Used Car Buying Advise

M

Mazdan

New member
My girlfriend doesn't have a car right now and is looking for a small, fuel efficient car, preferably a hatchback. Her budget is up to about $6,000 (and no more).



I'm trying to find her something decent, with relatively low mileage. What else should I look for and where are good places to look? She's been told to stay away from the Ford Focus, but I feel that may not be a bad car for her, considering they are cheaper than many imports. Seeing a few "Rebuilt Titles" out there. Are those any good? Scouring Auto Trader and Craigslist for her now.
 
Stay away from rebuilt titles, you never know what sort of damage they incurred and therefore could end up with reliability issues. The Focus isn't exactly the best car in the world, but it's also not the worst.



There are likely a lot of options out there like used Chevy Aveos, older Honda Civics, etc.
 
From someone who works in the biz, here's my thoughts:



* The used car market is very challenging right now. Demand is up, supply is very tight, and prices are rising. Auction prices are higher than ever as dealers are slugging it out for good used cars. I do not see this changing for a couple of years.



* You want what a large percentage of buyers are shopping for - a good "cash car". Parents are buying them for their kids, people need a second car, others need to replace their dying beater. If you find something you like, be ready to buy immediately. You have a lot of competition out there.



* Cars with title issues can be difficult-to-impossible to insure. Best to stay away from them unless you can self insure or can get reasonable coverage. If you buy one, consider it a "throwaway" car. If it's totaled it won't be worth much to anyone including an insurance company.



* As for cars, the Focus is a good car but it took them until 2005 or so to work through the bugs. Everybody and their dog is looking for a good Honda/Toyota/Mazda/etc. Lots of folks are looking to dump their big SUV or truck for something more fuel efficient. Only thing I can say is expand your search as far away as you can, ask friends and family if they know cars for sale, be ready to buy if you find a good one.



Good luck!
 
I'll throw in my 2 cents.



Stay away from rebuilt titles - especially in days to come as the water recedes from the flooded Missippi there will be even more spreading out across the country. Some of these may still be from Katrina or the Galveston hurricane.



Look for good deals and go to the web to investigate that particular model. I've had good luck going to MSN and looking at user reviews and reliability ratings.
 
I would recommend checking out some online stores, as they will be able to provide you with a car that you are looking for, well within your budget. Some of them are

Autopartsfair and pullapart.

I also bought a used Audi from autopartsfair website, a couple of months back and I am very happy to inform you that it came in a good condition with a warranty and at a very affordable price.
 
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