Posted on 01/03/2006 1:55:54 PM PST by Alouette
FReepers, as you may probably know, I was involved in a car crash that resulted in the demise of my beloved companion, a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix SE.
Sadly, the insurance adjustor has determined that my most dearly loved mode of transportation cannot be repaired at a cost of less than its market value, wherefore they are offering a buyout so that I can purchase another vehicle. Insurance will not compensate unless they receive my TITLE, so seeking 2nd opinions from independent body shops is not an option.
Anyway, before entering the dangerous jungle of the used car market with all its traps and pitfalls, I am seeking the advice and recommendations of FReepers on where and how to find a replacement for my darling.
AH, dealership body shop. They are always high dollar. If you like the car, I'd fight to have another body shop look at the car. Is it still driveable?
www.edmunds.com is a really good tool for not getting ripped off. I bought an 05 Suburban for a lot less than list this year, so you really might want to look at new. If you are upside down on your Grand Prix, you might get that wrapped up into a new ride and not be upside down anymore.
I like Honda or Toyota. I currently drive a Subaru, but that's because I'm in Vermont down a dirt road in the snow. My last car was a Toyota Camry wagon, which I liked very much.
My present car is a Subaru Outback. It handles like a dream, but the brakes tend to rust from the road salt. Rusting is a particular problem in Vermont.
Honda makes terrific cars, so that's worth a look, too.
I went head to head with a Freightliner in 2003. I survived, walked away and extricated myself only because I was driving a 3/4 ton Suburban. I recommend BIG trucks because F = M x A....and no amount of engineering will change that fundamental law.
I had a lot of trouble with my diesel powered Suburban, so I can't recommend GM products. I can recommend Ford. I now drive a 6.0 L, Turbo-Diesel Ford Excursion....and I'm pleased with it.
I got a Oldsmobile I'll sell ya cheap. only driven off a bridge one time.
How much are they going to give you?
A used car which has been in a flood is a bad buy. You might consider buying from a private individual who provides all repair records. I trusted the source and have a wonderful car.
We've used autotrader.com to find our latest 2 vehicles and found exactly what we wanted down to our last specification. KBB and Edmonds were helpful for reviews and other info.
Buy Certified Preowned and get something that has just crossed the 40,000 mile mark. If you look at used car prices, you will see a precipitous drop in price, just after you cross the 40K barrier. Get something nice, just comming off lease. Buy the extended warranty up to the 100K mark at least.
what part of the country is this taking place in?....
My first piece of advice would be to make sure you take your time and not rush into and purchase the first thing you see. Now you may not have a lot of time due to needing transportation but if you do take the time and do some detailed comparison shopping.
Sometimes you can buy your vehicle back from the insurance company for a small fee and have it repaired at your body shop of choice. But that is going to require you to make sure you have a repairable vehicle at a price you want to pay.
Used SUV's are a bargain right now since folks are panic selling. Hell, you can even get a new one at used car prices. I'm keeping mine though!
Go to an auto auction business. Get yourself a "whosesale dealer's Blackbook." Do not get the consumer addition. Act like you know what you are doing when you go to buy it because some of the places will only sell them to dealers.
You may be able to get one from your bank as well.
These secret (not really) books are printed by-weekly and list the national average for the auction value of every vehicle in every year with every option ever made. This is the price that dealers use to buy autos at the auction and the price the banks use to determine how much they will loan you on a used vehicle if you do not buy from the dealer. There are different publications for cars and trucks.
This is where I always start.
You can always get a 2nd opinion from another body shop. If you really want to keep the vehicle tell the adjuster and they would deduct the salvage amount from your check and you could keep the car. However, I think you might be better off taking the money. It looks to me your vehicle is worth about $7,900 more or less depending on mileage and options. Used car values -> http://www.nadaguides.com/
#1. Don't buy from a used car lot, either buy from an owner and verify the title, mileage, etc through Carfax, (a good idea on any car) or buy from a reputable new car dealer's used car lot. Street corner used car lots buy most of their cars at auctions where new car dealers unload the cars they don't want to sell to the public for one reason or another. Another frequent source of auction cars is insurance companies. Some of them sell the accident or flood damaged cars they total out through car auctions at bargain basement prices, then the used car dealers who buy them have their in-house mechanic/bodyman/office-sweeper patch them up to look good enough to sell.
#2. If at all possible check with the previous owner of the car for any major problems he or she knows about the car. They may or may not level with you, but at least it's worth a try. Most reputable new car dealers sell their decent trade-ins on the lot and unload the problem trade-ins through auctions or wholesale buyers, but even they get suckered on a trade-in now and then.
#3. This is just my opinion, but it's based on many years experience with almost every make of car on the market. All else being equal, go for a Japanese brand car, preferably Toyota, Honda, Nissan, or Suburu in that order. There is no disputing the absolute FACT that MOST Japanese cars are more reliable, durable, and trouble free than MOST American or European cars, but you will no doubt get some advice to the contrary from people who have had a bad experience with the occasional Japanese lemon and good experiences with American cars. Neither Japanese, American, or European makes are all bad or all good.
If you prefer an American car try to find one with low mileage in relation to age. I once found a 10 year old Chevy sedan that only had 16,000 verifiable mile on the clock, and it gave me another 85,000 totally trouble free miles before I let it go. A car's mileage isn't the only important factor in wear and tear, but it's one of the biggies.
OTOH, I would avoid European makes like a drooling dog in August. Not only are they usually overpriced in relation to Japanese and American cars, in recent years they have become the most unreliable cars on the used market. If you fall in love with one and just have to have it, be sure you have it checked out thoroughly by a mechanic who is familiar with that specific make and model. BMW and SAAB are exceptions to the unreliable rule, but good used Beemers almost always go at a premium price, and SAABS are relatively expensive to repair and maintain. Insurance rates for both are abnormally high, and that goes for most other Eurocars as well.
Everyone has a favorite make of car, and everyone has an opinion about buying a car. My advice is based on over 50 years of car ownership, and a roughly one year of involvement in the used car trade. It's worth only as much as I'm charging for it, so you decide whether it's good or bad.
MUST GO TO - cars.com
Best choices available in your area.
If you have cash, then INDIVIDUAL sellers would give you the best deal compared to any dealership.
3-5 old Camries with less that 50,000 miles for 7-8k.
I'm a mechanic and own my shop
Best American cars for overall value and reliability are Buick and Saturn
Best Foreign are Toyota Honda and don't forget MAZDA
Stay away from european cars as they make their money on parts. Have paid 47 dollars for a radiator hose on German cars.
That being said, For learning about mechanics and a codependant relationship with a machine, you can't beat a 30 year old FIAT. but then, I'm a masochist.
I've had good experiences with all the used cars I've ever owned, all four of which were GM cars. Here are my rules for used car buying:
1) Buy only a car which is at least 6 years old -- inexpensive financing is available for used cars up to 5 years old, which artificially inflates the price.
2) Buy only from new car dealers. Their used car selection consists of trade-ins, generally from drivers who are sufficiently responsible and competent to be able to afford to buy a brand new car. More importantly, new car dealers nearly always get rid of all their 6+-year-old trade-ins via wholesaler buyers, who come by every week or two and haul away a big collection of them, no warranty, no questions asked, for prices well below book value. This means that you are in a VERY strong negotiating position re price, especially when you are paying cash.
3) Decide on one or two models/years/mileage ranges that you want, and comb newspaper and online ads for the absolute lowest prices on the models/years/mileage ranges in question, that are not described as half-totalled from a crash, and write those model/year/mileage price combos on a card in ink (yes, you are still going to buy from the new car dealer).
4) Go on a major online car search engine like www.cars.com that will give you the listing of specific dealers in your area, so you can then contact the dealers directly. Pick out the car you want at a dealer close enough to you. Pick out your second and third choices too. Don't pay the slightest attention to the prices advertised. Write this info down on your price card, next to the applicable model/year/mileage/price info that you previously wrote down. Make a mental note of the price that you wrote down in ink that fits the corresponding model/year/mileage description, and call up the dealer who is advertising your first choice car.
4) Tell the salesman upfront that you do NOT want a warranty. That knocks a bundle off the price right there, and you can use the savings to pay for any major repair that might be needed. If it turns out not to be needed, you keep the bundle. Tell him also that you will pay with a cashier's check, will pay and pick up the car today, and that you will pay $_____ (the amount you wrote on your card). Do not under any circumstances budge by a penny, or give any indication that you would even THINK of budging by a penny, and refuse to discuss any other cars the dealer has available. He wants to make the sale, he and his manager know perfectly well that the car will be going out the door for a lot less than you're offering within a few days, and they will play the "I'll talk to my manager and see if I can get him to come down a little more" game for as many rounds as you'll hold out for. If by some chance they don't submit to your will within 10 minutes, end the call and proceed immediately to the #2 choice on your list.
In my experience, it is very easy to get a nice used car for less than 50% of what the dealer advertised it for. The last time I employed this method was almost 6 years ago, and I'm still happily driving the car that was advertised for $7950, which I paid $3500 for, and which has yet to need a major repair. If it had turned out to need a new engine or transmission, I'd still be out less than the asking price, even if the repairs had been needed well after the usually short warranty on a used car would have expired. Happy shopping!
It looks totaled to me. One way to get an idea is go online and get a kelley blue book value. Get an estimate and if estimate is less than 75% of value you have a good case against totaling the loss. I just went through this after I hit a deer, first thing out of the (independent) adjusters mouth was 'yeah, looks like a total loss' I did enough research to back up my position and when I spoke to the insurance co first words out of my mouth - 'I absolutely will not accept this as a total loss'. After 3 weeks of argument they cut me a check. don't assume you can't argue your point and stand firm.
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