What is your car buying criteria?

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Tommy999

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I will be soon be in the market to buy a new or pre-owned car. It’s been awhile. Just curious what criteria others use when selecting a vehicle.

For instance, my father (deceased) had a friend with whom he went to school who owned a car dealership, so my father bought cars from him regardless of what brand he was selling because he trusted him and knew he’d get a good deal.

My sister bases her decision on the looks of the car and what it feels like when she drives it. I have buddy who is a “Ford Man”, another who only likes Hondas, and others who like a particular manufacturer or “wouldn’t be caught dead” in another.

The last car I bought was a 2002 that I am still driving but it is about ready to give up the ghost. I checked the ratings in a consumer reference book when I bought that one. I based it mainly on reliability stats.

I’d appreciate hearing tips on how other people
choose a new (or pre-owned) vehicle. Sometimes I wish I lived in a big city or Europe where there is reliable mass transit, but that is not a viable option for me.
 
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If I may ask, how did you research the longevity and dependability of the model? Was it a certain website, talking to experts, or are you just a car-savvy person?

Thanks again for the reply, (name removed by moderator)
 
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How the salesperson treats me, his or her attitude, including how he or she responds to my questions.

CAR FAX DATA

The color I want, exterior and interior

The ease of driving, manual and/or automatic transmission.

The presence of a PRINTED users manual – NO online hunting!

The features I want, and if they aren’t present on the vehicle, is the dealership willing to order them for me?

The price and financial arrangement – is it affordable and fair?

Trade-in deal – is it reasonable?

The cost of insuring it

And, once again, how the salesperson treats me, during and after the sale.
 
I do an online search within a 30 mile radius of all the non-luxury car dealerships. Criteria is no older than four years. No more than $10,000 but I’ll search up to $12,000 figuring with trade in and negotiation I can get it close to $10,000. And no more than 30,000 miles. Sedan and nothing too compact. Automatic transmission. Also like it to have at least two years of the warranty left. I did this three years ago and saw the exact car I wanted online. I drove to the dealership, took it for a test drive and bought it and drove it home that day. I keep cars for a long time. This is only my fourth car in almost 40 years of owning cars.
 
I start with having all eight cylinders . . .

That is followed buy recoil mass and other safety features.

Yes, I buy mostly late 20th century Cadillacs these days . . .

🤣 🤔
 
We think alike, Zach. I also like to buy a car with less than 30,000 miles and try to keep them for a long time, as I’ve done with my current one. It’s a 2002 Toyota Camry that I bought in 2004.
 
I’m actually in the market for my first car. I’m definitely going with a hybrid and will almost certainly get one with Android Auto. Beyond that, I’m looking at expected reliability, how well it drives, and word-of-mouth. Mostly I’m trying to decide Honda Insight and Accord, Toyota Camry, and Hyundai Ioniq. Unfortunately, the Prius doesn’t have Android Auto.

That’s probably not the most standard criteria, but it is my practical environmentalist who can finally buy his first car criteria.
 
I search Consumer Reports, Edmunds and other car review sites to get an idea of which cars are the most reliable. Edmunds will also give you an idea of what people are paying. I like to buy at the end of the month when you get better deals because they need to meet quotas. I only look at total price, because payments can always be massaged by adjusting trade ins, length of loan, and down payment amount. I also look at safety ratings and today I’d want the new safety features of blind side and rear cross monitoring, and anti collision devices. Remember everything is negotiable.
 
I think the first thing I would suggest is look at what you need the car for. Just getting from point a to point b, or will you be hauling things, people, etc. That will possibly help you with what kind of vehicle you need (e.g. car, truck, van, suv, etc).

Next, how many miles do you typically drive a year?

I’ve always heard that Honda’s and Toyota’s just seem to last forever. Your Toyota seems to be proof to that being that it is a 2002. I know a guy who is still driving an mid to late 1970’s first model Civic.

For me, I look at what looks nice to me, and base that on my needs. I drive a lot of miles in a year (mostly highway) so I need something that is reliable, gets decent gas mileage, and then go from there.
 
My criteria is cost, good condition and that it has as few blindspots as possible.
 
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