laughed at, so i am not sure.10K for a decent car is not practical. But thats my definition of decent, i think decent is like, 25-30k. But thats just me:)

Unbeknownst to you, $10000 is alot of money. My parents can't afford Ferrari's. I don't live in a gated community. Of that $10000, my parents are paying for no more than $4000 of it, which is still a strech. I'm lucky to be getting a car at all. And a '99 Honda is extremely practical in every sense.

[vaio]

Sorry...I wasnt aware that you could geta 99' honda in good condition, i just based my reply with what my friend went through when looking for his car.. sorry if i cam e on a bit to hard...


Madrusty, also, you know that at our school people laugh at 10K cars, people talk smack bout it, but really, sorry if i sounded ignorant, no harm intended.

To Calabasas standards 10k is not decent. Thats the way i was coming from on this...

[ND4SPDR]

vaio said:
Sorry...I wasnt aware that you could geta 99' honda in good condition, i just based my reply with what my friend went through when looking for his car.. sorry if i cam e on a bit to hard...

Madrusty, also, you know that at our school people laugh at 10K cars, people talk smack bout it, but really, sorry if i sounded ignorant, no harm intended.

To Calabasas standards 10k is not decent. Thats the way i was coming from on this...
Nothing personal, man, but you're coming off as really arrogant here. Most people can't even afford a $10,000 car. I certainly couldn't, and people at my school don't laugh at me because I drive a car that costs less than a college education. You clearly have never been used car shopping...my Volvo was in excellent condition and cost only $4000. The $10,000 Honda's I saw were in close to perfect shape with limited miles. Finally, Calabasas. Calabasas gives me a lot of problems, like that fact that people there talk smack about others who aren't mind bogglingly rich. Don't perpetuate the cycle, man. Don't look at things from a Calabasas perspective.

[vaio]

well i did, sorry for that....

[TheJANG]

Must be nice to live in a world where money is no object huh vaio? My personal apologies that the rest of us don't.

You know it's one thing to be extremely well-to-do.

It's another to sit on a high horse, rub it in peoples' faces and put down anyone who dares be an average, hard-working, contributing member of society.

[hippyredneck]

madrusty i hope you can find what your looking for and get a good deal.
i worked in car sales for a few years at 2 major dealers here and i will tell you right now. you will not get a car at "dealers cost" unless you are dealing directly with the owner or the general manager.
a salesman or even the sales manager just doesn't have that power. even telling you that, could get him fired(atleast where i worked).
if you want to get a good idea on a value of a car try here

http://www3.nadaguides.com/SectionHome/Automotive.asp?UserID=51074C12536BF&DID=37972&wSec=1&wPg=1103

you can put in the area you live in, and it will give you a value of the car you want in that region.
good luck to

and vaio..i grew up with kids like you and somday you MIGHT get to the real world and relize the value of a dollar, but i doubt it.

i guess its just tuff getting the taist of that silver spoon out of your mouth

[jmirsberger]

y buy a honda y not and amarican muscle and i also agree with what jang said you were very rude

[stalker2150]

I guess he knows "American Muscle" is just gonna hang upside down soon after he buys it.... if it already hasn't. Seriously, my family has owned 3 used American cars; 86 Buick Century (bought in '94, was in good shape except for rust), '92 Oldsmobile(initially good shape, later bad brakes, top speed 80mph on spedometer, really), like-new 3k mile '95 Chevy Lumina (bad engine gasket after 3 years caused coolant to leak into engine cylinders, cost $1500..more things followed), and they all had some problems from the get go, or soon down the road, and 1 brand new '00 Dodge (2 recalls within 7 months, the brakes squeekified just around 11k miles, front right axle bent from a seemingly small (but 50mph) shallow pot hole....... $500 to replace axle and brake, stinky sewage smell every once in a while for some reason) ..... Nice cars, but not what I would recommend for "used."

And even though I dislike Honda Civics for some odd reason, quality and money pit wise, I think a used Honda is probably 5 times the car any used American car could be. No offense. :)

And I know where MadRusty's coming from. Got $$ problems in my family too these past few years. Just 3 years ago we bought brand new $16k Dodge, 3 months later $23k 4x4 Nissan Xterra.... and now we are trying to not spend money on uneccesary stuff just to be able to make the mortgage and car payments.

[James the Great]

I would say look for a nice Prelude, but that's 2 dr. Hmm. I say go for the accord. Bigger and more power. If you can get a V6 in it you should have enough power.

[95128]

My parents had there accord for 12 years! And its stay going good I would go with the accord.

[Southern_Pride]

I can't afford any car right now. Mine was free but I'm currently saving for an XJ6. A decent car can be had for under $2000 around here. I'd get an accord.

[jmirsberger]

get a viper

[Mechainc]

A freind of mine got a'97 civic for 4000 bucks, perfect running conditions, just had a busted fender and hood, cost less than 500 dlls to repair and about 200 dlls to paint.

Check out the auto auctions, they are great places to get deals.

[mclarenf3387]

I not sure the exact model and year, but I see this civic 4 door around town and it looks sweet. It is like a dark grey with what looks like a body kit, but its factory and nice wheels. Im not sure the model or year, but its definetly newer.
edit:It think the color is Magnesium Metallic and I think its an EX. Just realized its the newer body style, a 2000 is the old one. Still decent looking though.

Southern Pride:
I can't afford any car right now. Mine was free but I'm currently saving for an XJ6. A decent car can be had for under $2000 around here. I'd get an accord

I hope you have a lot of time to save or a really good job because Jags are expensive to buy (even a used one like an XJ6) and are very costly to maintain. My dad had one a few years back and the quality is not what it should be for the price of it.