George's Garage

[George]

And every time I see something older, in great shape, and with low mileage, I think, "nah, I really shouldn't." Some of you may remember I tried to go down this road once before with another green Accord in stellar shape owned by my neighbors. If I bought this car, I could keep my snow tires since they're the same size. Heck, it's the same car except for color, one year newer, but with 130,000 fewer miles.

2000 Honda Accord in Great Condition (Only 85k miles!) - $4500

"Super low mileage Honda Accord EX (only 85k miles) in very good condition - regular maintenance, no accidents, new tires... Garage kept - used just for local trips to supermarket, etc. A wonderful car! Only parting with it due to upcoming overseas assignment."

[speedpimp]

That's a lot better of a deal than that Imp SS.

[George]

Something like this in this similar color to my current one would be a good stealth purchase.

Neighbor: "Hey, did you get a new car?"

"Who, me?"

2004 Honda Accord 110K miles - $5000



Let's see how I do in reading between the lines of the ad:

"I have a 2004 Honda Accord
Has 4 Cylinder engine
Has the K24
original engine
Original everything
passes emissions
Everything works perfect
Reason i'm selling is because I bought a new car."

Translation of text that I bolded: The timing belt has not been changed.

[thesameguy]

That's a lot better of a deal than that Imp SS.

Shut your mouth.

[George]

I saw not one but two of the elusive MPV vans in the wild in as many days. They don't appeal to me in person. The pics of that first one TSG posted looked pretty cool and even a bit sporty, but they're kind of bulbous in person and rather feminine looking, I think. And, after driving my wife's lumbering Pilot yesterday, I think vans are out, unless it's a short wheelbase full-size American van from the 1970s with plaid bench seats and skull bustin' plain chrome armrests and so forth. And a 3-on-the-tree, as long as I'm being choosy.

One thing about the Pilot, though - that thing GOES when you tromp on the gas pedal. I'd love that same V6 in a little bitty Accord.

Is this an amazing deal or con artist trying to unload a POS?

Nice Car ***sale*** - $2800



"-I'm selling my car CHEAP due to check engine light is on, need new oxygen sensor and wiper is not working well since yesterday I don't know what happen, I'm not a mechanic and I got my new car just right now and ready to let go my favorite car since brand new :-( :-( :-( . If you know to fix car, this car is VERY GOOD for you for a very cheap price!!!!! Incase you don't know to fix car or you don't understand the oxygen sensor, this car is not for you.

Otherwise here's the GOOD side of my car:
***SALE***SALE***SALE***
-Just for today only!!! First $2800cash will get the car!!
-Runs very good. NO any mechanical problem. 2003 Honda Accord 4cyl LX AT. 128Kmiles
-Very SPECIAL engine i-VTEC TIMING CHAIN engine!!! All stock -All original car.
-Brand new tires!! AC/Heater work excellent. Original stock car stereo."

Seems to me a fellow with my budget could buy this for probably $2500 cash and pay his local independent shop to fix 'er up right and still come out way ahead, with lots of money left over for things like snow tires & wheels and maybe some sweet WeatherTech floormats and maybe an All-City Space Horse, too. Oh, wait, did I say that?

[thesameguy]

Gut tells me he knows something is up, but who knows? Take it your trustworthy mechanic for a prepurchase inspection if you're interested but hesitant.

It is none of my business, but I am a little hung up on the nature of trading one car for a very similar car, when the one you have you know and the other is a total mystery. If you are going to go through the pain of buying a used car, it seems you should win something in the process. Earning five years and 100k and losing ??? doesn't feel much like a net positive to me... But, admittedly, that's just me. More speed, more economy, more drive wheels, more features, more room, I can get that, but this particular deal I can't wrap my head around.

[George]

Don't mind me - I just have more time to web-surf than I should at work, and I'm looking at everything under $8000 on CL every day now.

I'll pay for a pre-purchase checkup, no matter what I buy. The last one saved me from a rotten Maxima that looked great on the dealer's lot before it went up on a lift in "my" shop.

Yes, I know the car I have now, and even if I paid to have a major service done and the timing belt changed, I'd be out probably $1500, and then I'd still have a car with a dented hood, one of the exterior mirrors held in place with a zip-tie, non-working dashboard lights at night (some, not all), the chintzy plastic fan knob broken and the temperature knob almost broken so it has to be turned s-l-o-w-l-y, and so forth. I've been here before with other cars with over 200K miles, and it's the sum of all the little things that makes me want something else. If my current car was in great shape and looked nice, I'd pay to keep it running well for a few more years. I have no desire for more features, but I want something I'm not embarassed to be seen in.

The only thing my current Accord has going for it is the paint still has a nice shine, so it looks okay at a glance, and it hasn't settled down low on its suspension like a lot of old Hondas seem to do as teenagers. Buying five years and 100K to get another car that's practically guaranteed to run as long as I care to drive it makes sense to me, if I can do it cheaply.

Apparently, my next-door neighbor has sold his Ford minivan. I haven't seen it in several days and I don't think it's in his garage. I didn't really want it, but I had hoped to ask him about it. I thought that might be an easy deal if he wanted to sell it for cheap with no strange buyer/seller games, and also a good excuse for me to try out minivan if the deal was too good to pass up.

My father says I should buy a Ford Focus. He had a 3-door version a few years back that he says was very fun to drive. I remember when he bought it - it was the UGLIEST yellow color ever, and he said it sat on a car lot forever and no one wanted it because of the color, so he got it cheap.

Like father, like son, I guess.

[thesameguy]

Buying five years and 100K to get another car that's practically guaranteed to run as long as I care to drive it makes sense to me, if I can do it cheaply.

This right here might be my hang up - while these things aren't impossible, they're hardly slam dunks either. There isn't a single car on the road that is practically guaranteed to do anything but need maintenance, and when you're talking 10 years and 100,000 miles, that's a lot of time for neglect or abuse to add up. Grabbing the reigns at that point means you're signing up for whatever the PO left behind. If it's a car you really want or a car you really need then fair enough, that's what you have to do. But volunteering to be in the hot seat just for a change of pace gives me heartburn. I think you would be *far* better served to just stop maintaining your current car and drive it straight into the ground, save some cash while you do it, and be prepared to start in a better position when your Accord finally dies. I think shopping anything between, say, 6-7 years old and 25 years old puts in roughly the same financial position... on the hook for expensive repairs. I believe cars of the last ~20 years to be broadly reliable and generally quite good, but unless you're 100% DIY even stupid stuff can *kill* you when it comes to labor.

My father says I should buy a Ford Focus. He had a 3-door version a few years back that he says was very fun to drive. I remember when he bought it - it was the UGLIEST yellow color ever, and he said it sat on a car lot forever and no one wanted it because of the color, so he got it cheap.

I always liked that yellow color... My friend Janai had one. Can't hate on the Focus, and there is DEFINITELY something to be said for shopping econoboxes rather than mainstream sedans. Simpler cars with simpler needs and simpler costs is all win as far as I'm concerned.

But I'd seriously consider aiming at $8k-$10k and buying a 5-7 year old $25,000 car. I personally think you will be far better served.

[George]

****

I'm coming back much later to add this:

OH, NOW I GET IT! I thought you meant putting $10K down on a 5-7 year old car that is selling for $25,000 total as a used car. What you really meant was I should buy a 5-7 year old car that sold for $25K WHEN NEW. Yes, I think I get it now. That's doable if it comes to that.

Okay, now below is my original reply, thinking you were suggesting I come up from ~$7500 to $25,000 out of pocket.

****

Yeah, that would be great, but hard to do on my income alone with a family of four. I'm no doctor, lawyer, or robber-baron, and it's almost a done deal that my group at work is being outsourced to India in late 2015, so I really want to stay debt-free. I have no doubt that I can find another similar job right away, and hopefully one a step up the ladder at that, but it's a time of uncertainty nonetheless. Maybe I'll ride my bicycle to work as much as I can as summer approaches - which I plan to do anyway - and just sit tight and save. I excel at endless research but no buying decision, and every day I don't drive my car is one more day that I don't have to buy a replacement.

Lately my wife suggests the newest possible whatever I can afford and high mileage be damned if it's a Honda. I'm obviously more attracted to older cars with relatively low mileage, but I think she has a point if Hondas run as well at 300K as they do at 200K. It would be nice to have a car with all the interior stuff working as it should and without yellowed headlights and other signs of old age caused by sitting out in the elements, etc. Time-based wear vs. mileage-based wear, you might say.

She probably has the better idea to look like we're keeping up with the Joneses, too, although I know for a fact she's not like that. But she knows her friend across the street better than just about anyone else and I'm sure she notices what he can provide compared to me. They have a 1-year old Buick Hugemobile SUV/van contraption and they just replaced their crew cab 4x4 pickup with a brand new one because, after all, it was seven years old.

But at least I got to say, "Yeah, but that's 'cause Dodges SUCK!"

They also keep an older (but newer than both our cars, I think) Chrysler to leave parked at the airport when they travel. It must be nice to have a whole Unified Fleet on hand.

Signed,

A poor, petty, bitter, broken man

P.S. He rides a department store bicycle. Tee hee hee.

[George]

This looks kinda cool...

2005 Toyota Matrix XRS 6 Speed Manual - $5999 (shady used car lot, mileage not listed or pictured)



This has my attention. It looks fast and fun and wouldn't take up much room in the garage, I'll bet. This one also wins in the quirky/strange/semi-car-enthusiast category of "why did you buy such an old car?"

2003 FORD FOCUS SVT - LOW Miles....Great Commuter....6 Speed!!!! - $6900