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I haven't bought a car since '05, but now it's time. I'm not real happy about it considering the state of the market right now, the advantage is definitely in the hands of the sellers considering the shortage, IE demand is high and supply is low (or at least, lower than usual).

I think I have my heart set on a Toyota 4 Runner or Highlander. I plan to get something gently used which is Toyota certified.

Any tips? Should I get the financing from a financial institution or through the dealer? Anything else I need to know?

I haven't bought a car since '05, but now it's time. I'm not real happy about it considering the state of the market right now, the advantage is definitely in the hands of the sellers considering the shortage, IE demand is high and supply is low (or at least, lower than usual). I think I have my heart set on a Toyota 4 Runner or Highlander. I plan to get something gently used which is Toyota certified. Any tips? Should I get the financing from a financial institution or through the dealer? Anything else I need to know?

(post is archived)

[+] [deleted] • 5 pts
[–] • 2 pts
  • Don't. Cars have sucked since 2005 and they've super duper mega sucked since 2015. Computers and touch screens in everything.
  • At least don't buy now. We're just getting over the covid hump, and now that gas is high there should be buyer's remorse trucks and suvs on the market. Lease or rent for 6-12 months if you have to, yes it costs more but way less than what you'd overpay buying now.
  • Take the car to a mechanic and ask for a buyer's inspection. If you're smart, take it to three and see if their stories add up. Ask them for a quote on how much it will be to fix all the shit that will inevitably be wrong with it.
  • Check the carfax. Take it with a grain of salt: When I bought my car the guy gave me a stack of all the mechanic invoices he had. Only 1/3 were on the carfax. But it's good to confirm things like number of past owners or where it was operated.
  • If possible, prefer cars from hot, dry climates. Humid places cause rust, snow in winter means salt which gets on the car and causes rust. Rust is very bad.
  • I wouldn't go with a dealer unless you find the 1 in a million that's actually honest. Just hit up craigslist and run the boomer gauntlet.
  • Kbb.com and edmunds should have blue book value. Don't pay more than this no matter what bullshit the seller tries to tell you.
  • When you're thinking of buying a car, imagine you have it, and need to do some typical repairs. Call mechanics to get quote on parts/labor for that service. Look up youtube vids for doing it yourself. Check part price & availability online. It helps if you research most common problems of that make/model/year.
  • Make sure the car can be entered and started with physical key, not just remotely. The wireless unlock/start fails easily. While you're at it, call Toyota and ask how much they charge for a new keyfob on that model car.
[–] • 1 pt

fyi in the state of michigan they are laying off auto workers everyday. The auto industry is tanking and this time there will be no one to save it. The price of gas is too high, the transition to overpriced electric vehicles was a bust but the jews will never tell you that.

Look in local newspapers for older people's cars because old people take care of their cars. Alternatively find a shitbox 1970-80s chevy or ford, you can set those things on fire and it would still be driveable.

Sooner rather than later cars will be obsolete because we won't have fuel to run them. Buy a $1000 shitbox until then and save your money for other things

[–] • 0 pt

Repair your existing vehicle.

[–] • 0 pt

The cost of doing that is waaay more than the car is worth. I’d be better off just putting that money down on a new or gently used car..at least that’s the way I see it.

[–] • 0 pt

There is a lot of good advice in this thread.

Keep in mind- Sometimes “no interest for one or two years” isn’t really what you wind up paying. Somehow or another they load the back end interest into the purchase price and to pay the car off you have to pay it.

This is a another real problem- In some states the dealers are selling the cars with a 30 day temporary tag (that’s the longest those states allow and no extensions and only one tag per car.). Problem is their State Motor Vehicle Department(s) are taking longer than 30 days to process title and hard plates. So you wind up with a new/used car you paid for or are paying for that has expired registration. So you say and friends say and the dealer says “everyone is experiencing this so don’t worry and just drive it because cops know this and won’t pull you over blah, blah, blah.” But your Insurance on your new ride is basically compromised and then some driver of a beater car runs into you and you are driving an unregistered motor vehicle…. Or a cop doesn’t want to respond to a domestic violence call and decides to pull you over instead; and you just left an after work dinner function where you had two beers…

Sure seems (((they))) are doing quite a bit just to screw with us. It really is like Moloch thrives on death and misery and stress.

[–] • 0 pt

Fix your current car. I am a mechanic and will never own a vehicle newer then ‘08 again. All the newer cars are direct injection(fuel injector sprays fuel directly into the cylinder). On older cars the fuel cleans the intake valves of all the carbon deposits the EPA put there with EGR systems. Newer cars need fairly routine valve cleaning as a result. Direct injection requires a high pressure fuel pump and expensive injectors that are prone to failure. I’m doing a high pressure pump on a 2018 Chevy with 80k Monday. That being said I love them…they pay my bills.

[–] • 0 pt

buy used from someone old selling it just becuase you can talk them down. For the love of god do not get a car payment. if you have half a brain you would be able to shell out 4 or 5k for a use car. Shit is hitting the fan and getting a car payment is the fucking worst idea than sucking either one of the obamas dick. Just dont do it.

[–] • 2 pts (edited )

I can absolutely shell out a good deal of cash for a used car.. but 4 or 5k is going to get me something with way too many miles on it.

I plan to pay off any loan within a year (I make pretty decent money). I should be able to get a loan where the interest doesn't kick in for a year, so if I pay it off before then I lose nothing to interest.

To be completely upfront, my original plan was to wait until I had enough to pay cash $30-$40k for something outright. I would have been able to do that by the end of the year.. problem is that my current car is done for so I can't wait that long now.

[–] • 1 pt

I plan to pay off any loan within a year (I make pretty decent money).

If you make decent money, why don't you have any savings? You should be able to buy a car for cash.

[–] • 0 pt

Because I just recently started making really good money, as of March. Oh, and since then I’ve gotten engaged (bought a ring) and paid for wedding shit. Hence why I said, by the end of the year I could have paid for a 30-40k vehicle straight up with cash.

[–] • 0 pt

throw 20k down and put 10k pay it off in 12 months. Fine, if you can do it, but if shtf and that interest shoots up to god knows where, you'll be fucked. then again someone would have to come and get it... lol

[–] • 0 pt

No one does variable interest rates anymore except for cc, maybe?

[–] • 0 pt

I so wanted to give you some tips but the truck market is crazy now where I'm at. Texas has seen a 26% increase in used car prices and my 2019 truck is worth almost 10k more (per dealer buy back estimates) than when I bought it new. I really have no idea what's happening and it kind of worries me, because I want an old low mile jeep or bronco that I'll be able to work on myself and the prices are almost the same compared to new vehicles.

Good luck on your search, mate

[–] • 1 pt

I’m in TX, too. I’m planning on a SUV, not a truck. The prices for brand new still seem to be a bit more than used from what I can tell. Or perhaps I’m missing something.

[–] • 1 pt

Figure this one. My 2022 diesel truck was cheaper to buy new than a 2020 with 30k miles. Wtf?

[–] • 0 pt

Why pay cash when you can finance it for 4% when inflation is 8%. Take that cash and put it in something that doesn't depreciate nearly as fast as a vehicle.

[–] • 2 pts

Uh because I need a fucking vehicle 🤷‍♂️

Some of you guys are talking to me like this is some optional thing whereby I’m just looking to invest money “somewhere”.

No, I need a fucking car.

Does everyone around here ride horses or a bicycle everywhere they go? WTF man?

That said, depreciation is one reason why I’m not looking to buy a new car, rather, a used one.

[–] • 0 pt

If you have to finance, get a loan through a local credit union rather than the dealership. The new 4runners are really nice, at least as nice as a computer on wheels can be.

[–] • 0 pt

Yeah I’ve heard CU’s are best. I think you have to be a member though. So I guess I need to join one.