I would appreciate any advice you all have on buying or leasing a vehicle. It’s been about 12 years or so since we’ve had to purchase a car. My wife’s suv is a money pit and I’m done throwing money at it.....This could be a long post but just in general, what’s your all’s suggestions / experiences? Thanks in advance!

Get a consumer reports membership. You can get 1 month for $10. Figure out a couple of vehicles you like and let them help you make the final decision.

Have any particular models in mind? A local New car show is a good way to explore.

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You can do online car shopping, via companies like Carvanna and Carmax. You can browse, search, scrutinize, etc. And, when you finally find what you're looking for, they'll even deliver it to you.

I'm searching also but haven't purchased yet. I look at Car Gurus a lot on the internet. It is a lot easier than spending a day going thru car dealer lots. I use Edmonds on line for car reviews.

And this is another option. Enterprise and Hertz sell some decent used cars on line also. The miles from a previously rented car might be a bit higher but the maintenance records are top notch on these cars as these companies have fleet technicians. I have a mechanic who I have used for over 30 years, and I trust him. He sees a lot of cars, and has a few customers who have gone this way, no issues.

Of course this is all if you are looking for slightly used cars which is what I am doing.

I always go to Ricart Automotive in Columbus Ohio. I've bought 5 vehicles (4 Brand New 1 Used) since 2003 and still own 4 of them and all 4 still run that includes the used Nissan Sentra(2002 model) I bought in 2003. The Sentra is now my oldest daughter's car.

Buy a KIA. I personally hate them, but my kids have bought them against my will, and those damn things keep going. Pisses me off.

Get a Red one.

Tons of places to compare different makes and models on line. Decide what you want then look for a "newer" used one. Buy a car with less than 40K an it is basically like new (as long as it has not been abused).

100K used to be real high miles for a car, but that is nothing anymore if it has been properly maintained.

Hi. Whenever you go to look at a car to buy, take a piece of cardboard and a flashlight with you. Look at the underside of that car for any signs of fluid leaks. If you see oil on the underside of the engine, pass. Another thing to do is buy a $50 code reader and see if any codes are stored.

New or used, never buy the first year of a model. They tend to have more issues/recalls as companies spend years building the thing but it takes a year or two of people driving them to discover all the bugs.

Test drive with the radio off and, if necessary, ask the salesperson to give you a minute of quiet time. Yours ears can hear a lot of problems that may not be visible.

Ask for a Carfax report on a used vehicle.

Don't waste money on the lots million miles warranty (or whatever they call it). It usually only covers the motor and transmission under certain circumstances, and only of you have it serviced there. Those are usually the last two things you'll have issues out of and you'll pay 2-3 times more to have it serviced there.

Don't settle. My wife just bought a year old pathfinder that was really close to what she wanted... But not exactly. Now every time the payment comes due, she regrets it. I've got a 6 year old Juke that everyone hates, but don't regret a dime I've spent on it.

Generally, foreign is better than domestic. Most of the foreign companies are interested in putting out good products over profit. Because a good product makes you profit. Just a different approach than our big three. Plus, several "foreign" cars are more American made than several "domestic" models. The Toyota Camry is made here in Kentucky. My wife has on with 120,000+ miles on it and still loves that car.

Thanks all! Much appreciated!

(12-20-2019, 07:37 PM)Cure4CF Wrote: I would appreciate any advice you all have on buying or leasing a vehicle. It’s been about 12 years or so since we’ve had to purchase a car. My wife’s suv is a money pit and I’m done throwing money at it.....This  could be a long post but just in general, what’s your all’s suggestions / experiences?  Thanks in advance!

imo not worth buying brand spanking new...  but they dont generally go as long without some repair needed when buying used.


Just shop around is really the best advice.

OK, besides my sage "buy a red one" advice I will offer this:

Buy 1 year old. I recently got a 2019 Fusion (I absolutely love Fusions) with 9500 miles and paid about $12,000-$15,000 less than a new one. I was able to get a top of the line trimmed/ better engine vehicle for less than I could have gotten a base model new one.

Joking aside: Color matters. Today's hot new Aqua Ice Ultramarine will be next year's Toilet Bowl Blue. Stick with the primary colors

Buy a set of WeatherTech Floor Liners and install them immediately

Don't skimp: While $5,000 may seem like a lot of money It's about $50 a month on a 5 year loan (@5%)

Make sure both yours and your wife's names are on the title (The loan doesn't matter; whichever way you can get the cheapest money)

Don't haggle with the car salesman; it's not worth your implicit cost. Find a car you like, research fair market price for your area, and offer it.

Cars buy Honda or Toyota
Full-size truck buy Chevy Silverado
Mid size truck buy Toyota Tacoma

IMO Toyota makes a solid car. If you take care of them, they are known to go for 200,000+ miles.

(12-30-2019, 10:03 AM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: IMO Toyota makes a solid car.  If you take care of them, they are known to go for 200,000+ miles.

200,000 isn't nearly as rare as it once was. My 2002 Ford F150 is already close to 250,000 with it's only real issue of concern now is a malfunctioning anti-theft system that kicks in from time to time which I plan to have modified to eliminate the anti-theft part by having the PCM module modified to eliminate it..
The last vehicle I had that I even worried about not reaching 200,000 was a late 70's model Buick Regal and even it was pushing over 175,000. I got it in a trade to some young, unmarried couple who wanted my old POS van for a "make out" buggy since they both lived at home with their parents.. LOL

200,000 now days is nothing. I expect that soon the magic number will be cars regularly turning over 500,000.. 

I do agree Toyotas have been noted as lasting longer than most or at least used to be. My favorite car I ever owned was a 74 Toyota Celica GT. That one paid for itself many times over delivering pizzas back when that job was worth bothering to have..

(12-31-2019, 02:05 AM)grampahol Wrote: 200,000 isn't nearly as rare as it once was. My 2002 Ford F150 is already close to 250,000 with it's only real issue of concern now is a malfunctioning anti-theft system that kicks in from time to time which I plan to have modified to eliminate the anti-theft part by having the PCM module modified to eliminate it..
The last vehicle I had that I even worried about not reaching 200,000 was a late 70's model Buick Regal and even it was pushing over 175,000. I got it in a trade to some young, unmarried couple who wanted my old POS van for a "make out" buggy since they both lived at home with their parents.. LOL

200,000 now days is nothing. I expect that soon the magic number will be cars regularly turning over 500,000.. 

I do agree Toyotas have been noted as lasting longer than most or at least used to be. My favorite car I ever owned was a 74 Toyota Celica GT. That one paid for itself many times over delivering pizzas back when that job was worth bothering to have..

Good points!

Don’t take their first counter offer. Get up and act like you are leaving, fear of losing a customer who is in front of them usually gets you closer to their best deal. Take a picture of what you sign/initial out on the sales floor and make sure it matches what you go over with the finance manager. Don’t buy a protection package for more than a few hundred bucks. I’ve seen people pay 2995 for one. It costs like 250. Straight profit for the dealer.

Don't search different lots for a car that comes close to what you want. Find a dealer you trust and tell them what you want. I've been dealing with the same lot since 2002 and work directly with the owner's son. It is the only place I buy cars and have sent many there by word of mouth. If they don't have it on the lot, they'll find it. Many car lots has the same ties higher up.

My last purchase was a 2019 Ford Fusion. He had a silver on on the lot that had every thing I wanted, but my wife wasn't a fan of the color she loves white or black cars. Within 1 week he called me saying he had a white one with the exact same options. i took it before he could get it inspected fpr tags.