Those of you who have purchased a used car
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
I specifically waited until gas prices spiked in ‘21 to look for a used Jeep. Traded a ‘16 Subaru Crosstrek with 55k miles (crap car, btw- will never own another Subaru) and got $1700 over top blue book trade value for it. I was looking for a very specific model (‘16-17 Rubicon Hard Rock w/6spd manual) and had zero negotiation leverage because of that. High gas prices were the only thing that allowed me to find one at a fair price. Found a ‘16 with 37k miles for $48k and that was an almost unheard of deal, because gas prices were high. When it was new it stickered for $53k. In four and a half years and 37,000 miles it only lost $5k in value. Let’s compare that to what the average Benz or BMW or other luxury import loses in 4 years, and get back to me! You might not like Jeeps, but they hold their value like almost no other vehicle. |
Anonymous
I hope things get better for you, dear. |
Anonymous
My 2011 Pilot with 245,000+ miles would disagree. This thing has been a tank! The newer Honda Pilots feel so much smaller than mine. I looked at getting a newer model in 2022 but never pulled the trigger. My DD just got a KIA Seltos for under $30k. She really likes it and I have to admit, for a base model, it has a lot of bells and whistles that you'd pay for in other brands. |
Anonymous
| I bought a 2018 Mazda 3 in February with just under 20K miles for for $16K. Price wise it was lower than others that had double that mileage and the car looked new, so I drove there and picked it up that night. Simple. |
Anonymous
| I've purchased my last two (both SUVs) via cargurus.com. I used the search engine to narrow the options to a price range and low-mileage range. I'd still be driving the first one (2012 Honda Pilot ... bought in 2016, I think) had the 2019 derecho decided to not throw a tree at me while driving. Current is a 2016 GMC Acadia bought in 2019 for the previously-stated reason. In each case, there were under 20K miles when I bought them. Paid cash. |
Anonymous
| The used car market is very difficult now, OP. We have always bought used cars and had great success with them, keeping them for 10 years or more. In a recent search for a used car we found most of them to be high in mileage, dirty, and not much less expensive than a new one and ended up buying new. The price of the new car was about 3-4k more than comparable used ones with 50k miles on them. We're talking about a vehicle that is about 28k new. |
Anonymous
| I have bought a few used cars and use Car Guru as a guide. The best cars are often those coming off a three year lease and then get certified by a dealer along with an extended warranty. The sweet spot are cars with less than 25,000 miles. |
Anonymous
|
I've done it -- in 2007, I bought a 2005 Toyota Corolla for $9000 (sticker price was $1200 but my Dad was with me and he is an INCREDIBLE haggler). I think it had less than 20,000 miles.
We bought it at a Toyota dealership -- someone had brought it in (maybe belonged to an old lady who passed?) In the year 2023, it is still with me and is still running strong. I keep waiting for it to die a natural death so I can get another car, but it won't! I love it so much. 120,000 miles now. I went to a dealership the other day, and they offer $3000 as a trade-in price. So i essentially spent $6000 (plus insurance) to drive this car for 16 years. |
Anonymous
| *sticker price was 12,000 |
Anonymous
| I bought in the middle of 2021, right when things were starting to get crazy. I ended up getting a great deal on a car with very light cosmetic damage from a storm (along the lines of a tree branch falling and grazing one side). |