Looking for a used car. Any suggestions?

[storm6490 2,768]

Hello there! Our family is getting bigger and it's time for us to get a bigger car. My old Landcruiser is used and abused. I don't feel safe driving around with my family in it knowing the abuse it has had in the mountains of Montana. I'm keeping it, but need to find a wagon that is safe for my family.

 

Where do you guys look for used cars online? I'm open to buying a ticket to fly wherever and pick it up or have it hauled by transport services.

 

I really like the 2010 tdi sportwagen jetta. Lots of them in Florida on ebay. The 300 series mercedes wagons also look nice. Other considerations would be to find another FJ80 but they are hard to find with low miles on. Perhaps a FJ100.

 

Any tips or tricks you have to get the best price or make sure you aren't buying a lemon?

 

Sadly, the dealers up here in Montana believe they are doing you a favor by selling you a car. The Sportwagen Jetta 2009 cost as much as a new one in florida. An ass for every seat I guess. All the used cars up here are rediculously over priced. Perhaps they believe people wont fly out to buy a car from another state? Supply and demand?

 

I really don't know my ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to buying a used car. Before I had a wife and kid, I was able to take a contract, come home and pay cash. Only had to do that twice and it was stupid and fun! New trucks and cars are nice and all but really don't belong in the mountains!

 

Thanks for any suggestions you may have. I appreciate it!

 

N

[pyzik 597]

If you are looking at classy wagons, I think the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon is pretty sharp.

[kevinfreel 215]

Not a Volkswagen. They are good cars until the start to break. Then your fucked. Better off getting a Toyota Highlander or something similar. Nothing made by Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep. Their product quality has taken a fucking nose dive. If your gonna buy something used out of state make sure the vehicle is still under warranty. Edited for typographical errors.

Edited May 1, 2012 by 86camaro

[storm6490 2,768]

If you are looking at classy wagons, I think the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon is pretty sharp.

 

Very sharp indeed. More of a rocket than a wagon. I just can't see myself buying another GM product after the bailout. It's a cool wagon technically, but with that huge motor and poor gas mileage, it's more of a autosport wagen for driving fans with a lot of money to blow on gas.

 

Need something that can take a hit and protect my wife from all the monster trucks with cow catchers up here. Also, something that doesn't suck the gas too much. 6 dollars a gallon will really hit us hard this summer.

[magsite20 1,664]

Honda CR-V

[RobRez 1,895]

C'mon Man, The answer is ALL around you!! Subaru wagon! Super reliable allwheel drive and only about a billion of em around!

[brandon402 86]

Whats your price range and what kinda options are you looking for? Also, what do you NEED in the vehicle? 4wd? 4 doors (for the cheerins)?

[yakdung 2,926]

Subaru Forrester.

[RobRez 1,895]

My good friend works at the Niisan dealership here in Missoula, he is a mechanic. He has hooked me up a few times with a heads up on a sweet trade in. Keep in mind that every wagon out there these days is trying to be a Subaru, so, although I do not have one, they are pretty great vehicles for Montana. 28mpg with all wheel drive for winter, decent clearance as well. Get a used one, as the new, larger ones are insured as SUV's now, not a wagon, thusly more expensive to insure.

NEVER buy a used VW. Notoriously one of the worst used cars to buy.

[mancat 2,368]

C'mon Man, The answer is ALL around you!! Subaru wagon! Super reliable allwheel drive and only about a billion of em around!

 

As much as I dislike Subarus because of the typical granola-fed Subaru driver of the PNW, honestly they are almost the perfect car for Montana. They will take a shit ton of abuse, more than any other type of vehicle in that class, while doing so in relative comfort and economy. AWD is a must IMO, and Subaru's symmetric AWD is best in class. They are easy as hell to repair, parts readily available, and reasonably cheap.

 

I am not a Subaru owner but I won't ever deny the merits of these cars. Subaru has almost never put out a bad product.

 

I would suggest you look on Craigslist in Washington/Oregon, as a lot of the cars there are going to be lightly used in comparison to Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Dakotas, etc. You can get a great deal on a used Subaru as there are a shit ton of them over here. So what if you have to drive for a day to pick it up if you can save a few thousand dollars?

 

Probably the only mod you'll have to make is a block heater.

Edited May 1, 2012 by mancat

[devildogdakota 804]

Yea, what Rob said. The Subaru is the Montana national symbol. About every fourth vehicle is an Outback or a Forrester it seems like. I know a bunch of folks who own them including the one I bought for my then wife. They sware by em. Tons of room, good gas mileage, very reliable, and all wheel drive.

Almost every vehicle I've and my ex-wife had in the past 10 years I found on Craigslist. Bought a few through the local Trader magazines also.

Of course, as you know Storm, the big plus is no sales tax here! Good luck.

[hutchsaiga 93]

Jeep. With a 4.0l. Well cared for gets you 300k mi easy

 

Also very affordable

Edited May 1, 2012 by hutchsaiga

[MT Predator 2,294]

I'll second a good Jeep Cherokee with a 4.0L. My buddy up in MT has one and it is actually insured as a station wagon not a SUV. Hard to kill that 4.0L. Depends on what the OP is looking for. Kinda sounds like he is looking for some kind of Euro wagon.

[nlacy 692]

around here the subaru wagon is considered standard for lesbians. My friend has one and I give him shit for it all the time. I've got a ford edge. Good car, but a little too much technology, I'm afraid something will break.

[mancat 2,368]

I was going to recommend a Cherokee as well, but with the last make being in 2001, many found in Montana will probably be higher miles and somewhat worn. You never know though. While a little light on comforts (I view this as a good thing; less to break down), the Cherokee is a very durable little SUV and gets a bit better mileage than other small SUVs in its class.

[RobRez 1,895]

I think it comes down to what kind of ride quality and gas milage at this point. We have determined you need a Subaru or a Jeep Cherokee. Job done for us I think. You are welcome!

The idea of scanning craigslist for spokane area is good.

Also, which vehicle is more friendly to putting in GUN RACKS!!!!!

[Guns Are Great 140]

No chrysler or gm products. Ford, toyota, nissan, subaru, honda, hyundai.

Edited May 2, 2012 by Guns Are Great

[timy 1,185]

Dare I suggest a minivan? If so, then Chrysler does do a good job on these. I know of several that have well over 200,000 miles with no major work.

[mancat 2,368]

No chrysler or gm products. Ford, toyota, nissan, subaru, honda, hyundai.

 

As far as the Cherokee goes, Chrysler did virtually nothing to the base design. 98-01 XJ was still mostly a rock-solid AMC design, with some styling improvements from Chrysler, and a very reliable EFI system for the 4.0. Unlike the rest of their product lineups at the time, the Cherokee was rarely plagued by gremlins because it was mechanically and electrically simple. It also has one of the most durable and reliable automatic transmissions in an SUV, the AW4. This is the same auto used in most Toyota trucks/SUVs. Unlike Explorers, Durangos, Blazers, etc. the Cherokee's transmission is generally not something you have to worry about when towing, or even breaking down under normal conditions. It will last as long as the 4.0 it's bolted to.

Edited May 2, 2012 by mancat

[JRWperformance 17]

Going to have to agree the jeep is a good choice. The giant lump of iron under the hood is good for many miles. I am a VW/Audi mechanic....well anything german and japanese. I would stay away from mark 4 and up TDI's. Mark 5 and 6 cars are just not impressing me at all. Look up 99 and new tdi intake clogging issues. Ive pulled intakes and found so much sludge built up in the intake you maybe could stick a sharpie into it. Im sure its all over google. Also, the variable vain turbos the mark 4 tdi's used sieze up. the vain partsi that control boost. You end up with no boost and having to buy a $800 to $1500 turbo, not to mention the labor costs. (keep buying them!! thats were I make my money!)

[Arik 565]

All used cars are overpriced now for severall reasons.

 

1) Cash for clunkers program means there are less used cars on the market

 

2) Banks not wanting to finance EVERYONE. So those who couldnt get their shiny new impulse buy are holding onto their used cars.

 

3) EXPORT (this is the business Im in). a) The more cars that leave this country the less we have. Exporters pay more money then you or I would for the same car because where its going it will cost 3x the amount anyway. About 90% of Afghanistan drive old Corollas. Most come from here. Good luck getting an old beat up Corolla with a million miles for under $1500. E. Europe and Central Asia love BMWs, Benzs, Toyota's, VWs, Subaru's, Camry's. In Ukraine a 2009 Corolla goes for about the equivalent of $30K US....Africa, Toyota trucks, older Avolons, and Camrys. Central America, Older Toyota's and Honda's. Georgians love Pathfinders, Extera's, Land Rover Freelander, along with older Mercedes sedans but only if they have chrome bumpers...BLING...BLING. Saudi Arabia gets a metric ton of Mercury Grand Marquis and Chevy Tahoes and Denali's. So because exporters are willing to pay more for used cars at dealer auctions less US dealers buy them. So an exporter pays $6000 (for a car thats only worth say $4000) + auction fees about $400 + transport to the port, another $200 or so + actual shipping overseas thats another $800ish. Thats $7400 for a car thats worth $4000 but he know he can sell it for $15,000 so he doesn't care. Meanwhile a dealer is bidding on the same car and he has to pay the same auction fees and shipping it to his lot + fixing anything that might be broken and he still has to make a profit. if he were to compete with the exporter he'd have to charge the buyer at least $8000 probably more on a car that's worth half that

 

NJ ports are full of cars. New and wrecked.

 

My recomendation would be to stay away from newer German cars. They are a nightmare. While most are mechanically sound they have electrical problems out the ass. Not all but a vast mijority. Auctions have special events where dealers can come and buy Lemon law VWs, Mini's or BMWs ..etc..etc..These are held about once a month and you have thousands of cars to choose from and 99% are electrical problems. Dealers buy them and sell to you and I because Lemon Law only applies to NEW cars within the FIRST year and UNDER 12k miles. Not new to you.

 

ETA

This is of course based on your region. Prices and popularity vary state to state along with auctions and exporters

Edited May 2, 2012 by Arik

[magsite20 1,664]

In the 70s I got one of these old 60 something AMC wagons for $150.00 drove it for 3 years and the only work I did was change a heater hose. Sold it for $200.00.

 

In the late 80s I got a “Vette” for $150.00 and drove it for 4 years before I gave it away after the clutch went out.

 

Sometimes you can luck out and get a long running junker for cheap.

[mancat 2,368]

Wow that's a really cool looking wagon.

[mgconnor13 206]

Love my 89 Jeep Cherokee, it chugs right a long and it has been simple to work on so far and shows no sign of stopping with over 240,000 on it so far.

My wife has a base model Ford Escape and we both love. It has plenty of room, good fuel mileage and probably one of the best interior lay outs I've ever seen.

I loved my F150 but it was a 2dr so It had to go when we had kids. I really want another pick up truck. I keep looking around a 4dr trucks and It comes down to a Nissan or Toyota if I want a mid size or a F150 for a full size truck. My first truck was a Nissan and the body rusted off it long before the engine and transmission ever showed signs of wearing out.

 

You can't really go wrong with a well maintained Ford, Toyota, Subaru or Nissan from my experience

Edited May 2, 2012 by Rusty truck

[hutchsaiga 93]

No chrysler or gm products. Ford, toyota, nissan, subaru, honda, hyundai.

 

As far as the Cherokee goes, Chrysler did virtually nothing to the base design. 98-01 XJ was still mostly a rock-solid AMC design, with some styling improvements from Chrysler, and a very reliable EFI system for the 4.0. Unlike the rest of their product lineups at the time, the Cherokee was rarely plagued by gremlins because it was mechanically and electrically simple. It also has one of the most durable and reliable automatic transmissions in an SUV, the AW4. This is the same auto used in most Toyota trucks/SUVs. Unlike Explorers, Durangos, Blazers, etc. the Cherokee's transmission is generally not something you have to worry about when towing, or even breaking down under normal conditions. It will last as long as the 4.0 it's bolted to.

 

+1

 

Cherokees with a 4.0l, an Aisin Warner aw4, a Chrysler 8 1/4" rear axle and Dana 30 front is probably one of the most reliable drivetrains ever in the suv market! (besides the rare tow packages with the d44 rear of course)

 

Just be cautious of rust in certain climates and theyre good for 300kmi . My 96 has 240k and runs great but is getting to rusty to keep repairing. Oh and did I mention it's been totaled by the insurance company 3 times;) one of them being a rollover, she's a champ

[YARP 300]

Used Ford Excursion diesel 4x4

 

Why go around a Prius when you can drive over it?

[patriot 7,197]

Anything GM and you can't go wrong. Parts are easy to get when needed, and they're not needed very often.

[storm6490 2,768]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The w210 body e320 4matic wagon looks about as good as it gets. I'm leaning towards that right now. My friend is a Mercedes master tech and wont charge me for any repairs. He will get me parts for cost. He also stated that it would run for 350K easily and that the w210 was the last of the best.

 

This car will need to get 20mpg or more on average and will be on mountains and drive cross country. It would need to take a hit from a full size drunk driver in a pickup truck with steel bumpers.

 

I really have no interest in Subaru as everybody I know owns one and almost all of them have complained about service cost and repairs. I'm sure they are great cars but, they have a bad image in my mind from Wisconsin where I grew up. It's known as a hippie car. Out here they are known to be beaten all to hell. You would never buy a subaru from Montana unless you were suffering from a case of dotage or perhaps were a Subaru master tech that purchased it from his own grandpa after 10K miles.

 

I will not own any vehicle every again that took the bail out money.

 

My limit would be around 25K.

 

The TDI volkswagens are very attractive but can't take a hit like a volvo or a mercedes. My confidence level in them is going down from all the bad info about them online.

 

 

 

Anybody every use a PPI or indepenent inspector to remotely inspect a vehicle for you. I see ebay offers them, would it just be better to have the dealer drive it to a garage of your choice?

[Arik 565]

I dont know what kind of a hit this car can take from a drunk driver in an old pickup but if you're after gas mileage, room, no bailout check out the Ford Escape hybrid 4cyl. Have not heard many bad things about them but we do have a few at my job. All are former NY state vehicles and we get them with over 150K miles and they are still chuging along. NYC cabbies use them too. Those are up over 300k and not much problems.

[mgconnor13 206]

The Ford escape is an excellent car for the money, My wife and me plan to drive ours till the wheels fall off.

My 89 Cherokee just chugs along, it's rock solid and easy to work on.