I need more car buying help. PLEASE

marymoon Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:51 AM

I need more car buying help. PLEASE

I'm so stressed with this. When I bought my car, it was FUN. This is awful.

WOuld you buy

a 2005 old bodystyle Jetta for $17,500 (MSRP $19,500)

a 2002 used jetta with $15K miles for $13,500.

a new hyundai elantra for $13,000

a new honda civic for $15,000

I'm SO confused. If we weren't buying the car with the wedding $$, I'd be buying a brand new jetta with all the bells and whistles and call it a day...but it's the wedding $$, so price is important..but I also don't want to buy a hunk of junk. I'd rather get value for my $$

What do you think is good? Also would you ever buy a used car? How do I get a good price on a new or used car>

ETA: PLEASE GIVE ME TIPS ON NEGOTIATING

Kriss2c Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:52 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

I think as far as longevity goes, the civic is your best bet.

marymoon Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:54 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

yeah my best friend says her brother LOVES his civic.
VW's also last forever and I have to add that I love Jettas and we were planning on buying one after the wedding..that's why I'm so conflicted, because on one hand we can't really afford a new jetta ($20K), but on the other hand, I don't want to buy a car now that we won't really like that much and then look to buy ANOTHER car in 2-3 years..I'm SO confused.

Are civics really really good?

jms100303 Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:54 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

Posted by Kriss2c

I think as far as longevity goes, the civic is your best bet.

I agree. They have great resale.

I understand your dilemna though. I had a civic and it was great. Absolutely 0 problems in 4 years (all I did was have the oil changed) and it got great gas mileage. The resale value was great.

I never really 'loved' the car though. I had an Acura Integra, which I loved, but it was stolen. Since I was working in the city and driving less I didn't want to spend so much money. I heard great things about Honda's and needed to get a car quickly. It was a good choice, more practical then anything. But I didn't love the car like the Integra or my current car, but I didn't have much time to shop for one. The Civic was a great car though and I would highly recommend it.

As for the Jetta, I would be careful. I know some people who have loved them, but I also know a few (including my sister) who has had nothing but problems! I swear my sister had a lemon. She had so many problems with that darn car and would never get a VW again.

jantany26 Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:55 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

Another vote for the civic.

june262004 Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:55 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

What is wrong with your car?

TwoBugs Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:56 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

Def. the Civic.

I love the way Jettas look, and used to want one SO badly. But now I know a lot of people that have them, and the majority are unhappy.

tourist Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:56 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

I don't know too much about cars, but I'd go with the Honda Civic. It is your middle of the road choice & that's what my mom always said to do when you weren't sure, get the middle ( price & quality -wise)
DH's last car was a used saturn. It was 5 years old when he got it, I don'tthink it really had any problems untill it died, 5 years later.

When we had to get a new car right before the wedding, I was glad DH got a new one. It is less likely you will have to put more money into it in the near future.

ETA- I starting writing that before I saw the other posts-- I guess we all think alike.
My parents lease a Civic & I think my brother had leased 2 Civics.

MCDO15 Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:56 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

check kelly blue book for values of used cars... also check for Car Fax for condition and history of cars. if you are looking to save money, you want to consider it. if you are just looking from somthing to get to point a to point b and once you are married and things are better finically, you can get a better car. thus now, your payment will be cheapier. by used.. i mean cars in th 7500 range that you see in used lots. if you are gonna buy a used car that is almost new, buy a brand new one.

Do you have any money to put down? How is your credit? how long do you want to finance?
Did you condiser insurance? (insurance on new fianced cars = more instead of owning the car, you 'can' just put liablity on a vechicle.

what do you want your monthly payment to be? at work (i work for chase auto) i can plug in some numbers for you and you can see or you can use an online calculator.

wood2be Posted: Apr 26, 2005 10:57 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

Personally, I love Jettas. Not that I have ever owned one, but I love the look. DH tells me it's really not a practical way to think

june262004 Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:01 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

Well I heard bad things about VW and i know (cause my friend has one) their service s*cks. I have a 1994 Civic EX and I love it I never want to get rid of it! I want to keep it forever!

marymoon Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:04 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

I already own a VW, so I love them. I'm not worried about the problems. Just about every recall the jetta has had, the Bug ahd as well. I just let them fix it all when i bring it in for schedules maintenance.

MCDO:

I would really like to finance because I feel with a lease you pay and pay and don't own anything. We don't ahve anything for a down payment, but I figured we'd come up with $3000 because that's how much it would have cost to repair FH's old car.

Kristeb: my car is fine. We just put $1200 into FH's car and NOW it won't pass inspection w.o another $1200 of work. The windows don't work and neither does the AC. To get the AC fixed would be another $1000. it needs a new seat, and theoretically, some body work.I mean we could dump money into the car forever. I love the car, but it's a 1988 and it's SUCH a junker...the bumper is hanging, the hood is still crushed from when a minivan LANDED on it. I mean it's been through a lot

marymoon Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:09 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

Fh is leaving me to do most of the research because he's so bogged down at work. I think I have to keep remembering this is HIS train station car. This isn't OUR car. If I think of it as OUR car I'm going to have to go for something expensive and fun. I think you should love the car you drive. Like when i see my car, i get happy, I feel so happy driving it, it suits me so much, but I think I have to curb that and keep telling myself this is FH's car..I have MY car, we'll buy OUR car later.

Do civics really have good trade in value? I can just trade it in for a jetta in a few years !

(I am so bad)

lullabella Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:11 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

I say no to the JETTA. Everyone I know who has one haas nothing but headaches.

EireBride-to-Be Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:12 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

one more vote for the civic. I've always driven Honda's - and my friend had a Jetta and hated it!

marymoon Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:12 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

Posted by lullabella

I say no to the JETTA. Everyone I know who has one haas nothing but headaches.

I'm so obsessed with Jettas that nothing negative anyone ahs to say will affect me

june262004 Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:13 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

Thats stinks. Have you looked at buying an older car. I know money is tight for you. My brother has a 2000 Hyndai Eleantra. And hes never had any problems with it. Its cheap and its a great car. And it has (or had) a great warantee.

marymoon Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:13 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

tell me more about the civics, please

steph4777 Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:14 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

Definitely the civic.... Like everyone says they have a great resale value.

june262004 Posted: Apr 26, 2005 11:16 AM

Re: I need more car buying help. PLEASE

I love my Civic and shes old. But shes great to me. Ive never had any problems besides a new muffler and breaks once. It has really low mileage on it I think now it has 79,000 miles on it. Mike had a 2000 Civic SI and he totaled it but the car kept him alive. I have pictures here its scary. People are like he walked away from that?