Posted on 07/10/2011 10:03:54 AM PDT by CGASMIA68
Never purchased a used car. Looking at an 07 accord exl, 57000 for 12000 private owner at a garage Price looks in line with vehicle. I know about car fax and will pay to have a Honda dealer look at it but before I get that far; How can a novice tell if the engine is the original and what else should I keep an eye out for? Thanks in advance
We have 4 vehicles with over 100K and one that probably has around 300K but the od hasn’t worked for many years. We put Slick 50 in everything when it gets past 50K.
My husband is bad, we change the oil every year or if we are going on a long trip. We’ve never had to replace an engine.
I’ve never seen completely white AF before. Looking for a 2nd-hand car is a full-time job, and most people are too busy to rid their weekends just to talk to the previous owners selling the cars, and I’ve had my take on owners go on and on why they have to sell the car.
Most BS you. You have to possess common sense if the owner lies to you. I found that 40-ish older women drivers take better care of their cars (even if the color of their cars annoys me).
A smoker smoked out, I gather.
Buy a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle from the dealer. Comes with a warranty. Never been disappointed with the two BMWs I’ve bought via CPO.
Be sure to find out if the timing belt has been replaced — Accords need to have this done around 60,000 miles.
If you have a mechanic you can trust have them give it the once over. This will usually cost you a little bit (good mechanics don’t work for free) but if they warn you even one stinker that pays for a lifetime of these checkups. If the seller is at all honest they’ll be more than happy to give the car to your mechanic, if they are at all reluctant move on to the next car.
Look at the seller. Is he the original owner or is this a used car lot? If he is the original owner and a “FR” type (i.e. conscientious & honest) that counts as much as the CarFax or mechanics eval.
A good mechanic can tell if the car has been neglected, in an accident or seriously abused. A good owner makes a difference in how the car was treated.
Honda Accord is a good car. We bought our first Honda, a used 2004 CR-V with 53K in 2007. We now have 161K. A/C compressor died and we changed the rear diff fluids, but other than that, nothing but oil changes, plugs at 100K and put gas in it. BTW, we checked out the original (only) owner.
Carfax only has dealer maintenance information. Any work the owner had done at non-dealer garages doesn’t show up.
Always, always, always leave dealership after you view.
Leave premises, get cup of coffee. Something. Anything. Leave the dealership and think.
Even if it is for 10 minutes. leave the proximity of the vehicle, salesman, etc.
IF the deal is perfect, leave for awhile. If it is the last one, leave for sure. Then...
If you buy it and are happy, shut up. Everyone will pick the deal apart. Just buy it and be happy. It is nobody’s business what you paid and how deal structured.
(did I mention the fact that you must leave the dealership?)
I let the guys at Jiffy Lube take care of the oil, just not worth the time, and they put in the 'older vehicle' oil. I asked them what the difference was and was told that it was the equivalent of putting a quart of slick 50 in it.
You sound lucky.Owners manuals suggest 7,500 miles, and while the oils today are far superior, I change it around every 4,000 miles, to remove particles and dirt, that sort of thing. I guess that you are not putting too many miles on them (between changes).
Looked like milk. Oil and water do mix under some conditions. I looked at my brother and told him to say goodbye. I have to say I have never seen that again.
Usually the high mileage oil has additives to keep the engine seals flexible or even swell them a little. Nothing to do with Teflon crap or whatever dubious ingredient Slick 50 has.
Yeah, I could see that. I probably don't need it, but if no harm no foul,(high mileage oil).
Toyota and Honda paid off CR a long time ago. It is BS.
Toyota and Honda don't have to pay anyone off. Their reputation for quality and reliability is set in stone.
Funny how the Toyota "recalls" were at the height of UAW "stimulus" theft and "Cash for Clunkers."
I wouldn't buy a Big 3 (an outdated term these days) product for anything.
What toyota and honda do is sell cars with top of the line struts and brakes, which are normal wear items. On those cars they last about 100K. The other manufactures sell cars with OEM struts and brakes that only last 50K. So the others buyers get pissed that they have to spend money on their cars at 50K. But the Toyota and Hondas don’t, the perception is that they are better when in reality you paid heavily for those little upgrades.
That's an interesting observation. I'd love to see the data behind the study that lead you to that conclusion. I'm sure you're not just making it up, or going by anecdotal evidence. I'm also sure you'll be kind enough to post a link to that study?
From a former car salesman. The best advice I can give everyone is:
1. Buy a NEW car. (Don’t worry about trade in value (depreciation), drive it until someone wants to pay you cash for it).
2. If you must buy a used car, only buy one you can pay cash for. Car payments AND repair bills are a killer.
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