Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Buying a used car

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 06-09-2011, 11:11 PM:

I always drove a new car throughout my active professional photographic career but have been driving a used car during the past seven years after I had closed my studio in 1998. The used car was a gift from my cousin when I decided not to buy new vehicles anymore and it had served me very well all these years. It was a 1991 Mitsubishi Galant and had almost two hundred fifty thousand miles when the transmission gave out yesterday.

I will now have to go shopping for another used car because I still do not want a new car and do not know where to go and buy a reliable car. The car I had all these years was over ten years old when I got it and if I can purchase another car like it, I will be very happy. I used to do a lot of driving during my active photo career and that it the reason I always drove new cars but I no longer drive very much so All I need a car that will give me fairly reliable performance for at least another five years.

Can anyone tell me what to look for in a used car and a trustworthy salesperson.? As a starter, I thought about going to the used car devision of the local Chevrolet dealer tomorrow where I used to buy my new cars but the two sales person who knew and serviced me had retired and are dead now. Any other suggestions anyone? I do not want to spend too much but will if I have to. Am I expecting much for about $1500.00?

-Claude

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-10-2011, 12:23 AM:

Course, you know of the old saying "you get what you paid for", and for fifteen hundred, you really can't expect much from a dealer.

Just keep looking in craigslist, wooden nickel, or similar, for sometimes a gem shows up for a good price.

(as for the Galant, if the body is good and motor -which should be the 4G63 SOHC motor, which is bulletproof in itself- still runs great with the prevent maintenance done to it, 1500 bucks can get you another transmission and buy 10 more years out of the vehicle.. I also have a '91 Eclipse with over 200k on it and at 160k, I put in an auto tranny from a wrecked vehicle that cost me 895.00 in and it still runs like a top..)

Good luck

-Monte

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 06-10-2011, 10:38 AM:

The Galant with a functional trans is a $1500 car. The auto trans in any high mileage car is the weakest link. In this area a $1500 car is at least 15+ years old with close to 200,000 miles and likely a non functional AC. Don't expect to find a car that cheap on a dealer lot, there isn't enough money in it for them to bother and the so called 50/50 warranty really is no warranty at all. Find a car you like that looks like has been well taken care of and dog the hell out it on the test drive be especially hard on the trans. If HI. has a vehicle safety inspection and or emissions test, make sure it has current approval.

Posted by Fred Georges (Member # 505) on 06-10-2011, 11:46 AM:

If everything else is fairly solid on your Mits I too would vote to having the Trans repaired. I would think that cars in Hawaii would be hideously expensive & used cars the same. $1500.00 wouldn't buy you much in Chicago much less the islands. [Big Grin]

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 06-10-2011, 12:49 PM:

Best cheap cars come from religious organizations that accept cars from older folks who check into assisted living homes. I have pilot friends that are able to get a decent 15 year old car with 45000 miles for $600-800. (They use them for airport cars. They leave them in airport employee parking lots for years.) Louis

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 06-10-2011, 01:38 PM:

If you liked your Mitsubishi then go to a Mitsubishi dealer and see if they have some used cars for sale. I drove a loner Mitsubishi Gallant 2010 model while I was having some service done on my Lancer. It took some getting used to because of the high back on it but after a couple of days driving it everything was fine. I like Mitsubishi's our local dealer always treated me with great service. Eventually they turn those loner cars over to the used car division so you may find one you like their. As far as what you can afford you can only do what you can do. It might be good to rebuild or replace the transmission but who is to say that the engine wouldn't conk out two days later. It all starts to add up to a set of car payments for one year.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-10-2011, 03:38 PM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
(They use them for airport cars. They leave them in airport employee parking lots for years.) Louis

..just hope they put a tarp over them so not to let the sun rot out the interior and rot out the tires-like they do to their Cessna, Beechcraft and Mooneys' windshields.

Posted by Jim Henk (Member # 3628) on 06-10-2011, 06:49 PM:

My girlfiend (at the time) was shopping for a car, and we decided to hire a guy to come out and give the candidate car the once-over. After requiring that the owner not be present during the inspection, (bad experience in the past) he checked it out all over, and nixed the car as having been in a wreck.

I asked him later what percentage of cars he found were worth buying during his inspection. He said in his experience, about five percent.

I'd recommend having someone do the same for you. An expert is going to catch what you can't. If the owner won't go for that, then walk away.

Be well.

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 06-10-2011, 09:46 PM:

As a owner of a taxi company I have bought about 12 used cars in the past year. My advice is to stay away from private sale. In the beginning I bought a minivan private sale to try to save some of the start uo capital and ended up paying down the road. It is much easier to get a dealer to make things right than the average person. I would look for a used dealership that has it's own mechanic and garage as that is the easiest way to get things fixed. I would also reccomend doing a little homework and research into the car and it's value before you buy.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-11-2011, 03:57 PM:

(now, this if the money for purchase was a little higher...)

buy a vehicle from a leasing company when they get new vehicles for their fleet - like Hertz, Avis and the like.

They may be three years old, but still in new condition since they've been serviced to the letter.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 06-12-2011, 05:53 PM:

I agree with the other guys. Look into having the transmission rebuilt. If it has been a good car, is should continue to give good service.

All 3 of my vehicles are from the mid 1980's. 2 of them got new transmissions a few years ago, and I dont regret doing it.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 06-12-2011, 08:43 PM:

I asked about getting the transmission of my Mitsubishi repaired but my service technician said it would cost three thousand dollars and urged me to get another car. When my cousin gave me the car ten years ago, she said it needed work done to the transmission and it only cost me a thousand to have it done at the time. I was very lucky because the shop allowed me to give them my old Acura Vigor in exchange for the repair work and I was very happy with that arrangement.

It has been four days since my car 'died' and I have been managing pretty good so far. Despite the fact that I had a car it has been a blessing I have I have been using our local metropolitan bus service for a large portion of my commuting for many years. Because of my senior citizen status, I can buy a annual city bus pass with no restrictions for only $30.00 and that is a very good deal! I do not know what I was thinking when I said I hope to get a replacement used car for fifteen hundred dollars. I now realize it would cost me at least five thousand dollars if I am lucky to get something decent.

-Claude

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-12-2011, 10:29 PM:

Yes. the rebuilds are very expensive, but another route where a lot goes is called "JDM"

quote:
Japanese domestic market (JDM) refers to the local market in Japan for Japanese-made motor vehicles and components. Within the car and motorcycle hobbyist import scene, this term, and the related term Japanese domestic model, most commonly refer to Japanese-brand automobiles and parts designed and constructed to conform to Japanese vehicle and equipment regulations and to suit Japanese market preferences.

What happens is that there is a standing rule in Japan that a vehicle must pass yearly inspection for three years, then afterwards the vehicle must pass a very expensive inspection that can cost plenty.

Thus, what happens is that the vehicle is then usually traded in and then useable parts are taken off the trade-in and sold usually internationally for pennies to the dollar compared to rebuilts or new.

It's more of a recycle thing on that island since there are not that many roadways and major overcrowding can take place if the "balance of product" isn't maintained.

Thus, as I mentioned when I had my transmission replaced on my Eclipse, it was a JDM transmission for $895.00 and 400 bucks to have it installed. The cost of repairing the original tranny was close to $2500.00 - why the shop told me about the JDM end of the spectrum. True though, these units are used, but have far less miles on them than one can expect.

I've seen many Japanese import vehicle owners go this JDM way when replacing both motor and transmission - saving them tonnage just to replace than to repair.

-Monte