Vehicle Shopping/Buying

[Evia]

Does anyone have any advice, tips, or suggestions to buying a new/used vehicle?
Do I haggle like I'm in the EC tunnel?
Will I really get a better deal with cash vs finance?
Are there any other decent search apps besides cars.com and autotrader.com?
If the car market really is crashing, should I wait to buy?
When will I know it's the right time?
Anyone who's got some experience with this I'm all ears(eyes)!

[Swish]

If you're buying one privately from someone make sure you see it at their home. In my experience if you buy it at a neutral location (some parking lot) they might not be as honest with any issues ;)

[Patriam1066]

Does anyone have any advice, tips, or suggestions to buying a new/used vehicle?
Do I haggle like I'm in the EC tunnel?
Will I really get a better deal with cash vs finance?
Are there any other decent search apps besides cars.com and autotrader.com?
If the car market really is crashing, should I wait to buy?
When will I know it's the right time?
Anyone who's got some experience with this I'm all ears(eyes)!

You sadly do have to haggle unless you want to get screwed by a dealer. Certified used is always a better deal than new. If you’re financing, work that out before going to a dealer, and always refuse anything extra they offer you

No idea about the market crashing. I doubt prices drop any time soon but I don’t have a crystal ball

[Lune]

Does anyone have any advice, tips, or suggestions to buying a new/used vehicle?
Do I haggle like I'm in the EC tunnel?
Will I really get a better deal with cash vs finance?
Are there any other decent search apps besides cars.com and autotrader.com?
If the car market really is crashing, should I wait to buy?
When will I know it's the right time?
Anyone who's got some experience with this I'm all ears(eyes)!

So I've bought two cars from dealers in the last 8 months. The last several years, inventory has been shit and prices have been high, particularly for used cars. Recently, that has no longer been the case, and the prices of all cars have come down, but particularly used cars relative to new ones. The gap is much larger than it was, but still small compared to the beforefore times

Let's say you're going through a dealer, you may need to haggle to get the price down depending on how you approach the process. Some tips:

1. Don't let them cook you. Some dealers will give you a few concessions preliminarily to hook you and then try to make you wait a long period of time to build up a sunk cost impetus when the real negotiations begin. Be ready to walk the fuck out and don't come back if they try this. imo it's better to get an agreement on bottom line price on the phone before you ever come in, if possible.

2. Make sure time is on your side, you need to be able to walk away-- if negotiations come to an impasse and you don't have the price you want, you need to be able to say "Hey, I'm really interested in this car but the price isn't where it needs to be, I'll leave you my contact information and feel free to give me a call if you can come down to $x", something like that. I said this when buying my wife's car and they immediately took off $1k and we had a deal.

This is another good one for a dealer, when buying my wife's car I said something like "Hey, my wife and I go through cars like crazy, we've bought 3 cars in the last 2 years and I'm going to be looking for a new car here in the next few years too, so if you can come down on this we'll be coming back year after year", something along those lines.

3. If buying a new car, one of the easiest strategies is simply to find a specific model you like and call nearby dealerships and bluntly say something like "I'm willing to pay $x out the door for this car, please give me a call if you have something available". This was my brother in law's strategy and he got the price he wanted within a week or two. He flatly refused to negotiate beyond his figure and only came in when they were willing to sell a car out the door at his price.

4. If financing, make sure you have your approval from your bank before negotiating the purchase of the car. (One time I had a dealer try to lie and say I didn't qualify for financing from any banks (my credit is 780 lol), only through their company's financing.) With your financing in hand, you can compare to what the dealer offers-- sometimes they will have promotions/incentives or manufacturer rebates that can result in a better rate than the bank/credit union can offer.

Be extremely wary of buying cars from places like Carvana, KBB, Carmax. They are pretty undiscerning about what they'll buy and resell, compared to a reputable dealer. While you do have the option, when buying from these companies, to take the car in and get it inspected, and return the car if they find it unfit, it's a fucking hassle. Buying a used car from, for example, a toyota dealer, you get a pretty good warranty and they're not going to certify a mess of a car that's under warranty and they're going to have to fix.


When will I know it's the right time?

You won't. But I can tell you right now is a dramatically better time than 9 months ago.

[Evia]

Incredibly great advice guys! Truly appreciate you taking the time to write out some suggestions and tips!

I bought a new car in 2020 and unfortunately my wife totaled it (nobody got hurt! Just my poor car) so I think I want to buy a new one with the insurance money in cash to avoid a car payment.
I've heard that if you have cash you have more negotiating power, but I'm just not sure how to weild that lol.

I kind of like Lunes brother in laws strategy with just honing in on a vehicle type and offering my price to all of them until someone bites. Haggling the price before I even show up sounds great.

Thanks again everyone for the suggestions!

[Evia]

So after days and days of car shopping, I've come to the conclusion that idk why people buy used cars. You can get the new model of the same car for just 3-5k more + i get a warranty. (Although those certified pre owned do have great warranties)Maybe its not like this for everything? but at least that's how it is for family sedans in my price range rn. Might as well wait and save up for a new one at this point.

[booter]

yea, the used car market already started to suck before covid, and then the pandemic really killed it. it's nothing like it was 10-15 years ago.

[Patriam1066]

So after days and days of car shopping, I've come to the conclusion that idk why people buy used cars. You can get the new model of the same car for just 3-5k more + i get a warranty. (Although those certified pre owned do have great warranties)Maybe its not like this for everything? but at least that's how it is for family sedans in my price range rn. Might as well wait and save up for a new one at this point.

Get a Honda accord or civic unless you need AWD for some reason

I’m a big believer in certified pre-owned because I have been a frugal brown man for nearly 60 years now, but I haven’t seen what the market is like these days

[Duik]

I’m a big believer in certified pre-owned because I have been a frugal brown man for nearly 60 years now, but I haven’t seen what the market is like these days
Dont forget to log out of your white middle class male twitter account before revealing that!

[Ella`Ella]

Does anyone have any advice, tips, or suggestions to buying a new/used vehicle?
Do I haggle like I'm in the EC tunnel?
Will I really get a better deal with cash vs finance?
Are there any other decent search apps besides cars.com and autotrader.com?
If the car market really is crashing, should I wait to buy?
When will I know it's the right time?
Anyone who's got some experience with this I'm all ears(eyes)!

A lot of good feedback here, but there is one thing I've learned along the way.

Buying a car in cash generally gets you a higher purchase price. Dealerships are more inclined to give better pricing on the car when financed because they add a premium to whatever financing option you get. Let's say your actual borrowing rate comes back at 7%. They'll often add a 2% or more premium to that which they'll keep for themselves.

If you do plan on paying cash, I recommend financing at whatever terrible rate they give you which will allow you to negotiate a better price. Then, when you get your first bill, just strike a check for the entire balance.

[mcoy]

Then, when you get your first bill, just strike a check for the entire balance.

Read the paperwork carefully and ensure there isn't a prepayment penalty. It feels like they try to gouge you at every turn...

-Mcoy

[Evia]

Thanks again for the suggestions everyone. It's been very helpful!

I think I'm going to look for a Subaru Outback. As ugly as they are, the awd/utility is too good for the family for me to ignore. Still just sick how the used ones with 20-60k miles are only a few k less than a new one. I'm hoping as the year progresses used cars get cheaper.

I guess it's either station wagon or mini van. The dad life has consumed me.

[Lune]

Thanks again for the suggestions everyone. It's been very helpful!

I think I'm going to look for a Subaru Outback. As ugly as they are, the awd/utility is too good for the family for me to ignore. Still just sick how the used ones with 20-60k miles are only a few k less than a new one. I'm hoping as the year progresses used cars get cheaper.

I guess it's either station wagon or mini van. The dad life has consumed me.

Pay close attention to the interior when you're looking at Subarus, as some models/years can have brittle/shoddy or cracking interior plastic. Otherwise good cars with good reliability and manufacturing tho

[Patriam1066]

Thanks again for the suggestions everyone. It's been very helpful!

I think I'm going to look for a Subaru Outback. As ugly as they are, the awd/utility is too good for the family for me to ignore. Still just sick how the used ones with 20-60k miles are only a few k less than a new one. I'm hoping as the year progresses used cars get cheaper.

I guess it's either station wagon or mini van. The dad life has consumed me.

You could choose worse. I prefer Hondas or Toyotas but Subarus are good cars

[magnetaress]

Get an ebike with an orange vest and yellow reflective helmet.

[mcoy]

Thanks again for the suggestions everyone. It's been very helpful!

I think I'm going to look for a Subaru Outback. As ugly as they are, the awd/utility is too good for the family for me to ignore. Still just sick how the used ones with 20-60k miles are only a few k less than a new one. I'm hoping as the year progresses used cars get cheaper.

I guess it's either station wagon or mini van. The dad life has consumed me.

Make sure you change the oil. My idiot cousin just lost his free hand-me-down Outback because he didn't know you were supposed to do that...

I'm honestly surprised they let you run them to death like that - my lawnmower has a low oil shutoff but /shrug.

-Mcoy

[Toxigen]

So I've bought two cars from dealers in the last 8 months. The last several years, inventory has been shit and prices have been high, particularly for used cars. Recently, that has no longer been the case, and the prices of all cars have come down, but particularly used cars relative to new ones. The gap is much larger than it was, but still small compared to the beforefore times

Let's say you're going through a dealer, you may need to haggle to get the price down depending on how you approach the process. Some tips:

1. Don't let them cook you. Some dealers will give you a few concessions preliminarily to hook you and then try to make you wait a long period of time to build up a sunk cost impetus when the real negotiations begin. Be ready to walk the fuck out and don't come back if they try this. imo it's better to get an agreement on bottom line price on the phone before you ever come in, if possible.

2. Make sure time is on your side, you need to be able to walk away-- if negotiations come to an impasse and you don't have the price you want, you need to be able to say "Hey, I'm really interested in this car but the price isn't where it needs to be, I'll leave you my contact information and feel free to give me a call if you can come down to $x", something like that. I said this when buying my wife's car and they immediately took off $1k and we had a deal.

This is another good one for a dealer, when buying my wife's car I said something like "Hey, my wife and I go through cars like crazy, we've bought 3 cars in the last 2 years and I'm going to be looking for a new car here in the next few years too, so if you can come down on this we'll be coming back year after year", something along those lines.

3. If buying a new car, one of the easiest strategies is simply to find a specific model you like and call nearby dealerships and bluntly say something like "I'm willing to pay $x out the door for this car, please give me a call if you have something available". This was my brother in law's strategy and he got the price he wanted within a week or two. He flatly refused to negotiate beyond his figure and only came in when they were willing to sell a car out the door at his price.

4. If financing, make sure you have your approval from your bank before negotiating the purchase of the car. (One time I had a dealer try to lie and say I didn't qualify for financing from any banks (my credit is 780 lol), only through their company's financing.) With your financing in hand, you can compare to what the dealer offers-- sometimes they will have promotions/incentives or manufacturer rebates that can result in a better rate than the bank/credit union can offer.

Be extremely wary of buying cars from places like Carvana, KBB, Carmax. They are pretty undiscerning about what they'll buy and resell, compared to a reputable dealer. While you do have the option, when buying from these companies, to take the car in and get it inspected, and return the car if they find it unfit, it's a fucking hassle. Buying a used car from, for example, a toyota dealer, you get a pretty good warranty and they're not going to certify a mess of a car that's under warranty and they're going to have to fix.



You won't. But I can tell you right now is a dramatically better time than 9 months ago.

this is spot-on 10/10 advice - depending on what vehicle(s) you're looking for and current inventory levels...the amount of haggling you can do will vary...if theres almost no inventory in your area the dealers won't budge much

if you can find a new 2023 that'll be the sweetest deal since '24s are rolling in and dealers want to get rid of old stock

also, just buy new...especially if you plan on keeping it for a long time...one-owner cars have great resell

now tell us what category / manufacturers / models you're looking at so we can argue like apes over brands!

[magnetaress]

Strap a chainsaw to the back of an office chair and use the blade like a snow tread.

[Toxigen]

not to hijack but id really like to buy a true 6 speed before i get too old

not trying to spend 100k on a toy (porsche, M3, etc)

looking at the caddy CT4 blackwing...everything Ive read is good...anyone driven one?

also have read the acura integra type S has one of the best 6 speeds on the market but man id feel old driving one

[Patriam1066]

not to hijack but id really like to buy a true 6 speed before i get too old

not trying to spend 100k on a toy (porsche, M3, etc)

looking at the caddy CT4 blackwing...everything Ive read is good...anyone driven one?

also have read the acura integra type S has one of the best 6 speeds on the market but man id feel old driving one

If you’re not looking to pay for the BMW, I think the Cadillac is your next best bet (have driven, definitely fun to drive). No idea about the Acuras but I’d assume those have an appeal as they’re well made and Honda does manual transmissions well

[Insomnia]

not to hijack but id really like to buy a true 6 speed before i get too old

not trying to spend 100k on a toy (porsche, M3, etc)

looking at the caddy CT4 blackwing...everything Ive read is good...anyone driven one?

also have read the acura integra type S has one of the best 6 speeds on the market but man id feel old driving one

2011+ CTS-V, buy one from a old dude that never drove it hard. Looking at $30k max and then slap an exhaust on it to get that bitch rumbling.

[mcoy]

not to hijack but id really like to buy a true 6 speed before i get too old

not trying to spend 100k on a toy (porsche, M3, etc)

looking at the caddy CT4 blackwing...everything Ive read is good...anyone driven one?

also have read the acura integra type S has one of the best 6 speeds on the market but man id feel old driving one

Friend's bro has a mazda 6 sport - he loves it, and it's like 1/3rd the price of the CT4.

-Mcoy

[Toxigen]

2011+ CTS-V, buy one from a old dude that never drove it hard. Looking at $30k max and then slap an exhaust on it to get that bitch rumbling.

nah all set w/ that, looking to buy new

if im going CPO its gonna be a M3 competition

[Evia]

Yeah I have had good experiences with subaru so far. Im a big fan of boxer engines but i LOATHE cvt transmissions...thats my only gripe with subaru...although i gotta say they make a pretty good one. I had a 2020 Legacy before, My wife wrecked it though sadly...
I loved that car. Mainly because I hate driving and it was semi autonomous so it really took a lot of stress off of driving for me.
With my 3 kids getting older tho the trunk isn't near as useful as the hatch.
So even tho I want a sedan and not a "wagon" it just made the most sense.
I also was heavily considering a Toyota Camry and Honda Accord...but I eliminated the accord pretty quickly because it doesn't have awd or a real automatic transmission and I live in a climate that really benefits from it. The camry got eliminated when I decided I needed a hatchback...
But this is the last year to get the v6 and real 8 speed automatic in a camry...so I'm almost tempted to get one just for that reason. There is a blacked out TRD that just rolled into a dealership nearby for 32k which is just a little higher than my price range but it lacks features (no heated seats! No backseat USB ports for the kids! No awd!) And the camry XSE with awd and all the features tends to be 35k+ which is wayyy higher than my price range rn.

[Toxigen]

Yeah I have had good experiences with subaru so far. Im a big fan of boxer engines but i LOATHE cvt transmissions...thats my only gripe with subaru...although i gotta say they make a pretty good one. I had a 2020 Legacy before, My wife wrecked it though sadly...
I loved that car. Mainly because I hate driving and it was semi autonomous so it really took a lot of stress off of driving for me.
With my 3 kids getting older tho the trunk isn't near as useful as the hatch.
So even tho I want a sedan and not a "wagon" it just made the most sense.
I also was heavily considering a Toyota Camry and Honda Accord...but I eliminated the accord pretty quickly because it doesn't have awd or a real automatic transmission and I live in a climate that really benefits from it. The camry got eliminated when I decided I needed a hatchback...
But this is the last year to get the v6 and real 8 speed automatic in a camry...so I'm almost tempted to get one just for that reason. There is a blacked out TRD that just rolled into a dealership nearby for 32k which is just a little higher than my price range but it lacks features (no heated seats! No backseat USB ports for the kids! No awd!) And the camry XSE with awd and all the features tends to be 35k+ which is wayyy higher than my price range rn.

do you need AWD?

Mazda 3 is a solid car too. In that price range its between mazda and toyota for awd. Honda accord no awd i dont think

Subies are notorious for motor / tranny issues. Its a cult like Jeep owners.

If you can find a BMW 3 series certified preowned that could be an option too. Much nicer driving experience than the japs.

[Evia]

I probably don’t -need- awd…but it is quite nice living out in the Wyoming countryside.
If I go FWD I’d just need to get snow tires and I’d probably be ok.
I like the Mazdas I’ve driven, but the 3 might be too small for my family.
I’ve always liked BMW but I’ve heard they’re a nightmare to maintain?
And I get the Subaru cult following lol. Once you drive one it really is difficult to drive something else. The sound of the boxer + that awd system is quite the treat. I hear the engine issues are behind Subaru but the cvt is still questionable. Especially when I saw someone’s bill to replace it and it was 11k! Yikesss

[Toxigen]

I probably don’t -need- awd…but it is quite nice living out in the Wyoming countryside.
If I go FWD I’d just need to get snow tires and I’d probably be ok.
I like the Mazdas I’ve driven, but the 3 might be too small for my family.
I’ve always liked BMW but I’ve heard they’re a nightmare to maintain?
And I get the Subaru cult following lol. Once you drive one it really is difficult to drive something else. The sound of the boxer + that awd system is quite the treat. I hear the engine issues are behind Subaru but the cvt is still questionable. Especially when I saw someone’s bill to replace it and it was 11k! Yikesss

Sounds like AWD is basically a must-have tho.

Does it have to be a sedan? The market is so saturated with small / mid SUVs...little more ground clearance, lots of AWD, etc.

Just a thought.

[Patriam1066]

Don’t Subarus and Toyotas share a lot of components these days? I read subaru is going to adopt Toyota hybrid powertrains in some of their vehicles soon

I say this because I’d be surprised to learn they’re unreliable. I agree that CVTs are loathsome.

[Evia]

Sounds like AWD is basically a must-have tho.

Does it have to be a sedan? The market is so saturated with small / mid SUVs...little more ground clearance, lots of AWD, etc.

Just a thought.

I have a strong distaste for SUVs. They all look boring af and 90% of the road is filled with them. Like you said, the market is saturated with them.
So I'm just really uninspired to drive or own one. I'd rather drive an ugly wagon or even a minivan over an SUV at this point.

With that said, I do like a few of them (like the 23 and on Honda Pilot) but they're outside of my price range.

[Toxigen]

I have a strong distaste for SUVs. They all look boring af and 90% of the road is filled with them. Like you said, the market is saturated with them.
So I'm just really uninspired to drive or own one. I'd rather drive an ugly wagon or even a minivan over an SUV at this point.

With that said, I do like a few of them (like the 23 and on Honda Pilot) but they're outside of my price range.

What about the corolla cross?

https://www.toyota.com/configurator/build/step/model/year/2024/series/corollacross/model/6301/modal/3/?bap_guid=849b09fa-f066-4777-9d50-2d04b0fefdfe

AWD, looks kinda like a Subie, but with Toyota's bulletproof reliability

pick a trim based on budget and go from there

honda's HR-V is prob the competitor to that

[strongNpretty]

Come and buy my 2007 Acura TL Type S. Trying to sell it now.

[skulldudes]

when i bought my car new they were asking about my work history and when i mentioned that i sold cars for a short stint prior to my current job the grimace i got from the guy was priceless

every time they "take the figure back to their boss to see what they can do" they're just going into the office and shooting the shit, seeing how long they can string you along knocking off a couple bucks on monthlies, lol. you gotta be cold-hearted on them vultures.

[Toxigen]

when i bought my car new they were asking about my work history and when i mentioned that i sold cars for a short stint prior to my current job the grimace i got from the guy was priceless

every time they "take the figure back to their boss to see what they can do" they're just going into the office and shooting the shit, seeing how long they can string you along knocking off a couple bucks on monthlies, lol. you gotta be cold-hearted on them vultures.

yeah...and you just walk away and they'll call you in an hour with a new price lol

[booter]

i knew what i wanted (exact trim/options) and i knew the price i'd be willing to pay out-the-door. i emailed and called like 10 dealerships near me asking for their best OTD price until one worked.

of course when i got there and they sent me to the final paperwork guy they tried adding on warranties etc. but i just politely declined and got my car for exactly how much i wanted it. was only there for 90 minutes or so.

[Patriam1066]

New Toyota landcruiser or Lexus GX seem fairly offroad capable. Might check them out as I hate jeeps. I’ll probably just get a new Tacoma or tundra though. My current tundra has 220,000 miles on it and still runs fine but it might be time for something new

[Toxigen]

New Toyota landcruiser or Lexus GX seem fairly offroad capable. Might check them out as I hate jeeps. I’ll probably just get a new Tacoma or tundra though. My current tundra has 220,000 miles on it and still runs fine but it might be time for something new

the brand new Yota trucks look so nice

my cousin just bought a new Capstone and hes been a GM and Ford guy for 30 years...thing is sick

if you dont actually need the full size they updated the looks on the tacomas too, very nice

[Patriam1066]

I love the new Tacoma. I’m definitely thinking about it

Issue is, I have 4 billion grandkids and I’m being forced to retire in Colorado to help with them. Not sure if a Tacoma is big enough in terms of seating, or the tundra for that matter

I do tow a large camper but I’m probably going to sell it and get something smaller, so I think either the Tacoma or Land Cruiser would be fine from that standpoint. I don’t want to go as big as a sequoia but it’s possible. I also don’t like how it looks

[Patriam1066]

Yeah, the capstone is nice as fuck. Plus I bet it’ll last 250k miles

[Evia]

I went down the Toyota off road rabbit hole and have now been strongly considering picking up a 2010-2014 FJ Cruiser. I LOVE the look of them, they seem to be bullet proof, and I can get one under 100k miles in my price range.

Anyone have any experience with them?

[Evia]

I ended up buying a CPO 2024 Subaru Outback Premium in Cosmic Blue with Black cloth interior with all the options I wanted (navigation, RAB, auto dim mirrors, mud flaps) with only 2700 miles and couldn't be happier! Thanks for all the advice and suggestions!

[Toxigen]

I went down the Toyota off road rabbit hole and have now been strongly considering picking up a 2010-2014 FJ Cruiser. I LOVE the look of them, they seem to be bullet proof, and I can get one under 100k miles in my price range.

Anyone have any experience with them?

its a great vehicle, very capable...ive seen some FJs go through some gnarly shit

[Evia]

I’m happy with my purchase, even tho the fj would have been p sweet.
I’m looking into getting some new rims and tires, tinting the windows, and picking up a rooftop tent.

[Ekco]

like video games, everything after 2001 is kinda shit and looks ugly.

my 2001 manual prelude

https://i.imgur.com/F4FX6ov.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/Iu16New.png

[Evia]

Oh hell yeah! I had a black 2000 prelude. I sold it for $500 to a 16 year old kid though for his first car back in like 2015. It had some issues though and I was over trying to fix it all the time. It was a rad looking car though.

[Toxigen]

id love to find a 90s toyota MR2 to take to the track

that was one hot car for the money

[Ekco]

It had some issues though and I was over trying to fix it all the time. It was a rad looking car though.

yeah, i blew two auto transmissions in mine before doing an automatic to manual swap and learnt how to drive stick cause i liked the styling of the car so fucking much and didn't want to get something else.

[Patriam1066]

I’m happy with my purchase, even tho the fj would have been p sweet.
I’m looking into getting some new rims and tires, tinting the windows, and picking up a rooftop tent.

Rooftop tents are pretty bad ass. I think on an Outback you could get some “mild” all terrain tires for dirt / gravel roads and be pretty good for going slightly off the beaten path with the default Subaru ground clearance, but I wouldn’t claim to be a Subaru expert. That said, I think you can look on Reddit and other places and people have their outback setups posted

[Patriam1066]

yeah, i blew two auto transmissions in mine before doing an automatic to manual swap and learnt how to drive stick cause i liked the styling of the car so fucking much and didn't want to get something else.

You should drive an EV. You’d hate it more than I did

[Ekco]

You should drive an EV. You’d hate it more than I did

yeah, i wouldn't even drive one if musk gave me it for free.


shit like this is hilarious though.
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