I need your help deciding on a used car

Discussion in 'BS Forum' started by roboz08, Nov 4, 2013.

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Which car should I go with?

  1. 2000 Audio A6

    1 vote(s)
    3.8%
  2. 2003 Lincoln LS

    4 vote(s)
    15.4%
  3. Keep the 2002 Toyota Camry

    16 vote(s)
    61.5%
  4. I like cheese.

    9 vote(s)
    34.6%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. roboz08

    roboz08 Well-Known Member

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    Hey guys,

    I need a little assistance here. I'm selling my current car, a 2002 Toyota Camry with 140,000 miles on it. I have someone committed to buying it for $3,900. I'm selling it because I need the money obviously, and want something that may be better suited for fall/winter weather, and, I just want a new car and not have to drive around in my moms old Camry. The way I look at it is, I can sell my Camry, pocket some of the money I make selling it, and then buy another car thats similar in overall quality. I dont start working for another 6 weeks, so that pocket cash is much needed from now until I start working again.

    Now, I plan on purchasing a used car with slightly more than half of that cash ($2000-2500 is my budget).

    I've checked out two cars recently, a 2000 Audi A6 2.7 Quattro with 170k miles on it, http://poconos.craigslist.org/cto/4136718650.html and a 2003 Lincoln LS with 112,000 miles on it. http://poconos.craigslist.org/cto/4145669313.html

    Now, I'm kind of leaning towards the Lincoln, because its 1 year newer than my current Camry, has 28K miles less, and drives just as well based on the test drive I took in it. All it needs is brake pads. Other than that, it's a nice car IMO. The guy selling it told me I can have it for $2300

    The Audi is 2 years older than my Camry, and has 30,000 more miles on it. It needs a new windshield, and the check-engine light is on due to the car needing an 02 sensor (thats what I was told by the owner). The owner told me I can have it for $1,800.

    Like I said, I'm leaning towards the Lincoln because my initial plan was to get a car newer than my current one, and that also has less miles on it, while pocketing around $1000-1500 when all is said and done. The Lincoln does that for me.

    BUT....The advantage the Audi has, is that its a V6 compared to the Lincoln being a V8, and it is AWD compared to the Lincoln being rear-wheel drive. Which makes the Audi better for the winter (I'll be commuting 45 minutes to work each day near Scranton).

    I just want your guys opinion. Of course, my parents being the uptight, rigid, pessimistic people they are (my dad is the epitome of a darksider SOJ Fan, he didn't think they had any chance of beating ATL or NO, and we all know how those games ended :) ) think that i'm making a bad decision and that I should just keep the Camry because whatever I end up buying is going to be a P.O.S. anyway. I told them my Camry has the same likelihood of becoming one as well for its new owner, and if I decide to keep it, who's to say that it won't crap out on me a year from now when there will be no chance of me getting anything close to $3900 for it.

    So, I'm selling the Camry, pocketing $1k+ and buying a car for myself, a recent college grad. Let me know what you guys think. If any of you have experience with these cars, that will be beneficial. Looking forward to hearing your responses. Thanks!
     
    #1 roboz08, Nov 4, 2013
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2013
  2. Combustible Rextible

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    Your best play is probably to keep the Camry. There's a chance its not even halfway through its useful life. Audis have a rep for needing costly repairs and you don't want to get stuck with that. Also, the owner is likely full of crap about what is wrong with the check engine light. I would rule out the Lincoln bc its rear wheel drive and is not as likely to last as long as the Camry.

    If you want to pull some cash out of your car now, you might want to shop around for a car you like with a $0 down lease and a reasonable monthly payment that is manageable when you start your job, but you will still get hit with misc fees/taxes.

    Hate to say it, but your parents are probably right.
     
  3. roboz08

    roboz08 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the input. Yeah the more I think about it, the more the Audi doesn't make sense. Its unfortunate bc its a great looking car and the guy selling it is actually my next door neighbor, but the car does have flaws and a downside to owning it.

    I'm thinking I might sell the Camry, go with the Lincoln and the $1K+ in cash, and once I start working look for a nice cheap lease on a brand new car like how i believe you suggested. I guess worst case scenario is that I can definitely sell back the lincoln private party to make my money back, or even trade it in to a dealer when/if I decide to lease a new car.
     
  4. roboz08

    roboz08 Well-Known Member

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    FACK...now i'm doing some more intensive research and finding out that the Lincoln LS is awful in terms of reliability and it has a shit ton of little mechanical flaws in it that are very expensive to replace..i might just have to stick with the Camry...god dammit.
     
  5. Barcs

    Barcs Banned

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    I'd trust the Camry with 140K over the other 2. My last Camry went to 220K before it finally became unworth the maintenance. You'll save money in the long run that way. 170K is a bit much to to spend on if you want the thing to last more than a year or 2 and Lincolns aren't nearly as reliable as either one of those. You may think less miles is always good, but when the average car life isn't as long, you see why the price is cheaper. Also DO NOT believe any owner or car place that tells you the check engine light is a simple fix. They all say that and chances are there is much more than an O2 sensor wrong. Make them fix it, and make sure the CE light works after that (sometimes they just pull the bulb). Your best bet is to bring a friend along that can connect to the car with his computer and read the car computer. Do not take anyone's word for it, you can easily get burned.
     
    #5 Barcs, Nov 5, 2013
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2013
  6. jilozzo

    jilozzo Well-Known Member

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    camry....yes

    audi and lincoln....no

    not a terrible idea when u start getting ur paychecks go lease a current model year vehicle thats good at the pump and gets u from A to B. establish a bit of credit. and start putting some cash away so u can purchase the next car after ur lease.

    try not to get trapped into the lease cycle if possible - unless u own ur own gig and can write it off.
     
  7. Mantana Soss

    Mantana Soss Active Member

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    That Audi and Lincoln are on their last legs.

    Don't buy an Audi when you have 4 digits to spend. They've improved a lot in the last few years.
     
  8. roboz08

    roboz08 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the input guys. I'm sticking with the Camry until I begin working and saving up, and then I'll trade it in towards a lease of a new car.
     
  9. Brook!

    Brook! Soft Admin...2018 Friendliest Member Award Winner

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    Camry

    Sounds like the better option.
     
  10. stinkyB

    stinkyB 2009 Best Avatar Award Winner

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    Drive that yoda into the ground...... then take off the plates and walk away :grin:

    no offense, if money's tight, worrying about a new car isn't very bright
     
  11. roboz08

    roboz08 Well-Known Member

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    There would have been money coming along with the possibility of a new car, which was my main motive for possibly deciding to go through with one of these possible transactions.....I knew what I was doing, but thanks for the input :up:
     
  12. Royal Tee

    Royal Tee Girls juss wanna have fun
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    Toyota or Cheese?

    Pffffttt
     
  13. stinkyB

    stinkyB 2009 Best Avatar Award Winner

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    Wasn't trying to sound like a dick, but I look at cars (particularly used/old) as disposable use items. Cars are just instantly depreciable items unless they've reached collectible status.

    There comes a point where a vehicle has much more value as a functional piece of equipment that can get you from A to B then it does as BlueBook value as a "car". This is when you get any bit of ROI you will on a vehicle.

    Your Yoda is at that point now, and probably has more "functional value" than the other 2 vehicles despite not looking as cool........ but keeps more $ in your pocket. There's definitely a time to "trade up" but swapping used for equally used rarely ever works......

    good luck. cars are a PIA (I'm spending bye-week sunday fixing my truck) :shit:

    I do like cheese though!
     
  14. GordonGecko

    GordonGecko Well-Known Member

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    I wasn't sure so I covered all my bases
     
  15. HAYN

    HAYN Well-Known Member

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    I'd keep the Toy. Don't get the Audi, it would break down soon as you hand the money over.
     
  16. roboz08

    roboz08 Well-Known Member

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    Yup i'm keeping the Toyota and running it into the ground. Just got new tires for it today. If Ican get another 100k miles out of it I will be stoked.
     
  17. stinkyB

    stinkyB 2009 Best Avatar Award Winner

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    good choice, if you take care of it, it may. at least another 50.

    ..... but how about the price of tires?!?! I went to get new tires for my truck and they've DOUBLED since the last set (5 years ago)
     
  18. roboz08

    roboz08 Well-Known Member

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    I was able to get a set of economical all-weather tires for $80 a piece including installation. All together it came to about $340 after taxes. Not bad. I really needed them though, I'll be driving about 500 miles a week and the weather in Northeast PA is always unpredictable this time of year, as well as winter.
     

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