Automotive Adventures

[ladysprite]

So I finally got the reimbursement from my insurance company for my poor sad departed little car, and I've been able to back off meds enough to drive a little, so it's time for me to move forward on buying a new car.

And I've done my homework, and narrowed it down to a few candidates, and over the past weekend and few days I've done my test-drives and figured out that, while the Ford Focus is significantly cheaper (mostly due to a current, desperate, end-of-month please get this damn thing off our lot rebate deal), I just like the Honda Civic a lot better in every way.

So now I just need to figure out how to go about buying the darn thing, and getting a decent price. The only problem is that I've never had to do this before.

I haven't bought a car in about 12 years, and I've never bought a car that wasn't a Saturn (not counting the handful of beaters I bought under the table for about $500 apiece when I was in grad school, each of which lasted just long enough until I saved up for the next). And completely aside from being truly awesome cars, Saturn didn't haggle.

I've got a used Civic that I like, certified pre-owned, from a dealer. I've gone to Kelly Blue Book, and so I am at least armed with the fact that the dealer is asking about $2000 more than KBB says the car is worth. And, given the deals that Ford is offering, I've emailed a handful of other Honda dealers in the area for estimates and specials on new Civics, just in case I can start a.... what's the opposite of a bidding war? A discounting war?

Anyway. This is weird, and kind of uncomfortable, and new territory. If there's anything I should be doing that I'm not, let me know? I'd appreciate any advice. And at the end of it, whatever car I wind up with is going to have to forever live in the shadow of its older sister, which is an unfair place to be....

Comments

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Another thing to consider, unless you're buying cash up front, is the cost of financing. Is Ford offering any financing deals (i.e. low to zero interest) on loans for new cars? Is Honda? If there isn't a similar deal on the 2nd-hand car, that may change the relative costs, too.

I actually ended up with a new Hyundai instead of a used Honda because, while the Honda was a couple thousand cheaper up front, I got a 0% loan for the Hyundai, but would have had to bank-finance at something like 4.5%, and that would have made the Honda significantly more expensive in the end. (And, with far less factory warranty left, too.)

[siderea]

what's the opposite of a bidding war? A discounting war?

Price war.

[moonchylde.livejournal.com]

I recommend googling the exact year and checking for possible issues from that version of the car.

Found out after buying a used Camry - this was many years ago - that the one I had was a different engine (changed the year before, and was only that engine for about 3-4 yrs) and people bitched about some of the same problems I ended up with being common for that build.

[khyros.livejournal.com]

You seem further along in the process than this primer assumes but the advice about conducting the price war may be helpful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH651baH7-c

[ninjarat.livejournal.com]

The one thing about the video that I might disagree on is the extended warranties. Depending on the car and how long you intend to own it then an extended warranty might be worth the expense. Maybe.

[blaisepascal]

what's the opposite of a bidding war?

Bidding war works. They are making bids to you, trying to beat the other guy's bids.

[mindways]

I've not gone through the process myself, but have watched others do so on multiple occasions, and from what I understand the approach you're taking is a good one.

I've also seen a number of articles on car-buying in Consumer Reports, which are mostly summarized here:

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/buying-advice/index.htm

(Esp. panels 4 - 6, in this case?)

[duane-kc.livejournal.com]

As much as I wish I didn't have to post these caveats, they are still true:

1. Used car salesmen *lie*. If you have a mechanic you trust, get permission from the dealer to have them check it over. "Certified Pre-owned" means exactly *nothing*.

And 2: Take husband or male friend along when buying. Mysogyny is rampant in the industry, and the harder you push back, I fear the worse the "Aw, little lady, don't worry yer pretty little head, us menfolk know all 'bout that stuff an' *you don't*." will get. I've seen it happen. Mom actually recruited Dad a couple of times after she divorced him for this very reason.

[arachne8x.livejournal.com]

I was actually going to make the same recommendation as 2). First of all, it's a great bellwether of whether you want to work with the salesperson at all. If they know you are buying the car, but they talk to the man you bring with you, you know you want to go somewhere else or work with someone else. And if you only have one salesman to choose from, at least a salesperson's misogyny won't cost you more.

[pujaemuss.livejournal.com]

I would extend this and say that the best thing to do is take someone along to play good cop/bad cop with. If you can acquire a male friend, then you can play the misogyny to your advantage - you can play the eager girly girl who's keen and he can be the big bad grumpy man who doesn't want to be there and doesn't think you should be buying anyway. Your eagerness reassures them that there's a sale here to be had and keeps their interest in the conversation, while the bad cop can be as obstreperous as they want to push the salesman as hard as they can. It means you can threaten to walk away without losing goodwill, as the bad cop is overruling you "unless there's something that can be done" and you get to "overrule them" when the price is right.

It's a little bit taxing to your dignity to play up to the preconceptions, but people are always stupidest when they think they're smarter than you. My wife and I have it down to a tee.

PJW

[dornbeast.livejournal.com]

"Certified Pre-owned" means exactly *nothing*.

Ha! I always thought that "Certified Pre-Owned" was just a fancy way of saying "used car."

[spiritdancer]

When we were car shopping last summer, I found www.cars.com and Carfax useful (particularly if buying used). I was able to check out the inventory (and pricing) for lots of dealers in our region, and a close dealership was willing to 1) match another dealer's prices, and 2) find me a car with a pretty specific accessory package. We pulled a Carfax report to check out the history, and had a local mechanic check it out.

We ended up with a used Prius, and I've been very pleased with it. And the improvement in fuel economy over the previous vehicle? That is covering about half the car payment ($20—25 every two weeks is a heck of an improvement over $65-70 every 5-6 days!)

[evcelt.livejournal.com]

We've used CarMax for our last several cars. It may not be the rock-bottom price, but they have done well (in our case, at least) in making sure the cars they sell are free of mechanical issues, etc. And there's none of the general skeeviness of used car dealers. You find a car you want at a dealer near you online, you arrange for a test drive; if you like it you buy it. Their own financing was pretty decent, but I prefer to deal with my credit union and get a pre-approved loan; if you go that route just remember to get approved for a few hundred over the sticker price to cover the fees that CarMax charges.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you're doing all the right things. But do try and get a trusted mechanic to look at it before buying if at all possible.

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

Most dealers make their money on accessories or financing. If you are cash buyer, and can walk away without getting fixated on when vehicle, you can make a great deal. If you can work out when their end of period is coming up, they will be more willing to deal to shift stuff.

I'm not sure about where you are, but look into what they say about whether you will get a better price going with a man who at least looks like they know about cars. Archaic & sexist, I know, but it's your money - and I'd advise you to go with a friend regardless. Being prepared, knowing price/condition for what you want, will get past most of that regardless.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

The biggest problem I encountered the last time I was car-shopping was that I couldn't get the dealership to GIVE ME A FIRM PRICE unless I would commit to buying the car. I had every intention of comparison-shopping, but it just wasn't possible. Of course, this was because I didn't have an option -- my old car was dead and I needed a new one immediately, and when they can smell blood in the water, well...

I heartily endorse the idea of getting someone -- either Umbran, or a large and scary male friend -- to play Bad Cop.

[mamatiger.livejournal.com]

Go to the car shopping section on Yahoo or Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds.com, and print out the fact sheets about the car you're interested in. Make sure the salesperson knows you looked it up on the internets, and you do in fact know EXACTLY what they should be charging for that car in your locality.

I bought my Ford Fiesta brand new that way, and the price I was charged was within $100 or so of the price the website told me it would be.

Do watch out for "add-ons" that are actually optional, but they try to make it sound like it's just how it comes.