I am at the point where I can no longer resist getting a car. I’ve held out for two years and now it’s time…
It has rained every day last week and there’s no way I can tie a flat of strawberries to the passenger seat on my motorcycle.
My dad is a self-proclaimed mechanic and has only bought one car from a dealership in his life. (It was the car he took me home from the hospital in, and the same car I took my driver’s test in.) I’ve followed his example and have only paid cash for every car I’ve bought, and I’ve only bought my cars through private dealers.
I found this on Craigslist, and was really excited because it’s the same model my dad drives and so he would know how to fix it if something breaks.
According to the guy selling it, it was owned by his friend’s mother, who only drove it to bingo and the grocery store.
Cue music:
So, I took the car to a mechanic (my dad actually lives in another state) and asked him to do a used vehicle check because the guy’s offer was really tempting.
As it turned out, the car needed new front and rear brakes, new tires, the AC was hardwired to the battery or something else screwy. And all the belts and stuff need to be changed because even though the car has such low mileage, rubber still breaks down and goes bad.
Total repair bill would be over $1000. Ouch.
But here’s what killed the deal for me– I checked the vehicle’s history on Carfax and it turns out it was rear-ended two years ago.
It has been fixed and looks all nice and pretty now, but I was told on the phone it hadn’t been in any accidents…
*sigh*
Here’s hoping for dry weather…
Hmm, and I bet a dollar to a doughnut is has 128,000 miles on it! lol My suspicion would have been raised immediately after he said, "bingo." lol
I hope it works out well for you. Fords are typically dependable. Good luck!
Yikes. Well, better to wait for the right car. I hope you find it soon.
Bummer! People just don't realize how easy it is to find a car's history now.
Good thing you have those resources to check it out before buying. I hope you find something soon. I recommend Hondas for reliability, but that's just me.
Very smart of you to get that car checked out first! I'm looking into buying a car myself and I'm glad I have a friend who knows about cars. I'm planning on having him come with me to check everything I'm considering to make sure no one tries to scam me like that!
I still think it's totally bad@$$ that you ride a motorcycle. 🙂
Smart move to check the history. I hate car shopping.
Good luck with your search. As far as I'm concerned, buying a car (new or used, private or through a dealer) is only marginally preferable to having fingernails pierced by hot skewers. It's a minefield!
Oh man, that's disappointing. I went through almost the same thing, but my car broke down several months later, after the first oil change. I was told that it was a hidden thing from me by the dealer. I got it fixed, but it hurt me financially for the next 2 months.
You have to be careful with cars. Fingers crossed that you find your perfect ride – Good Luck!
Roadtrip: On my way from A all the way to Z!
English Speaking Zone
I'd be very weary about buying a car off of Craig's list. It would be great if your dad could come with you to buy the car. Thanks for the visit.
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com
Yeah. Sounds like not all "used car salesmen" are doing it professionally.
Ugh, what a disappointment! Well, at least you know before you laid down the cash. Good luck finding another one!
Those used cars/vehicles are best that were just used for family purpose or only for office. I never recommend to buy the commercial vehicle as it has nothing good in it to run it for a longer period of time.
It’s a good thing you saw the flaws of the car even before you closed the deal, with the help of a mechanic. That is one of the best ways to ensure you get a good deal out of a sale. You can now choose to either have the problems fixed or find another Ford Escort that has better quality.
Create a checklist and stick to it. Figure out what your needs are and plan a budget. Know what you are looking for before you look at the first car.
Used Auto Sales
Ford is one of the top picks of people who buy used cars. But similar to buying any other brand of used cars, you need to check the vehicle's history as well as the damages it might currently have.
Too bad about the car though, it seemed nice– well, aside from the damages. As they say– in dealing with used cars, five out of six cars will probably blow up on your face or worst, your wallet if you don't check the deal. Well, at least you avoided a financial trap. Happy hunting…
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Cars up to five years old were usually still safe bets, but older cars that may have more issues. I still choose japanese used cars for low mileage.
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Used Cars
I'm not bashing on Ford here, but I think you should have gone with either a Honda or perhaps a Toyota for your first car as these brands have better track records that Ford as far as my research shows.
this car has an awesome style and engine performance as well. I was thinking on where could I buy a used cars like Honda Civic.
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