OT: Car Buying Thread

[LORDE]

Much appreciated! I'll take a look around at some other stuff. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of the way the Accord looks and actually prefer the Civic style. It's not really that big of a deal though as I'm clearly not a big car person.

Any insight on Mazda? My girlfriend is looking at their SUVs.

Have never personally owned one but my sis had 2 and mom had one.

I was pretty meh on them (just the look really and handling) but they seemed to like them.

Have heard not great things about VW also... sis and best friend hated them.
My fiancée is the car person really... she knows her stuff so if you have any direct questions DM me and I’ll get her input

 

[FIRE DRURY]

Why do you say that about Carmax/Carvana? Not saying you're wrong, but others above apparently had success with it so was wondering if you could go into more detail. I've only leased vehicles recently and am looking to purchase used this summer when my lease ends.

Speaking of, was hoping you could go into more detail about Chevy too. I really like the look of the Impala and Malibu and was looking at those. I have a Civic now and like it but am just looking for something a bit bigger.

I am a noob when it comes to this stuff so these are genuine questions.

Perception is everything in the auto industry. It’s funny, there’s a saying in this business - the customers you make money on are the happiest, and the customers that literally, steal a car from you are the most miserable. It’s disgusting.

The entire platform of CarMax is built on “transparency”. Everything is based off Kbb. My dealership regularly sold vehicles less than KBB suggested price, and exceeded KBB’s value on trades. And we included a free lifetime powertrain warranty on Japanese and Korean vehicles that were 4 years or newer with less than 55k miles - and we still had to fight tooth and nail for a deal.

People naturally hate dealerships, and companies like CarMax and Carvana are supposed to offer clients a more transparent experience. That’s ultimately why some people are flocking to these companies, and unfortunately paying more. It’s because they think they’re getting a better deal. They don’t want to haggle. Customers nowadays can shop everything from their phone and Amazon will deliver it to you with no headaches at a great price.

Perception...

A dealership will likely offer you a better deal, and on a car with more love put into it than other companies.

Much appreciated! I'll take a look around at some other stuff. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of the way the Accord looks and actually prefer the Civic style. It's not really that big of a deal though as I'm clearly not a big car person.

Any insight on Mazda? My girlfriend is looking at their SUVs.

Mazda makes a quality vehicle. They’re underrated imo. Trust them. You’ll get good bang for your buck. I’m a big fan of Honda and Toyota too. As well as Subaru. I loved Nissan back in the day, but like @Richie16 mentioned, they’ve gone down hill over the years. I passionately despise American brands. I also dislike Kia/Hyundai (same company) but they’ve improved a bit from the early/mid 2000’s.

You can spend all day researching the best car for you over the internet. Stop researching. Go out. Take extended test drives. Find a car you’re truly happy with, and then when you find a car or two you really want, then shop for the best deal possible.

Use online resources like CarFax. Lean towards Certified cars because of strict manufacturer requirements dealers have to follow in order to certify cars and more competitive APR rates.

Get “Out The Door Quotes” with all applicable fees so you don’t get ****ed when you decide to go look at a car and have certain price expectations.

 

[LORDE]

Perception is everything in the auto industry. It’s funny, there’s a saying in this business - the customers you make money on are the happiest, and the customers that literally, steal a car from you are the most miserable. It’s disgusting.

The entire platform of CarMax is built on “transparency”. Everything is based off Kbb. My dealership regularly sold vehicles less than KBB suggested price, and exceeded KBB’s value on trades. And we included a free lifetime powertrain warranty on Japanese and Korean vehicles that were 4 years or newer with less than 55k miles - and we still had to fight tooth and nail for a deal.

People naturally hate dealerships, and companies like CarMax and Carvana are supposed to offer clients a more transparent experience. That’s ultimately why some people are flocking to these companies, and unfortunately paying more. It’s because they think they’re getting a better deal. They don’t want to haggle. Customers nowadays can shop everything from their phone and Amazon will deliver it to you with no headaches at a great price.

Perception...

A dealership will likely offer you a better deal, and on a car with more love put into it than other companies.



Mazda makes a quality vehicle. They’re underrated imo. Trust them. You’ll get good bang for your buck. I’m a big fan of Honda and Toyota too. As well as Subaru. I loved Nissan back in the day, but like @Richie16 mentioned, they’ve gone down hill over the years. I passionately despise American brands. I also dislike Kia/Hyundai (same company) but they’ve improved a bit from the early/mid 2000’s.

You can spend all day researching the best car for you over the internet. Stop researching. Go out. Take extended test drives. Find a car you’re truly happy with, and then when you find a car or two you really want, then shop for the best deal possible.

Use online resources like CarFax. Lean towards Certified cars because of strict manufacturer requirements dealers have to follow in order to certify cars and more competitive APR rates.

Get “Out The Door Quotes” with all applicable fees so you don’t get ****ed when you decide to go look at a car and have certain price expectations.

Agree here mostly (and usually do hockey wise w u) BUT... KBBV aka Kelly Blue book value is not really a thing auto industry wise... it is MOSTLY for the trade in customer.

You wanna get value for ur current car? Sell it. U trade it in and ur losing 5-10% min

That being said some folks have no issue w that because dealing a car and the $ involved is tough.
I do totally agree about carfax and other on line tools to get u in the ballpark tho.

End of the day... u will largely get what u pay for.

 

[LORDE]

Perception is everything in the auto industry. It’s funny, there’s a saying in this business - the customers you make money on are the happiest, and the customers that literally, steal a car from you are the most miserable. It’s disgusting.

The entire platform of CarMax is built on “transparency”. Everything is based off Kbb. My dealership regularly sold vehicles less than KBB suggested price, and exceeded KBB’s value on trades. And we included a free lifetime powertrain warranty on Japanese and Korean vehicles that were 4 years or newer with less than 55k miles - and we still had to fight tooth and nail for a deal.

People naturally hate dealerships, and companies like CarMax and Carvana are supposed to offer clients a more transparent experience. That’s ultimately why some people are flocking to these companies, and unfortunately paying more. It’s because they think they’re getting a better deal. They don’t want to haggle. Customers nowadays can shop everything from their phone and Amazon will deliver it to you with no headaches at a great price.

Perception...

A dealership will likely offer you a better deal, and on a car with more love put into it than other companies.



Mazda makes a quality vehicle. They’re underrated imo. Trust them. You’ll get good bang for your buck. I’m a big fan of Honda and Toyota too. As well as Subaru. I loved Nissan back in the day, but like @Richie16 mentioned, they’ve gone down hill over the years. I passionately despise American brands. I also dislike Kia/Hyundai (same company) but they’ve improved a bit from the early/mid 2000’s.

You can spend all day researching the best car for you over the internet. Stop researching. Go out. Take extended test drives. Find a car you’re truly happy with, and then when you find a car or two you really want, then shop for the best deal possible.

Use online resources like CarFax. Lean towards Certified cars because of strict manufacturer requirements dealers have to follow in order to certify cars and more competitive APR rates.

Get “Out The Door Quotes” with all applicable fees so you don’t get ****ed when you decide to go look at a car and have certain price expectations.

Also would love to hear ur issues w Hyundai since I have owned a couple and friends have also owned a few. We’ve all been fairly satisfied but alway welcome input.

Also wanna say I do not, nor have I ever worked in auto industry so I’m eager to learn as well

 

[aufheben]

Have never personally owned one but my sis had 2 and mom had one.

I was pretty meh on them (just the look really and handling) but they seemed to like them.

Have heard not great things about VW also... sis and best friend hated them.
My fiancée is the car person really... she knows her stuff so if you have any direct questions DM me and I’ll get her input

I've only owned Jettas and I loved both of them. Don't remember ever having a problem with either car. 5-speeds are fun and get a lot of gas mileage, speakers are awesome, the infotainment system is really intuitive and it has all the features I want.

I was recently out of town for 2 months and drove a number of rental cars, all of which annoyed me. Buttons in random places, cheap-feeling materials...they all sounded like crap and had frustrating media controls. One was an Infinity, which was one of the more bizarre driving experiences of my life. It took me 5 minutes to figure out how to put the car in Drive...to put it in Park, instead of shifting, you have to press a button. Took me another 5 minutes to find the seat adjuster. Then I'm finally on the road, and when I come up to a red light the freaking engine shuts off; why the hell do cars need to turn the engine off every time you come to a stop?

My dad has an Audi and feels very "meh" about it; Says he should have gone for a VW instead.

 

[Gardner McKay]

I bought my last car through Carvana. Good success for me. 7 day returns so I was able to get the car inspected and stuff to feel comfortable with it.

I've heard good things about Carvana from a customer service perspective.

Carmax - the price is what is and they don't try to sell you a bunch of **** you don't need and nickel and dime you to death with prep fees, undercoat coverage, extended warranties, blah blah blah.

Multiple purchases and trade-ins/sales.

Why do you say that about Carmax/Carvana? Not saying you're wrong, but others above apparently had success with it so was wondering if you could go into more detail. I've only leased vehicles recently and am looking to purchase used this summer when my lease ends.

Speaking of, was hoping you could go into more detail about Chevy too. I really like the look of the Impala and Malibu and was looking at those. I have a Civic now and like it but am just looking for something a bit bigger.

I am a noob when it comes to this stuff so these are genuine questions.

So, I don't know how to say this without hurting anyone's feelings but.. if the plague and coronavirus had a baby, it still wouldn't be as bad as Carmax. They don't need to try to sell you a bunch of crap and they don't need or nickel and dime you with fees because they hose you SO bad on the "non-negotiable" price. It is all built in. That isn't to say you CAN'T find a deal, but don't expect to pay anything but market price or higher.

The people who have had "success" either can afford to spend extra for the convenience, likely didn't realize how bad they were just taken by Carmax or, spent 3+ months combing their website to find a deal.

For anyone buying a car, I highly recommend going through Costco. I can personally attest that on my last two car purchases through them I saved more than $12,000.

When I bought my Optima SX in 2014, the first dealership wanted $36,500. I got them down to $35,000. Went to Costco and after calling their approved dealership I walked out of there at roughly $30,000 (tax, tag, title included). Most recently on our Ford Explorer purchase, we saved more than $7,000 by going through Costco. We got a fully loaded Ford Explorer Limited for the price that a different Ford dealership wanted for a somewhat bare bones XLT.

You can buy new/used and anything from a base Chevy Sonic to a $100k+ Mercedes SUV, through Costco.

Additionally, A L W A Y S have financing secured before you walk in the door (whether you go through Costco or not).

 

[FIRE DRURY]

Agree here mostly (and usually do hockey wise w u) BUT... KBBV aka Kelly Blue book value is not really a thing auto industry wise... it is MOSTLY for the trade in customer.

You’re absolutely right about KBB. Dealers use Galves or Target for trade in values and those values are directly linked to Manheim Auto Auction (In the East Coast). But again, perception - customers trust KBB so that’s what they fall back on because they view it as a trusted source.

Also would love to hear ur issues w Hyundai since I have owned a couple and friends have also owned a few. We’ve all been fairly satisfied but alway welcome input.

Also wanna say I do not, nor have I ever worked in auto industry so I’m eager to learn as well

You eliminate the warranty and Hyundai & Kia could cause you financial headaches. That 10 year 100k powertrain warranty is a must have.

Compare prices of a new 2014 base accord lx and a Hyundai Sonata. Then compare their trade in value with I don’t know, 75k mikes. You’ll see the Sonata’s value decline a lot steeper than the Accord. So, while you did save some money on the original purchase, you’re also going to have less equity in it when you decide to sell or trade it.

Also, if you take care of your car, it’ll reward you. Do that Hyundai that I’ve mocked can treat you real well if you do the same.

I've heard good things about Carvana from a customer service perspective.




So, I don't know how to say this without hurting anyone's feelings but.. if the plague and coronavirus had a baby, it still wouldn't be as bad as Carmax. They don't need to try to sell you a bunch of crap and they don't need or nickel and dime you with fees because they hose you SO bad on the "non-negotiable" price. It is all built in. That isn't to say you CAN'T find a deal, but don't expect to pay anything but market price or higher.

The people who have had "success" either can afford to spend extra for the convenience, likely didn't realize how bad they were just taken by Carmax or, spent 3+ months combing their website to find a deal.

For anyone buying a car, I highly recommend going through Costco. I can personally attest that on my last two car purchases through them I saved more than $12,000.

When I bought my Optima SX in 2014, the first dealership wanted $36,500. I got them down to $35,000. Went to Costco and after calling their approved dealership I walked out of there at roughly $30,000 (tax, tag, title included). Most recently on our Ford Explorer purchase, we saved more than $7,000 by going through Costco. We got a fully loaded Ford Explorer Limited for the price that a different Ford dealership wanted for a somewhat bare bones XLT.

You can buy new/used and anything from a base Chevy Sonic to a $100k+ Mercedes SUV, through Costco.

Additionally, A L W A Y S have financing secured before you walk in the door (whether you go through Costco or not).

The dealer that I worked at signed up with Costco about 6 months prior to me leaving. Costco initially allowed us to set our own pricing, but then recommenced we discount certain vehicles even more because they weren’t as competitive as other dealers with their program.

**** Costco from a dealers perspective! But you’re absolutely correct about the additional savings from a consumers POV.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

American made cars are pretty horrid across the board. I even had a corvette for a while and stuff just stopped working. It’s sad. I know the economy and Merica! And all but it’s pathetic.

Ive owned Acura, Toyota, and two Hyundai’s and they are all a million times better cars than the dodge and chevys I’ve owned. The Hyundai’s had warranties that covered EVERYTHING including an engine replacement on my current... didn’t cost me a thing and put me in a rental on them for the duration of the repair.

Stay away from Nissan. Used to be good but have ridiculous & constant transmission issues.
That’s my .02 cents anyway.

What stuff on your Corvette "just stopped working"? Are you talking about electronics? Assuming it wasn't the powertrain since the LS-based cars are basically bulletproof unless you mod them to hell.

 

[Gardner McKay]

You’re absolutely right about KBB. Dealers use Galves or Target for trade in values and those values are directly linked to Manheim Auto Auction (In the East Coast). But again, perception - customers trust KBB so that’s what they fall back on because they view it as a trusted source.



You eliminate the warranty and Hyundai & Kia could cause you financial headaches. That 10 year 100k powertrain warranty is a must have.

Compare prices of a new 2014 base accord lx and a Hyundai Sonata. Then compare their trade in value with I don’t know, 75k mikes. You’ll see the Sonata’s value decline a lot steeper than the Accord. So, while you did save some money on the original purchase, you’re also going to have less equity in it when you decide to sell or trade it.

Also, if you take care of your car, it’ll reward you. Do that Hyundai that I’ve mocked can treat you real well if you do the same.



The dealer that I worked at signed up with Costco about 6 months prior to me leaving. Costco initially allowed us to set our own pricing, but then recommenced we discount certain vehicles even more because they weren’t as competitive as other dealers with their program.

**** Costco from a dealers perspective! But you’re absolutely correct about the additional savings from a consumers POV.

Yah... Costco is famous for doing that lol. I remember I asked the KIA dealership how they were able to sell the car so cheap compared to what another dealer wanted and they told me that I wouldn't believe the volume they would receive from Costco. Higher volume, lower price v lower volume, higher price. Made the giant headache worth it (most times).

 

[LORDE]

What stuff on your Corvette "just stopped working"? Are you talking about electronics? Assuming it wasn't the powertrain since the LS-based cars are basically bulletproof unless you mod them to hell.

Electronics specifically the dash panel and also buttons would break. While I love vettes and always have... it just felt like an inferior and somewhat shoddy inside.

I really miss it tho lol

6 speed manual... handled like a dream too. Interior of my Integra, RSX and Genesis coupe felt like luxury cars by comparison though

 

[ThirdEye]

Just bought a used '16 GTI Autobahn... so much car for the money. Volkswagen do depreciate quite fast but I was able to take advantage of that (paid $18.5k for a car that was originally $36k).

 

[LORDE]

Anyone have any insight on good hybrids? Moving in w fiancée and will be commuting to work... like 30-40 mins.