Help! I might have to buy a car...

[Kooshdakhaa]

I hate buying and selling cars, too. I really want nothing to do with it. If I had bunches of money it would be different, I'd just go pick out what I like and buy it. I have definite preferences in vehicles, I know what I like. But I can't really afford what I like.

I'm leaning heavily towards leasing right now. And still probably won't be able to get what I want. Which is just a Kia Sorrento or a Hyundai Santa Fe. It's not like I'm hankering for Escalades or Hummers or Lincoln Navigators.

Oh, well, we'll see. I have (last I knew) very good credit, and apparently that helps a lot in getting you good terms. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Noomi]

My 1993 Chevy Lumina sedan is in the shop for the fourth time in the last month. It only has 69,000 miles on it, but it is 20 years old. My job is moving across town and I need dependable transportation.

I am thinking Kia Sorrento or Hyundai Santa Fe. Either purchase or lease, I guess you can get really good lease terms on a Santa Fe. Could be brand new or slightly used.

The reason I am zeroing on these cars is their awesome warranty, 10 years/100,000 miles on the power train. The Santa Fe also has a concurrent 5 year bumper to bumper warranty on all the electronics, etc. - not sure if the Sorrento also has that, but I'll be checking. And I like these tough looking little SUVs.

I've never financed a car before! Always bought older ones and paid cash, but now I want something very dependable.

Any tips or warnings of things to watch out for? Are they going to try and trick me or take advantage of me?

I have a Hyundai i30 and its great, but if you wanted something bigger, the Santa Fe is a great choice.

 

[TemplarKormac]

My 1993 Chevy Lumina sedan is in the shop for the fourth time in the last month. It only has 69,000 miles on it, but it is 20 years old. My job is moving across town and I need dependable transportation.

I am thinking Kia Sorrento or Hyundai Santa Fe. Either purchase or lease, I guess you can get really good lease terms on a Santa Fe. Could be brand new or slightly used.

The reason I am zeroing on these cars is their awesome warranty, 10 years/100,000 miles on the power train. The Santa Fe also has a concurrent 5 year bumper to bumper warranty on all the electronics, etc. - not sure if the Sorrento also has that, but I'll be checking. And I like these tough looking little SUVs.

I've never financed a car before! Always bought older ones and paid cash, but now I want something very dependable.

Any tips or warnings of things to watch out for? Are they going to try and trick me or take advantage of me?

Always, ALWAYS check the blue book value before making a decision. If there are other car dealerships in your area that sell the same vehicles, compare.

 

[Politico]

You never financed a new one before no need to start now.

But I'd sure like to have that "new car" experience for once in my life! Not to mention...warranty.

Been there, done that, spent the next two years sweating everytime I left it in a parking lot. Sold it for a profit which is honestly the only reason I bought it. Then got a 12 year old car. You're not missing anything trust me.

It's what you pick which is easy with the right know how. Or to quote the great Indiana Jone:

It ain't the years honey...it's the mileage.

 

[waltky]

Koosh wrote: But just for once I was hoping for something new or nearly new! With a warranty.

Try one of the reputable car rental companies...

... like Avis, Hertz or Enterprise...

... they usually sell cars after a couple of years of use...

... that have been maintained and taken good care of...

... granted, mebbe with high mileage...

... but I think they come with a one year warranty.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Right now I don't even want to drive my car. I bring it in, they supposedly fix it, and it does the same thing again. Broke down right at a traffic light, I was in the left turn lane, in the middle.

I literally don't even want to drive it anymore, let alone drive it clear across town to my new workplace.

I just want a car I don't have to worry about. I want to think about other things instead of wondering if my car is going to make it to my destination.

Seriously thinking about leasing. Seems like the perfect solution for me.

Oh, and turns out I know a salesperson at the Kia/Hyundai dealer. I had sent an email inquiry and he responds, "Is this the same person I worked with at _____? How are you doing! Let me know if I can help you and I will get you the best possible deal!"

Yeah, I know they all say they'll get you the best possible deal, but he knows me from before and he likes me. I think he'll help me out as best he can.

 

[DGS49]

About that Lumina...

If it is structurally sound (a tolerable amount of rust), and your primary objective is minimmizing total cost of ownership, there is a school of thought that says: Keep it, and drive it forever.

People tend to see perpetually rising repair bills on an older car as inevitable, but this is not generally the case. If you maintain the Lumina and stay after the rust, it will probably continue costing you about a thousand dollars a year for another several years. That's a heck of a lot cheaper than $25 grand for a new car.

 

[YWN666]

Check this out:

https://ec.consumerreports.org/ec/aps/order.htm?INTKEY=I0AH0L8

You can buy a report that tells you what the dealers actually pay for a car - that gives you bargaining power.

 

[Politico]

OR you can just look it up for free.

 

[Zoom-boing]

My thoughts on leasing are .... at the end of the lease term you either have to turn it in or buy it, right? If you buy it it's my understanding that you will end up paying more than if you had just bought it from the beginning (not leased at all). If you turn it in you're in the same boat, still making car payments. I'm old school -- buy the best you can afford and take care of it so it lasts. The first new cars we ever bought are now ten years old and I have no intention of buying a new car (even though we could). I thoroughly enjoy not having car payments. My rationale is that even if the car needs a $2,000 fix at 10 years ... that's way cheaper than buying a new car and making payments. I drive a Honda Pilot, hubs has a Toyota Corolla. Other than standard maintenance, neither of us has had a problem. Ugh, well my daughter got managed to get hit (dinged the back left panel but good) one month after she got her license and hubs rear-ended some guy a few years back, had to get that fixed.

 

[Gracie]

SIL just got home today with a new car. Ford Fiesta. Payment are 278 per month. Affordable for them. Don't know what finance company they are going thru though.

 

[percysunshine]

Do it all online. Decide what you want and see who will give you the best price before you visit the lot. Keeps the sales games out of the picture.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

About that Lumina...

If it is structurally sound (a tolerable amount of rust), and your primary objective is minimmizing total cost of ownership, there is a school of thought that says: Keep it, and drive it forever.

People tend to see perpetually rising repair bills on an older car as inevitable, but this is not generally the case. If you maintain the Lumina and stay after the rust, it will probably continue costing you about a thousand dollars a year for another several years. That's a heck of a lot cheaper than $25 grand for a new car.

You know, DGS49. I would really like that to be the outcome. The car only has 59,000 miles on it. It seems like it should last me a while longer! And some repair bills here and there are no big deal compared to the cost of a new car, or even the monthly lease on a car.

Problem is, what do I do if these damn mechanics can't figure out what's wrong with it?! I mean, is this just going to go on endlessly, they say it's fixed and then the same problem is still there? It's back in their shop again, now, this is like the fourth time for the same problem!

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

You know, my next door neighbor is a mechanic. Hmmm. Too bad I'm not single, I might be able to work out a deal with him.

JUST KIDDING!

(Well not about the mechanic part...he is one. But he doesn't work at a shop, he works for this rental car/limousine business, maintains all their vehicles.)

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

This is what I'm thinking of doing. Go to the Kia dealership. Tell them I want a Kia Sorrento. Tell them I will make a down payment of $2000 tops and I really don't want to do that. I want payments of $250/month, no more, preferrably less. Then tell them to find me the Kia Sorrento that I can get for those terms...it can be used, obviously, as long as it is still under warranty. And I don't want the miles on it to be too high. It can be a lease.

Then...they can either find me a car to match my terms, or they can't.

 

[Zoom-boing]

About that Lumina...

If it is structurally sound (a tolerable amount of rust), and your primary objective is minimmizing total cost of ownership, there is a school of thought that says: Keep it, and drive it forever.

People tend to see perpetually rising repair bills on an older car as inevitable, but this is not generally the case. If you maintain the Lumina and stay after the rust, it will probably continue costing you about a thousand dollars a year for another several years. That's a heck of a lot cheaper than $25 grand for a new car.

You know, DGS49. I would really like that to be the outcome. The car only has 59,000 miles on it. It seems like it should last me a while longer! And some repair bills here and there are no big deal compared to the cost of a new car, or even the monthly lease on a car.

Problem is, what do I do if these damn mechanics can't figure out what's wrong with it?! I mean, is this just going to go on endlessly, they say it's fixed and then the same problem is still there? It's back in their shop again, now, this is like the fourth time for the same problem!

That's just not right. I'd take it to a different shop. We had a place we used to take our car and I swear to God every time the car came back there was 'something' else amiss. The final straw was we took it in for inspection and they missed a burnt out head light. Really?? That's just as basic as it gets. If they missed the easy stuff what else did they miss? Left and never went back.

 

[YWN666]

This is what I'm thinking of doing. Go to the Kia dealership. Tell them I want a Kia Sorrento. Tell them I will make a down payment of $2000 tops and I really don't want to do that. I want payments of $250/month, no more, preferrably less. Then tell them to find me the Kia Sorrento that I can get for those terms...it can be used, obviously, as long as it is still under warranty. And I don't want the miles on it to be too high. It can be a lease.

Then...they can either find me a car to match my terms, or they can't.

Excellent idea. If they want t make a sale, let them work for it.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

This is what I'm thinking of doing. Go to the Kia dealership. Tell them I want a Kia Sorrento. Tell them I will make a down payment of $2000 tops and I really don't want to do that. I want payments of $250/month, no more, preferrably less. Then tell them to find me the Kia Sorrento that I can get for those terms...it can be used, obviously, as long as it is still under warranty. And I don't want the miles on it to be too high. It can be a lease.

Then...they can either find me a car to match my terms, or they can't.

Excellent idea. If they want t make a sale, let them work for it.

Yep, I shouldn't have to work for it...they should. It's their job. I know what I want, so it's very simple...they can provide it...or not.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

About that Lumina...

If it is structurally sound (a tolerable amount of rust), and your primary objective is minimmizing total cost of ownership, there is a school of thought that says: Keep it, and drive it forever.

People tend to see perpetually rising repair bills on an older car as inevitable, but this is not generally the case. If you maintain the Lumina and stay after the rust, it will probably continue costing you about a thousand dollars a year for another several years. That's a heck of a lot cheaper than $25 grand for a new car.

You know, DGS49. I would really like that to be the outcome. The car only has 59,000 miles on it. It seems like it should last me a while longer! And some repair bills here and there are no big deal compared to the cost of a new car, or even the monthly lease on a car.

Problem is, what do I do if these damn mechanics can't figure out what's wrong with it?! I mean, is this just going to go on endlessly, they say it's fixed and then the same problem is still there? It's back in their shop again, now, this is like the fourth time for the same problem!

That's just not right. I'd take it to a different shop. We had a place we used to take our car and I swear to God every time the car came back there was 'something' else amiss. The final straw was we took it in for inspection and they missed a burnt out head light. Really?? That's just as basic as it gets. If they missed the easy stuff what else did they miss? Left and never went back.

Well, I was thinking of taking it to another shop nearby, but they did the same thing to me a few years ago...the old back and forth, couldn't isolate the problem. This shop I'm going to now saved me...fixed the problem the other shop couldn't.

Trouble is, the owner of this shop, who is an awesome mechanic, had a tragedy in his life, his son died, and he's letting his son-in-law run the shop. And he nor any of the other mechanics can hold a candle to the owner.

I don't want to go to a shop that's too far away from my home. That just complicates matters. This shop I can walk to and from.

Here's another thing...my car is back in there now and they didn't even write up a work order thingy and have me sign it...because they know they have failed to find the problem, they are not charging me for continuing to search for the problem. If I take it to a new shop, they'll be charging me labor just to look at it and begin the troubleshooting process...right?

I wish they'd get frustrated and call the owner and ask him to look at the car. He'd probably diagnose the problem in five minutes!

 

[BlueGin]

This is what I'm thinking of doing. Go to the Kia dealership. Tell them I want a Kia Sorrento. Tell them I will make a down payment of $2000 tops and I really don't want to do that. I want payments of $250/month, no more, preferrably less. Then tell them to find me the Kia Sorrento that I can get for those terms...it can be used, obviously, as long as it is still under warranty. And I don't want the miles on it to be too high. It can be a lease.

Then...they can either find me a car to match my terms, or they can't.

Excellent idea. If they want t make a sale, let them work for it.

That's what I did. And I bought two in the last month....one for me and one for my daughter. Made them meet my terms, search for specific colors, even made them drive them both to my door.