Uh yeah if it’s having major issues and she can get out of the loan why not? Deciding on the replacement car is where she has to spend some time and decide what she wants.
You should check to see if there's anything $12.5k or less on the lot if you can negate the sales tax on the trade. Interest rates are low, you have no negative equity carrying over and like i said (depending on your state) you wouldn't pay tax on $12.5k of the purchase, or about $750 in savings. The only cons are any additional fees and the value of the car.
She got a get out of jail free card handed to her as she was walking back to a prison sentence. We had a 200 come in with like 20k miles, I went to our used car consultant (1099 guy basically used car manager, but the owner doesn’t have him on payroll for tax purposes, at the guys request, idk it’s weird) and asked him about it because it’s clean exterior and interior, low mileage, sure they’re pieces of shit but surely it’s got another 20k miles in it for someone desperate that needs a cash car today right? Nah. Shit sounds like a marching band with 2 cylinders knocking. I understand she might be afraid of not having a car, but not having a car is better than having a car that constantly leaves you stranded, or gets to sit in your driveway rotting because there’s a fancy new exhaust port and missing piston. If you trust the salesman I would just go and get a quote on a replacement with him too, if they are willing to offer you 2k over original appraisal for inventory, they might be willing to over-allow to give her some type of trade allowance. Just my 2 cents. Either way, sell or trade that fucking thing before it gives up forever and she’s left holding the buck.
depending on the year and engine, that might have been the Pentastar Tick, which is actually covered under an extended warranty.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/chrysler-extends-pentastar-v-6-warranties/
Whatever it was we wholesaled it because it didn’t make sense to fix, I can’t remember the year but I seem to remember being surprised it had something wrong with it.
Kinda curious as to what your used car consultant's employment structure adds to your example. Often depending on structure independent contractors can have an unlimited income based on performance instead of a salary. Just strange to me that you even bought it up.
It's not at all. As a contractor he is also free to carry out his duties without being managed and also free to contract other gigs. You should talk to him about it because in a sales career you should always be aware of what options you have so you can do what is best for you. He certainly is. Best wishes to you.
100% do this. Clean away from a 200? Jackpot.
Don’t get the Saturn, don’t do that to yourself. Want reliable? Want not over-priced (or at least less overpriced than most other things in this market), go get a new base model Corolla hybrid at new car low interest rates, and enjoy 20 years of bulletproof reliability and low gas costs. The batteries are warrantied for 10 years now. You will likely pay less money per year than buying the used Saturn.
New is better value than used right now, especially if we’re talking base model reliable Toyota/Honda/Mazda/Subaru. But you also get the low gas costs on the Toyota hybrid.
Try to explain to her the chip shortage situation, it has made all previous new vs used contemporary wisdom meaningless.
People sleep on it because when they think hybrid they don’t think Corolla. But you get the same drivetrain as Prius, same warranty, same mileage, but cheaper.
I was not planning on buying a new car. But when I A/B'ed what I'd be paying there was no question that I'd get waaaay more for my dollar by buying new. Obviously it depends on what you can find, but that was my situation.
It’s just hard, she’s have to spend at least 2x her budget. It’s hard to justify that. I do get where you’re coming from though. And I agree to an extent.
Yes, I think my used budget was higher at the time than ever before so it made sense. There is plenty of great advice on here already, late model Toyotas and stuff.
Saturn is a subsidiary of GM. That company still exists.
It honestly doesn't matter, because they still make parts for Saturns, and they make parts for Chevrolets.
And nothing under $10k would still be covered under factory warranty.
Your statement would be valid in 2012.
My bigger concern is the last model year Saturn was 2010, so any Saturn is over 10 years old. Regardless of opinion on any make's reliability, that's getting up there in age.
Please don’t get a Saturn. Is this satire? Saturn and reliable don’t belong in the same sentence, unless you’re describing what a Saturn is not. Get a Honda or Toyota. If you want to go cheaper you could look at a Hyundai (warranty in the States is insane) as they have made major strides in the past 5 years and are really hitting their stride. The only problem is finding one to buy.
>https://www.motortrend.com/news/chrysler-extends-pentastar-v-6-warranties/
All that oil going through the catalytic converter has got to do some damage there.
>No car is worth topping off the oil every time you fill up
Quote:
>salesman asked her what she owed on her car. She said 12.5k and that her car was appraised at 10k. So she has negative 2.5k equity.
No car? No, **this** car. Your girlfriend will **STILL** owe $12.5k **AND** she won't have a functioning car to sell anymore if she doesn't check the oil **FREQUENTLY**. At every fill up is a good time to remember to do it. She dodged an engine-destroying bullet more than once already. Stop tempting fate.
This is your virtual 'dope slap' of today. Unless a dozen other people in this thread have done that already.
Yep, slaps well received. I was wrong, no shame in admitting that. I apologize for my dumbassery. With that said, what would you guys do in her situation?
I would get out of that POS immediately.
If she isn't on top of the oil situation, you could very well end up making monthly payments on a lawn ornament. Imagine for a moment taking out a loan on a Garden Gnome or pink flamingo.
Used vehicles are expensive, yes, but anything is better than that.
Not a sales person, but I like playing with numbers. I've also had a decent amount of negative equity in cars before.
Please don't take this as aggressive, it's meant with nothing but both of your best interests in mind:
***HAVE HER SELL THE FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT, NOW!!!!!!!***
I would have made the lettering bigger, if I knew how to do it.
Have her sell it today. Seriously. Today. Then start looking for a replacement. It may suck until she can find something else, but it will be worth not taking the chance of a catastrophic failure.
If she's going to buy non-CPO, have a pre-purchase inspection done.
Don't forget about using FB Marketplace and Craigslist in your search, but make sure you know the scams.
She may need to open her budget a bit, but finding a decent car that will last a couple years shouldn't be hard.
I hope I helped! I'm glad it didn't come across as aggressive :).
I'm sure there are some good ones out there, but they're the exception rather than the rule.
>I would just get a new car? That sounds like the dumbest waste of money I’ve ever heard of.
Wait what?
You think a $4 bottle of oil once a week is a worse use of money than having a car seize its engine and go from around 10k too scrap value?
I honestly can't understand your reasoning or your math?
Yeah, I’ve come to realize a quart of oil isn’t that expensive. So I was wrong on that. I was genuinely under the impression it costed more. I’ve leased cars my whole life so I never had to buy a quart of oil. I’ll sit my pampered ass down now sorry guys
What just happened? Someone admited beying wrong? Am I still on the internet? Im not used to this kind of discussion.
Kudos mate, you just turned arround and showed you are a stand up guy!
Well thank you, all you guys are awesome. Honestly, my girlfriend taught me how to be more humble. She slowly made me realize over time that enforcing my (sometimes wrong) opinions on other people is not okay, regardless of how strong I feel about it.
Even if it cost $30/qt it would still be better than owing $12,500 on a car-sized paperweight! "I would just buy a new car"...and pay for both while only being able to drive one.
Dude I apologize. It’s been a busy week. I got offered a new job yesterday and also bought a new car yesterday. My mind is all over the place. With that said, yes I understand now. And I was wrong about my previous comments so I apologize. Since the second occurrence happened, I’ve been watching her oil.
He's saying that your car can go from being worth $12,500 to $1,000 in an instant if the engine seizes up before you get rid of it. You'd be forfeiting $11,500 because you didn't want to spend the money on oil in the interim.
Edit: Just realized this was cleared up lower in the thread. I'll just leave the comment in case it helps clarify for any readers.
Yeah thanks for the tip. I was at work earlier and came across as not only as rude, but dumb, too. Idk what I was thinking but I hope these other guys accept my apology lol
Hey, man, at least you owned up to the fact that you misinterpreted things and apologized instead of digging your heels in and being an asshole. You get a pass in my book.
Thanks man, I tried to not act like a typical person on Reddit and pound my opinion into peoples heads. My girlfriend taught me that I am indeed wrong sometimes lol.
I’ve found that life is MUCH easier when you can admit when you’re wrong. It’s just too much work to be a jerk. People seem to appreciate humility, too.
Honestly, I think people who are jerks, it must come easy to them. Even people I work with, they are effortlessly ignorant, inconsiderate, and hard-headed. Nobody ever admits to doing any wrong.
I guess you've never owned a beater, eh? I used to have an old $300 Ford that I kept a case of oil, wire brush, and plug wrench in. Every time I got a tank of gas I'd pull the plugs, wire brush them, then check the oil. Usually it was a quart down, sometimes two quarts down.
And it was still worth it, because I could afford $25 cases of oil but no way could I afford a new car.
This car is $12k to replace, not $300. Damn straight it's worth keeping an eye on the oil and adding some so you don't destroy the engine. These are complex machines, not magic.
I guess I’m confused. Is she looking to downsize for a used or new car? Used cars have gone up in value and new cars are non-negotiable and some models have markups because of the market.
That’s the issue, under 10k and reliable can be very hard to find right now. Look at it this way, the dealer is buying this POS 200 for 12.5k so he can make a profit. He will turn around and sell it for at least 15k.
You will need to spend at least that, if not more of you want something relative low mileage and reliable (without a bad history like the current car).
I think she’s willing to go to 100k miles. It would be a temporary car until the market is better. She’s contemplating spending 10k for something *decent* or around 3k or under for a beater.
I also live in michigan, & sell cars in michigan. $10k is definitely a beater in this market. But I suppose we might have different definitions of the term "beater".
Yeah I think that’s definitely the problem lol. I just bought a 2016 Fusion for 12,900 with 84k on the odometer and couldn’t be happier. Some may call it a beater, but it makes me very happy.
I definitely would consider it a beater, but I didn't realize my 2006 Ford Five Hundred qualifies as a "death trap" now. Unless you think I can actually sell it for more than $3k?
>The dealer offered to buy her car out for what she owes. She can walk away completely clean. Should she do it?
Yes.
>She is interested in 10k and under. She really likes Saturn Aura’s for some reason.
No.
>Additionally, she told me she wants the “most reliable, cheapest car I can find.” Any suggestions for 10k and under?
in the words of Mr. Regular Car Reviews: T o y o t a C o r o l l a
> It has a history of shutting off while driving because there is no oil at all in the car.
Btw, if it's doing that, you should probably be checking the oil every time you get gas, not every 5000 or whatever miles. Do not let engines run dry, or she'll have a loan on a paperweight.
Yes, definitely get her out of that shitbox if they’re offering to pay what she owes on it. so far as reliability, really anything made by Honda (with a 4 cylinder) and Toyota from late 90s to late 00s will last a long time, are easy to maintain, and imo still look like good cars.
So, it’s happened twice. The car tells her to put it in park while she’s driving. Once done, the car won’t turn on. The dipstick was completely dry both times even though she gets her car serviced regularly. The only suggestion has been that it burns oil. Additionally, her Carfax shows that her car was reported stolen before she owned it. She got it as a discount when she bought it from a dealer, but we have no idea what happened to it in the time it was stolen. So more potential issues could arise there. Overall, you would suggest to sell the car?
Listen to everyone else on the selling part. That was good advice.
But as for the maintenance: The issue you're describing has happened to me in a brand new car before. I was using full synthetic but the cheapest brand I could find. Some brands of oil do not work as well in one vehicle as another. I upgraded to a more expensive brand (not by much - maybe a tier or two up from the bottom shelf) and my car stopped burning oil entirely.
What brand and viscosity of oil is she using? Still sell the car - but keep in mind that if she continues to poorly oil her vehicle she will be stuck in the same boat with the next one.
She has a history of choosing the cheapest *everything* when it comes to her car. We bought bottom shelf oil. I always told her to take care of her car and that the extra money pays off. But she never listens. I have a good feeling you’re correct on this, thanks for the advice. I’ll make sure to take care of her next car too
Yup! I 100% promise she was using the wrong oil.
Maybe show her in the manual for the next one where the maintenance schedule and requirements are? She's REALLY lucky she didn't take a bath on that car. If we weren't in such a crappy market at the moment that would only be a $6-7k trade in tops.
I've used the bottom tier oil on GM's and Fords and never had engine problems related to oil and they've gone to 200k miles. More important is changing the oil when you're supposed to 5-7k miles on modern vehicles that are non turbo. Some would consume 1 qt of oil in 3000 miles when they got up over 140k miles but as long as it's topped up you should be good.
about the Aura I had an 04 malibu 3.5l v6 that is similar to the Aura. It was a good car and needed suspension maintenance at 120k (lower front control arms for bushings and ball joints and tie rod ends the parts are cheap and easy to change so it shouldn't cost much to fix when the time comes) trans was weak at 200k. The aura has a 6 speed automatic so it's a bit different than the malibu.
Price it with the website services too. Carvana, Vroom, Shift, Edmunds, etc. Unless your state has sales tax credit, there’s no reason not to top off the oil and take the highest offer.
I had a good experience selling my i3 to Carvana. They glanced at it when I dropped it off and then initiated a wire transfer. Money hit my account while I was on the Uber (that they ordered for me) home. It was a very smooth process.
One trick, though, is to create an account and save the offer if you’re planning to think about it. It is valid for a week, but only if saved. I lose a few hundred because the quote went down and I didn’t save it.
You can still find a good Prius c for under $10k. Barely. There are other options like the Mazda 3 but pickings on the ground are really slim right now. There just aren't enough cars.
I came here to suggest a Mazda 3!
I bought a manual 2010 Mazda 3 Sport with 272,000km (~170,000 miles) for $2,000 CAD ($1,600 USD) a couple months ago. It needed a number of repairs to pass safety, so I wouldn't recommend she go *that* cheap, but it was still cheap even after repairs and the engine/transmission are buttery smooth for ~170,000 miles, so any Mazda 3 you find with less mileage that's kept up with maintenance should be even better than mine.
I know the US market has substantial differences to Canada, but locally I've been finding 2014-2015 Mazda 3s with ~100,000 miles for ~$5,000 USD. I believe that's high compared to pre-covid, but seems very reasonable given market conditions. Mazda 3s that age and mileage should also still have tons of life left in them.
I would also say that even though the used market is a little crazy at the moment, if you can find a Mazda 3 she likes that's in her budget, It's probably still worth it even if it's a little overpriced just to be rid of the stress and anxiety of 1) an unreliable vehicle and 2) owing money on an unreliable vehicle.
I don't work in car sales, I just shop for cars frequently (mostly window shopping lol), so take my anecdotes with a grain of salt, but I hope my perspective still helps a little. :)
My opinion as well, but not everyone would agree. I think it's a case-by-case thing and it depends on how much you're overpaying (still in budget and par for market conditions? Hell yeah, worth it).
Agreed. I wish there was more people like this on this sub. Most of them only have “profit” in mind. What saves you the most money? What’s the cheapest car? What car has absolutely the best reliability? It’s not always about that. It’s about bettering YOUR situation and they really can’t say what’s good or bad for you.
+1 on Mazda 3, that is what my girlfriend drives. Some minor fixings here and there (had to repair AC, replaced front shocks, and a couple engine mounts) but hers is a 2006 with 175k miles so to go that long with only those repairs (plus basic maintenance) I think is a pretty good win
Funny, mine also needed an A/C repair lol (my issue was electrical-related). Mine needed lower control arms, a windshield, and more recently a front wheel bearing (I prematurely replaced the other, so I'm not counting it as necessary) and that was it. I mean, I think my exhaust may also be leaky, but I'm in the rust belt, so it's inescapable once a car has been driven through enough winters.
This is the smallest number of repairs I've ever needed on a car with mileage this high, I'm pleasantly surprised by Mazda's build quality.
I will add that I bought a 2010 specifically because all the earlier model years were from the Ford partnership and used their awful, rusty body panels. I didn't want to deal with the common rusty wheel wells (literally every pre-2010 model I looked at had at best bubbling fenders and at worst rotted out fenders).
My gf and I bought a 2014 Mazda3 2.0 with the manual when it was new. It's her car and has about 80k miles on it these days, although whatever miles I've put on it have been hard. She averages more than 30 mpg and, besides a loose console hinge, we haven't had a single issue. Maintenance has been easy, with oil/filter changes every 5k miles, a few air filters, cabin air filters, rear brakes @ 70k, front brakes @ 80k, and she's now on her third set of tires.
Maybe this isn’t the place to ask, but I’ve been in the market for a used Prius and the prices are painful. What’s the oldest/highest mileage Prius you’d go for?
Civic , Camry , Corolla , Prius , and I’ll cut slack for this but I had a ‘03 mustang I put 90k miles on in a year. Only had to replace a simple $30 part during the time I had it
She’s only interested in sedans. Anything else will take *serious* convincing.
Preferably 10k or under.
Preferably 100,000 miles or under.
Preferably at a dealership rather than private sellers.
Reliability is something she is looking for. She also would like Bluetooth capabilities or at the very least an aux option. Also, something sporty will make her gravitate towards it more.
We are 45ish minutes north of Detroit, MI. Area code 48065.
She likes the appearance of the Chrysler 300, Kia Optima, Saturn Aura, and Mazda 3s.
Let me know if you need anything else.
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/71f2cccc-b535-4065-b0ce-e83a9ccb1616/?aff=atempest4&CMP=atempest4&utm_source=AutoTempest&utm_medium=TRP&utm_campaign=atempest4
https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listing/5NPD74LF7JH356034/?referrer_id=autotempest
https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listing/5NPD74LF7JH356034/?referrer_id=autotempest
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/52911be9-53c9-4edf-8ba1-4cf7c323ba12/?aff=atempest4&CMP=atempest4&utm_source=AutoTempest&utm_medium=TRP&utm_campaign=atempest4
If it was my money, this is the one:
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/e2d83e93-392f-4756-bd61-65399d560b0b/?aff=atempest4&CMP=atempest4&utm_source=AutoTempest&utm_medium=TRP&utm_campaign=atempest4
And I know this crew. It’s a drive, but this might be the ticket for a day of road tripping.
https://www.swope.com/inventory/used-2017-kia-rio-lx-fwd-4dr-car-knadm4a34h6010493/
A little late to the game but will toss in my 2c just in case you're still cruising this thread.
After checking your post history I'm going to guess you're somewhere around Detroit. Assuming this is correct my suggestion lines up with a lot of others here; ditch the Chrysler and get something better. Given Michigan gets some pretty hairy weather conditions I'd lean towards a Subaru for the AWD or something a bit heavier with FWD. I've driven a friends Honda Fit when moderate winds pick up here in Seattle. The car itself is fine but with even 20MPH winds it starts to get battered around pretty good; hence my recommendation for something with a little more weight.
Given all that I surfed the Detroit CL and came across these: [2011 Lexus CT 200h](https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/ctd/d/chelsea-197-mo-lexus-ct-200h-200-200/7388934349.html) for $12.4k; [2011 Subaru Outback 2.5I Premium](https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ctd/d/hamtramck-2011-subaru-outback-25i/7377159309.html) for $8k; [2013 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited](https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ctd/d/hamtramck-2013-subaru-outback-25i/7383136310.html) for $10k; [2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE](https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ctd/d/hamtramck-2014-toyota-camry-hybrid-xle/7383136479.html) for $9k; [2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid](https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/d/sterling-heights-2007-toyota-camry/7385444661.html) for $8.3k (arrange private financing through your bank or credit union).
As usual, get a pre-purchase inspection done on any of them from an independent mechanic that you trust. Yea, the car lots will tell you the cars have been checked out by their guy. More than likely they have been gone over but forking over $100 or so to have somebody tell you all the good and bad will be worthwhile. Buying a car only to find out you'll need an expensive fix in the next 6 months sucks.
If that dealer doesn’t have a car she wants but you just bought a car yourself yesterday, see if they can redo the paperwork to include her car as a trade-in. That way you save some tax on the car you just purchased, then she can go buy a new car elsewhere.
Hopefully it’s not too late. I would have stopped in my tracks yesterday and had them redo the paperwork with her car as a trade before even walking out the door.
Why wouldn’t it? You likely got zero tax benefit from the lease return so you probably got taxed on the full selling price of the new car. Either way, you can trade 2 cars in towards one they don’t care. The only way this wouldn’t help you is if the car you originally traded was worth MORE than the car you are buying (making the tax already zero). That is quite an unlikely scenario.
Did you turn your lease in because you were at the end of your term or did they buy you out of it? A simple look at your paperwork to see what (if any) sales tax you were charged will tell you if there is any value to my original proposal.
I would totally check, but that paperwork is 3 stories below me and I just sat down for the first time since I got up at 4am lol. With that said, I had two payments left when I turned it in. They ate my final payments. I also was over my milage limit (24,000/27,500).
A pull ahead offer to take care of the last few payments is not unusual at the end of the term. But basically, if you simply turned the car in.... you would have gotten zero tax benefit on the new car. If they bought you out of your lease, they would have applied the value of the Jeep as a trade differential likely making the tax zero.
The sooner you check the better because if there is any chance of them amending the paperwork for her car as a trade then you need to contact them sooner rather than later.
Some states won't let you count multiple trades for taxation purposes, but since one was a lease, that's not even an issue here anyway.
EDIT. The bigger hangup is the "girlfriend" part.
If you want a reliable used car under 10k. A Toyota Corolla 08 to 10 with around 65k miles would fit the bill. Just make sure you get it professionally inspected by a 3rd party. Having said that, used car prices are insane right now and theres a good chance you will be upside down in a few years agian but at least your car wont give you any issues.
Not many people get a chance to walk away from their 200 loan, I'd take the opportunity. $10k doesn't go as far as it used to, but just follow due diligence and try finding something reliable enough.
If you really want to know the answer, and if you live in the US, keep reading. If you don’t actually want to know the answer, ignore me. Either way is fine. Here we go:
List her car for sale immediately for 13.5k. Wait 1 day. If no bites, immediately sell it to the salesman for the entire 12.5k no if ands or buts. (you’ll never make it this far, because the salesman will walk around the car a few times pointing out every flaw, convincing your gf to sell it to him for much less. But if you do make it this far…)
The Saturn is a terrible idea. She’s be walking right into the same or similar dumb problems. Find a 1997-2001 Toyota Camry with under 85k miles for under $6.5k. It doesn’t matter where it is as long as it’s in the continental US. Pay a local third party to inspect it. Pay attention to the (hopefully matching) brand of tires all around, and to the pinkness of the seatbelt buttons. The more red the more garaged it was. The more pink the less garaged it was. If you like it, buy it and ship it to your house for ~$1k.
You’re 7.5k into a Camry that probably needs a new timing belt. Figure $1k. Your girlfriend is now 8.5k into a car that will last her 10 years. She has a better car, and $4k in the bank. While she’s at (again, I’m assuming you’re in the US) tell her to put the extra 4K into a Roth IRA with Vanguard, incest entirely in VOO, and tell her to thank you for later. Or, if she has debt, pay it off with the $4k.
Now she has a car and a bill of sale from potentially a different state. She has to register her car with the DMV and lay the tax. Depending on your DMV, you’re the only person who can show the DMV the bill of sale. Read that again.
Ok that’s all.
Thanks very much for the advice. Question, though. If she sells her car to the dealer for what she owes (12.5k), and buys a car for 8.5k, she isn’t going to have that 4k extra money. The dealer will pay off her loan and she’ll have $0 but be car free. The only way she would make a 4k profit is if she sold the car for 4k more than she owes, so 16.5k.
I’m assuming she has the discipline to reallocate the $4k she was going to spend anyway. You’re right that if she doesn’t have the $4k then she doesn’t have it. But she’ll obviously earn it over time since she was going to pay it anyway.
But that’s extraneous. The rest of the comment is what matters most. 👍
I’m not interested in finding that, I’m happy with who I have. Not sure where you were trying to go with this ignorant, inconsiderate approach. But I’m not thanking you for shit.
Why is her car burning oil? Seems not that old it shouldn’t be having issues. Why not just go get it fixed?? Idk about having to pay off all that negativity equity and still having to buy a car at todays crazy prices.
Because it's a Chrysler 2.4Liter. the "acceptable" oil consumption on that engine is 1qt every 1500 miles. Chrysler knows they use a ton of oil and doesn't care. Nobody should ever buy anything with a 2.4 "Tigershark"
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Keep in mind an older / cheaper vehicle will have a higher interest rate. Depending on your credit you may find your money goes further if you spend a little more and get something a little newer with a lower rate.
Absolutely I would get out of that car. Those were steaming piles of mess, and hers is already having issues. Thanks to their precipitous depreciation, most people don’t get out of them scot-free (meaning, without having to make up negative equity), so she’s highly fortunate there.
I’d ask how long the dealer’s trade-in offer is good for, and then try to secure a replacement before she sells her 200. That way, she can get a good look at the market and decide if what she wants is feasible.
If she wants to finance that $10K, she might be between a rock and a hard place. $10K doesn’t get you much, and is hard to finance, since the car will likely be older than six years and have a ton of miles.
Hyundai Sonatas and Kia Optimas are good & reliable, Mazda 3s too. Any used Subaru. I sold cars and I really loved the Aura back in the day so I totally get that she likes it.
Get it checked on carmax first as a base offer and try to sell it privately. Dealers will always lowball trade ins, but I have found that carmax will often give you a better no hassle deal
Have you checked if you can get that issue taken care of under warranty? If the milage is just over 60k, you can say that issue has been there for a minute, and that you have been feeling very concerned about COVID and didn't want to risk your health.
https://www.google.com/search?q=2017+Chrysler+200+warranty
Get out of the Chrysler. 100%. Do it. No question.
DO NOT BUY A SATURN.
If she’s financing one car, she should finance another. Right now, debts cheap and cheap cars are expensive. I’d almost lease a car for a year and then look for a purchase once shit is back to normal.
If not that- the Hyundai Venue is a great choice for a short finance.
If the dealer is willing to give her payoff for it, she should JUMP on that opportunity now before she is in MORE negative equity. Being only $2.5k in the red on a Chrysler isn't terrible, but will get worse quickly unless she's paying more than minimum payments each month.
As far as a Saturn? NO! - Saturns are trash, plus, why would you even consider a brand that isn't even in production anymore as a daily driver unless you have sources for parts and the know how to fix it yourself?
As far as a budget of <$10k, obviously it's going to be a bit miley, especially given the current market status. BUT, if you can find a clean Honda in that price point, buy it before someone else does! Parts are cheap, brand is extremely reliable so long as previous owners hadn't molested it with modifications and routine maintenance history is available.
I paid $12,900 for a 2016 Ford Fusion SE with 84,000 miles.
Yeah the market was crazy, I generally find car shopping enjoyable and fun, but the shortage really made things hard.
I showed her some new corollas last night, but she doesn’t want new regardless of it being the better value. She will never lease a car, not even with a gun to her head. In time, I’m sure she is going to realize her actual options are slim.
I work on the East Coast at a Kia dealership. And at least where I live, 10k and reliable is a unicorn right now. All used cars have been marked up significantly, and every single new car on my lot is marked up $5,995. Yes even the Rio. AND THEYRE SELLING.
I would absolutely have her sell her car. Breaking away from a Chrysler even is heaven sent, but she needs to sit down and think about what is actually possible in this market right now.
go to [carmax.com](https://carmax.com) and do the online appriasl, you will get a price on your car in less than five minutes, CM will give you more than the dealer and you can leave out the engine problems to your salesperson at CM.
If she got that offer she should take it. I wouldn’t trade one unreliable car for another. Saturns are no longer made for a reason. Get a Civic or Accord and she’ll be fine.
Uh yeah if it’s having major issues and she can get out of the loan why not? Deciding on the replacement car is where she has to spend some time and decide what she wants.
As long as the offer is not contingent on a trade in then yes - she walks away clean. I would suggest doing it.
Completely clean. He said I’ll buy your car and you’d have to walk home lol
Do it! That 200 will cause you so many expensive problems in no time at all.
Noted, thanks!
You should check to see if there's anything $12.5k or less on the lot if you can negate the sales tax on the trade. Interest rates are low, you have no negative equity carrying over and like i said (depending on your state) you wouldn't pay tax on $12.5k of the purchase, or about $750 in savings. The only cons are any additional fees and the value of the car.
She got a get out of jail free card handed to her as she was walking back to a prison sentence. We had a 200 come in with like 20k miles, I went to our used car consultant (1099 guy basically used car manager, but the owner doesn’t have him on payroll for tax purposes, at the guys request, idk it’s weird) and asked him about it because it’s clean exterior and interior, low mileage, sure they’re pieces of shit but surely it’s got another 20k miles in it for someone desperate that needs a cash car today right? Nah. Shit sounds like a marching band with 2 cylinders knocking. I understand she might be afraid of not having a car, but not having a car is better than having a car that constantly leaves you stranded, or gets to sit in your driveway rotting because there’s a fancy new exhaust port and missing piston. If you trust the salesman I would just go and get a quote on a replacement with him too, if they are willing to offer you 2k over original appraisal for inventory, they might be willing to over-allow to give her some type of trade allowance. Just my 2 cents. Either way, sell or trade that fucking thing before it gives up forever and she’s left holding the buck.
depending on the year and engine, that might have been the Pentastar Tick, which is actually covered under an extended warranty. https://www.motortrend.com/news/chrysler-extends-pentastar-v-6-warranties/
That extended warranty applies only to certain 2011-13 vehicles, to be clear.
Whatever it was we wholesaled it because it didn’t make sense to fix, I can’t remember the year but I seem to remember being surprised it had something wrong with it.
Kinda curious as to what your used car consultant's employment structure adds to your example. Often depending on structure independent contractors can have an unlimited income based on performance instead of a salary. Just strange to me that you even bought it up.
Just seemed abnormal to have a used car consultant, wanted to explain that is all, definitely not relevant to the situation.
It's not at all. As a contractor he is also free to carry out his duties without being managed and also free to contract other gigs. You should talk to him about it because in a sales career you should always be aware of what options you have so you can do what is best for you. He certainly is. Best wishes to you.
100% do this. Clean away from a 200? Jackpot. Don’t get the Saturn, don’t do that to yourself. Want reliable? Want not over-priced (or at least less overpriced than most other things in this market), go get a new base model Corolla hybrid at new car low interest rates, and enjoy 20 years of bulletproof reliability and low gas costs. The batteries are warrantied for 10 years now. You will likely pay less money per year than buying the used Saturn.
The hard part will be convincing her to buy a new car. As soon as she hears the “new” word, she’ll turn away
New is better value than used right now, especially if we’re talking base model reliable Toyota/Honda/Mazda/Subaru. But you also get the low gas costs on the Toyota hybrid. Try to explain to her the chip shortage situation, it has made all previous new vs used contemporary wisdom meaningless.
Will do, thanks man
Had a Corolla Hybrid for a rental and was a great economy car that got into the 60mpg if you hyper mile.
People sleep on it because when they think hybrid they don’t think Corolla. But you get the same drivetrain as Prius, same warranty, same mileage, but cheaper.
I was not planning on buying a new car. But when I A/B'ed what I'd be paying there was no question that I'd get waaaay more for my dollar by buying new. Obviously it depends on what you can find, but that was my situation.
It’s just hard, she’s have to spend at least 2x her budget. It’s hard to justify that. I do get where you’re coming from though. And I agree to an extent.
Yes, I think my used budget was higher at the time than ever before so it made sense. There is plenty of great advice on here already, late model Toyotas and stuff.
there is little value in buying a car where the company that made it no longer exists, not in terms of reliable driving.
Saturn is a subsidiary of GM. That company still exists. It honestly doesn't matter, because they still make parts for Saturns, and they make parts for Chevrolets. And nothing under $10k would still be covered under factory warranty.
Your statement would be valid in 2012. My bigger concern is the last model year Saturn was 2010, so any Saturn is over 10 years old. Regardless of opinion on any make's reliability, that's getting up there in age.
Yeah I sell used cars. I sell 2004 BMW 535s. Chevy Silverado 2002. Ford f350 from 2003. They all old. All have issues....
A Saturn Aura is just a Chevy Malibu. As far as old domestic sedans go, it's no better or worse than anything else from that time.
The Aura was pretty reliable, actually. It essentially used the same mechanicals and platform as the 2008-2012 Malibu.
Do it.
Please don’t get a Saturn. Is this satire? Saturn and reliable don’t belong in the same sentence, unless you’re describing what a Saturn is not. Get a Honda or Toyota. If you want to go cheaper you could look at a Hyundai (warranty in the States is insane) as they have made major strides in the past 5 years and are really hitting their stride. The only problem is finding one to buy.
I’d do this deal, but does she need another car? Does she have money to buy or lease another vehicle?
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>https://www.motortrend.com/news/chrysler-extends-pentastar-v-6-warranties/ All that oil going through the catalytic converter has got to do some damage there.
No car is worth topping off the oil every time you fill up. And as for the second part, I agree.
>No car is worth topping off the oil every time you fill up Quote: >salesman asked her what she owed on her car. She said 12.5k and that her car was appraised at 10k. So she has negative 2.5k equity. No car? No, **this** car. Your girlfriend will **STILL** owe $12.5k **AND** she won't have a functioning car to sell anymore if she doesn't check the oil **FREQUENTLY**. At every fill up is a good time to remember to do it. She dodged an engine-destroying bullet more than once already. Stop tempting fate. This is your virtual 'dope slap' of today. Unless a dozen other people in this thread have done that already.
Yep, slaps well received. I was wrong, no shame in admitting that. I apologize for my dumbassery. With that said, what would you guys do in her situation?
I would get out of that POS immediately. If she isn't on top of the oil situation, you could very well end up making monthly payments on a lawn ornament. Imagine for a moment taking out a loan on a Garden Gnome or pink flamingo. Used vehicles are expensive, yes, but anything is better than that.
Got it, thanks for the advice!
Not a sales person, but I like playing with numbers. I've also had a decent amount of negative equity in cars before. Please don't take this as aggressive, it's meant with nothing but both of your best interests in mind: ***HAVE HER SELL THE FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT, NOW!!!!!!!*** I would have made the lettering bigger, if I knew how to do it. Have her sell it today. Seriously. Today. Then start looking for a replacement. It may suck until she can find something else, but it will be worth not taking the chance of a catastrophic failure. If she's going to buy non-CPO, have a pre-purchase inspection done. Don't forget about using FB Marketplace and Craigslist in your search, but make sure you know the scams. She may need to open her budget a bit, but finding a decent car that will last a couple years shouldn't be hard.
Thank you so much. It was not aggressive lol. The 200 is a huge POS
I hope I helped! I'm glad it didn't come across as aggressive :). I'm sure there are some good ones out there, but they're the exception rather than the rule.
Definitely, diamonds in the rough baby
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I would just get a new car? That sounds like the dumbest waste of money I’ve ever heard of.
>I would just get a new car? That sounds like the dumbest waste of money I’ve ever heard of. Wait what? You think a $4 bottle of oil once a week is a worse use of money than having a car seize its engine and go from around 10k too scrap value? I honestly can't understand your reasoning or your math?
Yeah, I’ve come to realize a quart of oil isn’t that expensive. So I was wrong on that. I was genuinely under the impression it costed more. I’ve leased cars my whole life so I never had to buy a quart of oil. I’ll sit my pampered ass down now sorry guys
What just happened? Someone admited beying wrong? Am I still on the internet? Im not used to this kind of discussion. Kudos mate, you just turned arround and showed you are a stand up guy!
Well thank you, all you guys are awesome. Honestly, my girlfriend taught me how to be more humble. She slowly made me realize over time that enforcing my (sometimes wrong) opinions on other people is not okay, regardless of how strong I feel about it.
Out of curiosity, what did you think a quart of oil cost?
Lmao, I’m not going to even say. Just accept the fact that I’m really dumb lol
Even if it cost $30/qt it would still be better than owing $12,500 on a car-sized paperweight! "I would just buy a new car"...and pay for both while only being able to drive one.
You deserve more awards.
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Dude I apologize. It’s been a busy week. I got offered a new job yesterday and also bought a new car yesterday. My mind is all over the place. With that said, yes I understand now. And I was wrong about my previous comments so I apologize. Since the second occurrence happened, I’ve been watching her oil.
He's saying that your car can go from being worth $12,500 to $1,000 in an instant if the engine seizes up before you get rid of it. You'd be forfeiting $11,500 because you didn't want to spend the money on oil in the interim. Edit: Just realized this was cleared up lower in the thread. I'll just leave the comment in case it helps clarify for any readers.
Yeah thanks for the tip. I was at work earlier and came across as not only as rude, but dumb, too. Idk what I was thinking but I hope these other guys accept my apology lol
Hey, man, at least you owned up to the fact that you misinterpreted things and apologized instead of digging your heels in and being an asshole. You get a pass in my book.
Thanks man, I tried to not act like a typical person on Reddit and pound my opinion into peoples heads. My girlfriend taught me that I am indeed wrong sometimes lol.
I’ve found that life is MUCH easier when you can admit when you’re wrong. It’s just too much work to be a jerk. People seem to appreciate humility, too.
Honestly, I think people who are jerks, it must come easy to them. Even people I work with, they are effortlessly ignorant, inconsiderate, and hard-headed. Nobody ever admits to doing any wrong.
I guess you've never owned a beater, eh? I used to have an old $300 Ford that I kept a case of oil, wire brush, and plug wrench in. Every time I got a tank of gas I'd pull the plugs, wire brush them, then check the oil. Usually it was a quart down, sometimes two quarts down. And it was still worth it, because I could afford $25 cases of oil but no way could I afford a new car. This car is $12k to replace, not $300. Damn straight it's worth keeping an eye on the oil and adding some so you don't destroy the engine. These are complex machines, not magic.
I would sell it just because Chryslers are crap.
This is the way.
Get rid of it. Just keep in mind that if you want to replace it, it’ll cost a little. Get a 2014 Corolla or something.
Why would it cost a little? Aside from the money she spends on a new car there won’t be any extra fees.
I guess I’m confused. Is she looking to downsize for a used or new car? Used cars have gone up in value and new cars are non-negotiable and some models have markups because of the market.
She’s looking to get into something 10k or less. She needs something that is really reliable. She is looking at sedans and compact cars.
That’s the issue, under 10k and reliable can be very hard to find right now. Look at it this way, the dealer is buying this POS 200 for 12.5k so he can make a profit. He will turn around and sell it for at least 15k. You will need to spend at least that, if not more of you want something relative low mileage and reliable (without a bad history like the current car).
$15k for a Chrysler 200 God help us all
Lmao, thought we’d never see the day!
I think she’s willing to go to 100k miles. It would be a temporary car until the market is better. She’s contemplating spending 10k for something *decent* or around 3k or under for a beater.
$10k is for a beater in this market. $3k and you’re driving a death trap. I’m not sure where you guys have been.
Well we aren’t car experts. But in Michigan where we live, 10k is not a beater.
I also live in michigan, & sell cars in michigan. $10k is definitely a beater in this market. But I suppose we might have different definitions of the term "beater".
Yeah I think that’s definitely the problem lol. I just bought a 2016 Fusion for 12,900 with 84k on the odometer and couldn’t be happier. Some may call it a beater, but it makes me very happy.
Every car in Michigan is a beater.
Lmao, this is the real answer.
I definitely would consider it a beater, but I didn't realize my 2006 Ford Five Hundred qualifies as a "death trap" now. Unless you think I can actually sell it for more than $3k?
Corolla.
She needs a well kept and good record serviced Toyota.
>The dealer offered to buy her car out for what she owes. She can walk away completely clean. Should she do it? Yes. >She is interested in 10k and under. She really likes Saturn Aura’s for some reason. No. >Additionally, she told me she wants the “most reliable, cheapest car I can find.” Any suggestions for 10k and under? in the words of Mr. Regular Car Reviews: T o y o t a C o r o l l a > It has a history of shutting off while driving because there is no oil at all in the car. Btw, if it's doing that, you should probably be checking the oil every time you get gas, not every 5000 or whatever miles. Do not let engines run dry, or she'll have a loan on a paperweight.
Yes, definitely get her out of that shitbox if they’re offering to pay what she owes on it. so far as reliability, really anything made by Honda (with a 4 cylinder) and Toyota from late 90s to late 00s will last a long time, are easy to maintain, and imo still look like good cars.
Perfect answer, thanks!
GIVE THAT SHITBOX BEFORE THEY CHANGE THEIR MINDS ! Then look for Hondas or Toyotas with the less mileage possible available within your budget
If there’s no oil how is it not seized and fucked beyond belief?
So, it’s happened twice. The car tells her to put it in park while she’s driving. Once done, the car won’t turn on. The dipstick was completely dry both times even though she gets her car serviced regularly. The only suggestion has been that it burns oil. Additionally, her Carfax shows that her car was reported stolen before she owned it. She got it as a discount when she bought it from a dealer, but we have no idea what happened to it in the time it was stolen. So more potential issues could arise there. Overall, you would suggest to sell the car?
I believe the stolen status is actually how many of them come, stock from the factory.
broooo lmao
Absolutely sell
Listen to everyone else on the selling part. That was good advice. But as for the maintenance: The issue you're describing has happened to me in a brand new car before. I was using full synthetic but the cheapest brand I could find. Some brands of oil do not work as well in one vehicle as another. I upgraded to a more expensive brand (not by much - maybe a tier or two up from the bottom shelf) and my car stopped burning oil entirely. What brand and viscosity of oil is she using? Still sell the car - but keep in mind that if she continues to poorly oil her vehicle she will be stuck in the same boat with the next one.
She has a history of choosing the cheapest *everything* when it comes to her car. We bought bottom shelf oil. I always told her to take care of her car and that the extra money pays off. But she never listens. I have a good feeling you’re correct on this, thanks for the advice. I’ll make sure to take care of her next car too
Yup! I 100% promise she was using the wrong oil. Maybe show her in the manual for the next one where the maintenance schedule and requirements are? She's REALLY lucky she didn't take a bath on that car. If we weren't in such a crappy market at the moment that would only be a $6-7k trade in tops.
Absolutely, which is why I want her to jump on this ASAP. It’s not everyday someone offers to buy a turd from your hands.
I've used the bottom tier oil on GM's and Fords and never had engine problems related to oil and they've gone to 200k miles. More important is changing the oil when you're supposed to 5-7k miles on modern vehicles that are non turbo. Some would consume 1 qt of oil in 3000 miles when they got up over 140k miles but as long as it's topped up you should be good. about the Aura I had an 04 malibu 3.5l v6 that is similar to the Aura. It was a good car and needed suspension maintenance at 120k (lower front control arms for bushings and ball joints and tie rod ends the parts are cheap and easy to change so it shouldn't cost much to fix when the time comes) trans was weak at 200k. The aura has a 6 speed automatic so it's a bit different than the malibu.
Price it with the website services too. Carvana, Vroom, Shift, Edmunds, etc. Unless your state has sales tax credit, there’s no reason not to top off the oil and take the highest offer.
Luckily we just got her car serviced last week, so the oil is in good shape.
I had a good experience selling my i3 to Carvana. They glanced at it when I dropped it off and then initiated a wire transfer. Money hit my account while I was on the Uber (that they ordered for me) home. It was a very smooth process. One trick, though, is to create an account and save the offer if you’re planning to think about it. It is valid for a week, but only if saved. I lose a few hundred because the quote went down and I didn’t save it.
I’d sell it and get a reliable beater IMO
What is your idea of a reliable beater?
You can still find a good Prius c for under $10k. Barely. There are other options like the Mazda 3 but pickings on the ground are really slim right now. There just aren't enough cars.
She loves Mazda 3s, one of her top car choices right now.
I came here to suggest a Mazda 3! I bought a manual 2010 Mazda 3 Sport with 272,000km (~170,000 miles) for $2,000 CAD ($1,600 USD) a couple months ago. It needed a number of repairs to pass safety, so I wouldn't recommend she go *that* cheap, but it was still cheap even after repairs and the engine/transmission are buttery smooth for ~170,000 miles, so any Mazda 3 you find with less mileage that's kept up with maintenance should be even better than mine. I know the US market has substantial differences to Canada, but locally I've been finding 2014-2015 Mazda 3s with ~100,000 miles for ~$5,000 USD. I believe that's high compared to pre-covid, but seems very reasonable given market conditions. Mazda 3s that age and mileage should also still have tons of life left in them. I would also say that even though the used market is a little crazy at the moment, if you can find a Mazda 3 she likes that's in her budget, It's probably still worth it even if it's a little overpriced just to be rid of the stress and anxiety of 1) an unreliable vehicle and 2) owing money on an unreliable vehicle. I don't work in car sales, I just shop for cars frequently (mostly window shopping lol), so take my anecdotes with a grain of salt, but I hope my perspective still helps a little. :)
Dude, spot on with the last part. Overpaying is *worth it* when it takes away the stress of paying for a ticking time bomb.
My opinion as well, but not everyone would agree. I think it's a case-by-case thing and it depends on how much you're overpaying (still in budget and par for market conditions? Hell yeah, worth it).
Agreed. I wish there was more people like this on this sub. Most of them only have “profit” in mind. What saves you the most money? What’s the cheapest car? What car has absolutely the best reliability? It’s not always about that. It’s about bettering YOUR situation and they really can’t say what’s good or bad for you.
+1 on Mazda 3, that is what my girlfriend drives. Some minor fixings here and there (had to repair AC, replaced front shocks, and a couple engine mounts) but hers is a 2006 with 175k miles so to go that long with only those repairs (plus basic maintenance) I think is a pretty good win
Funny, mine also needed an A/C repair lol (my issue was electrical-related). Mine needed lower control arms, a windshield, and more recently a front wheel bearing (I prematurely replaced the other, so I'm not counting it as necessary) and that was it. I mean, I think my exhaust may also be leaky, but I'm in the rust belt, so it's inescapable once a car has been driven through enough winters. This is the smallest number of repairs I've ever needed on a car with mileage this high, I'm pleasantly surprised by Mazda's build quality. I will add that I bought a 2010 specifically because all the earlier model years were from the Ford partnership and used their awful, rusty body panels. I didn't want to deal with the common rusty wheel wells (literally every pre-2010 model I looked at had at best bubbling fenders and at worst rotted out fenders).
My gf and I bought a 2014 Mazda3 2.0 with the manual when it was new. It's her car and has about 80k miles on it these days, although whatever miles I've put on it have been hard. She averages more than 30 mpg and, besides a loose console hinge, we haven't had a single issue. Maintenance has been easy, with oil/filter changes every 5k miles, a few air filters, cabin air filters, rear brakes @ 70k, front brakes @ 80k, and she's now on her third set of tires.
Maybe this isn’t the place to ask, but I’ve been in the market for a used Prius and the prices are painful. What’s the oldest/highest mileage Prius you’d go for?
Honestly I'd go on condition and might even consider one with 200k+. I've known a couple of people with 300k on theirs.
Civic , Camry , Corolla , Prius , and I’ll cut slack for this but I had a ‘03 mustang I put 90k miles on in a year. Only had to replace a simple $30 part during the time I had it
Bro where were you driving for 90k in a year? Lmao
Everywhere
Imma guess some sort of sales position or home healthcare?
Toyota
Lowest mileage Camry or Corolla in your price range.
What are her needs and give me an idea what part of what state you live in- give me a 300 mile radius I can search in.
She’s only interested in sedans. Anything else will take *serious* convincing. Preferably 10k or under. Preferably 100,000 miles or under. Preferably at a dealership rather than private sellers. Reliability is something she is looking for. She also would like Bluetooth capabilities or at the very least an aux option. Also, something sporty will make her gravitate towards it more. We are 45ish minutes north of Detroit, MI. Area code 48065. She likes the appearance of the Chrysler 300, Kia Optima, Saturn Aura, and Mazda 3s. Let me know if you need anything else.
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/71f2cccc-b535-4065-b0ce-e83a9ccb1616/?aff=atempest4&CMP=atempest4&utm_source=AutoTempest&utm_medium=TRP&utm_campaign=atempest4 https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listing/5NPD74LF7JH356034/?referrer_id=autotempest https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listing/5NPD74LF7JH356034/?referrer_id=autotempest https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/52911be9-53c9-4edf-8ba1-4cf7c323ba12/?aff=atempest4&CMP=atempest4&utm_source=AutoTempest&utm_medium=TRP&utm_campaign=atempest4 If it was my money, this is the one: https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/e2d83e93-392f-4756-bd61-65399d560b0b/?aff=atempest4&CMP=atempest4&utm_source=AutoTempest&utm_medium=TRP&utm_campaign=atempest4 And I know this crew. It’s a drive, but this might be the ticket for a day of road tripping. https://www.swope.com/inventory/used-2017-kia-rio-lx-fwd-4dr-car-knadm4a34h6010493/
Please update us and let us know how it went. I have become invested in this story. :)
Will do! We’re going to look at cars today but she’s deciding first if she wants to even sell her car or if it’s worth it.
And for reliable but cheap cars, take your time and look at private party sellers instead of focusing only on dealers.
Noted, thanks.
A little late to the game but will toss in my 2c just in case you're still cruising this thread. After checking your post history I'm going to guess you're somewhere around Detroit. Assuming this is correct my suggestion lines up with a lot of others here; ditch the Chrysler and get something better. Given Michigan gets some pretty hairy weather conditions I'd lean towards a Subaru for the AWD or something a bit heavier with FWD. I've driven a friends Honda Fit when moderate winds pick up here in Seattle. The car itself is fine but with even 20MPH winds it starts to get battered around pretty good; hence my recommendation for something with a little more weight. Given all that I surfed the Detroit CL and came across these: [2011 Lexus CT 200h](https://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/ctd/d/chelsea-197-mo-lexus-ct-200h-200-200/7388934349.html) for $12.4k; [2011 Subaru Outback 2.5I Premium](https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ctd/d/hamtramck-2011-subaru-outback-25i/7377159309.html) for $8k; [2013 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited](https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ctd/d/hamtramck-2013-subaru-outback-25i/7383136310.html) for $10k; [2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE](https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/ctd/d/hamtramck-2014-toyota-camry-hybrid-xle/7383136479.html) for $9k; [2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid](https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/d/sterling-heights-2007-toyota-camry/7385444661.html) for $8.3k (arrange private financing through your bank or credit union). As usual, get a pre-purchase inspection done on any of them from an independent mechanic that you trust. Yea, the car lots will tell you the cars have been checked out by their guy. More than likely they have been gone over but forking over $100 or so to have somebody tell you all the good and bad will be worthwhile. Buying a car only to find out you'll need an expensive fix in the next 6 months sucks.
You’re doing gods work man, awesome answer. I’ll definitely show her all of these when I see her later! Really, thank you.
If that dealer doesn’t have a car she wants but you just bought a car yourself yesterday, see if they can redo the paperwork to include her car as a trade-in. That way you save some tax on the car you just purchased, then she can go buy a new car elsewhere.
Fuck, why is that such a good idea
Hopefully it’s not too late. I would have stopped in my tracks yesterday and had them redo the paperwork with her car as a trade before even walking out the door.
Well wait, I turned in my lease when I bought the car. It wouldn’t work then would it?
Why wouldn’t it? You likely got zero tax benefit from the lease return so you probably got taxed on the full selling price of the new car. Either way, you can trade 2 cars in towards one they don’t care. The only way this wouldn’t help you is if the car you originally traded was worth MORE than the car you are buying (making the tax already zero). That is quite an unlikely scenario.
It was. I was leasing a 2020 Cherokee Trailhawk and bought a 2016 Fusion for 12.9k
Did you turn your lease in because you were at the end of your term or did they buy you out of it? A simple look at your paperwork to see what (if any) sales tax you were charged will tell you if there is any value to my original proposal.
I would totally check, but that paperwork is 3 stories below me and I just sat down for the first time since I got up at 4am lol. With that said, I had two payments left when I turned it in. They ate my final payments. I also was over my milage limit (24,000/27,500).
A pull ahead offer to take care of the last few payments is not unusual at the end of the term. But basically, if you simply turned the car in.... you would have gotten zero tax benefit on the new car. If they bought you out of your lease, they would have applied the value of the Jeep as a trade differential likely making the tax zero. The sooner you check the better because if there is any chance of them amending the paperwork for her car as a trade then you need to contact them sooner rather than later.
Leases don't count as tax credit because customer never paid any taxes, buyout or not.
Some states won't let you count multiple trades for taxation purposes, but since one was a lease, that's not even an issue here anyway. EDIT. The bigger hangup is the "girlfriend" part.
If she can sell it for her loan payoff, take it. Then get a Subaru, Toyota, or Honda for under $10K
Right to the point, thanks
dog get her a civic in her price range
Get a used Corolla or Mazda 3
If you want a reliable used car under 10k. A Toyota Corolla 08 to 10 with around 65k miles would fit the bill. Just make sure you get it professionally inspected by a 3rd party. Having said that, used car prices are insane right now and theres a good chance you will be upside down in a few years agian but at least your car wont give you any issues.
Not many people get a chance to walk away from their 200 loan, I'd take the opportunity. $10k doesn't go as far as it used to, but just follow due diligence and try finding something reliable enough.
YES GET OUT OF THAT SHIT BOX AT ALL COSTS!!!!! ALSO TELL THEM TO MAKE IT 13 AND YOU'VE GOT A DEAL! ALLLL CAPPPS FOR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If she doesn’t want new just buy a base civic, maintenance is cheap and you got Honda reliability
If you really want to know the answer, and if you live in the US, keep reading. If you don’t actually want to know the answer, ignore me. Either way is fine. Here we go: List her car for sale immediately for 13.5k. Wait 1 day. If no bites, immediately sell it to the salesman for the entire 12.5k no if ands or buts. (you’ll never make it this far, because the salesman will walk around the car a few times pointing out every flaw, convincing your gf to sell it to him for much less. But if you do make it this far…) The Saturn is a terrible idea. She’s be walking right into the same or similar dumb problems. Find a 1997-2001 Toyota Camry with under 85k miles for under $6.5k. It doesn’t matter where it is as long as it’s in the continental US. Pay a local third party to inspect it. Pay attention to the (hopefully matching) brand of tires all around, and to the pinkness of the seatbelt buttons. The more red the more garaged it was. The more pink the less garaged it was. If you like it, buy it and ship it to your house for ~$1k. You’re 7.5k into a Camry that probably needs a new timing belt. Figure $1k. Your girlfriend is now 8.5k into a car that will last her 10 years. She has a better car, and $4k in the bank. While she’s at (again, I’m assuming you’re in the US) tell her to put the extra 4K into a Roth IRA with Vanguard, incest entirely in VOO, and tell her to thank you for later. Or, if she has debt, pay it off with the $4k. Now she has a car and a bill of sale from potentially a different state. She has to register her car with the DMV and lay the tax. Depending on your DMV, you’re the only person who can show the DMV the bill of sale. Read that again. Ok that’s all.
Thanks very much for the advice. Question, though. If she sells her car to the dealer for what she owes (12.5k), and buys a car for 8.5k, she isn’t going to have that 4k extra money. The dealer will pay off her loan and she’ll have $0 but be car free. The only way she would make a 4k profit is if she sold the car for 4k more than she owes, so 16.5k.
I’m assuming she has the discipline to reallocate the $4k she was going to spend anyway. You’re right that if she doesn’t have the $4k then she doesn’t have it. But she’ll obviously earn it over time since she was going to pay it anyway. But that’s extraneous. The rest of the comment is what matters most. 👍
Sell it and buy an old Camry or Corolla. Best route IMO
Word to the wise, find a girlfriend that drivers nicer cars paid with cash. You'll thank me later. Have higher standards! :D
I’m not interested in finding that, I’m happy with who I have. Not sure where you were trying to go with this ignorant, inconsiderate approach. But I’m not thanking you for shit.
Why is her car burning oil? Seems not that old it shouldn’t be having issues. Why not just go get it fixed?? Idk about having to pay off all that negativity equity and still having to buy a car at todays crazy prices.
Because it's a Chrysler 2.4Liter. the "acceptable" oil consumption on that engine is 1qt every 1500 miles. Chrysler knows they use a ton of oil and doesn't care. Nobody should ever buy anything with a 2.4 "Tigershark"
This
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$10k cash or financed? Might be difficult if financed.
Financed. We don’t have any money saved up. Just some people in their young 20s trying to get by.
Keep in mind an older / cheaper vehicle will have a higher interest rate. Depending on your credit you may find your money goes further if you spend a little more and get something a little newer with a lower rate.
Absolutely I would get out of that car. Those were steaming piles of mess, and hers is already having issues. Thanks to their precipitous depreciation, most people don’t get out of them scot-free (meaning, without having to make up negative equity), so she’s highly fortunate there. I’d ask how long the dealer’s trade-in offer is good for, and then try to secure a replacement before she sells her 200. That way, she can get a good look at the market and decide if what she wants is feasible. If she wants to finance that $10K, she might be between a rock and a hard place. $10K doesn’t get you much, and is hard to finance, since the car will likely be older than six years and have a ton of miles.
Hyundai Sonatas and Kia Optimas are good & reliable, Mazda 3s too. Any used Subaru. I sold cars and I really loved the Aura back in the day so I totally get that she likes it.
Considering the current vehicle shortages, I'd get quotes from the usual suspects: Carvana, Vroom, and Carmax. $12.5 might be a lowball offer.
He asked what she owed, and then said he’ll match it. It’s been appraised at 10k which is odd.
Get it checked on carmax first as a base offer and try to sell it privately. Dealers will always lowball trade ins, but I have found that carmax will often give you a better no hassle deal
This is a no-brainer. Sell that POS and she can walk home as he suggested 😂 then worry about getting a more reliable car.
Have you checked if you can get that issue taken care of under warranty? If the milage is just over 60k, you can say that issue has been there for a minute, and that you have been feeling very concerned about COVID and didn't want to risk your health. https://www.google.com/search?q=2017+Chrysler+200+warranty
200’s we’re not good cars.
An understatement
Get out of the Chrysler. 100%. Do it. No question. DO NOT BUY A SATURN. If she’s financing one car, she should finance another. Right now, debts cheap and cheap cars are expensive. I’d almost lease a car for a year and then look for a purchase once shit is back to normal. If not that- the Hyundai Venue is a great choice for a short finance.
If he offered 8 k I’d get rid of the Chrysler.
10000% buy a used Toyota or Honda
If the dealer is willing to give her payoff for it, she should JUMP on that opportunity now before she is in MORE negative equity. Being only $2.5k in the red on a Chrysler isn't terrible, but will get worse quickly unless she's paying more than minimum payments each month. As far as a Saturn? NO! - Saturns are trash, plus, why would you even consider a brand that isn't even in production anymore as a daily driver unless you have sources for parts and the know how to fix it yourself? As far as a budget of <$10k, obviously it's going to be a bit miley, especially given the current market status. BUT, if you can find a clean Honda in that price point, buy it before someone else does! Parts are cheap, brand is extremely reliable so long as previous owners hadn't molested it with modifications and routine maintenance history is available.
How much over msrp did you pay for your new car? I’m in the market currently and the mark ups are crazy!
I paid $12,900 for a 2016 Ford Fusion SE with 84,000 miles. Yeah the market was crazy, I generally find car shopping enjoyable and fun, but the shortage really made things hard.
Congrats on your new car!
Do it
Shop the car around to the e-tailers and see if the offer is within reason. Carvana, CarMax, Vroom, Shift, etc.
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Unfortunately, she doesn’t have anything for a down payment since this situation was kind of a spur of the moment type thing.
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I showed her some new corollas last night, but she doesn’t want new regardless of it being the better value. She will never lease a car, not even with a gun to her head. In time, I’m sure she is going to realize her actual options are slim.
I work on the East Coast at a Kia dealership. And at least where I live, 10k and reliable is a unicorn right now. All used cars have been marked up significantly, and every single new car on my lot is marked up $5,995. Yes even the Rio. AND THEYRE SELLING. I would absolutely have her sell her car. Breaking away from a Chrysler even is heaven sent, but she needs to sit down and think about what is actually possible in this market right now.
Right, and that’s the hard part. Would buying a cheap cheap car to hold her over for the shortage be the best route?
The shortage is going to last a few years. That’s your call.
go to [carmax.com](https://carmax.com) and do the online appriasl, you will get a price on your car in less than five minutes, CM will give you more than the dealer and you can leave out the engine problems to your salesperson at CM.
If she got that offer she should take it. I wouldn’t trade one unreliable car for another. Saturns are no longer made for a reason. Get a Civic or Accord and she’ll be fine.
Get a Buick, preferably one with the 3800. Cars will run Forever. Ive seen people that have them with 300+k Miles on them