Looking at CarMax,
that price seems pretty good. Been ten years since I shopped for a car–wow, the prices are high on anything that gets decent mileage.
A Fit Can’t Tow 300 Pounds?
I don’t believe it. Lots and lots of PEOPLE are over 300 pounds.
New Vibe = Matrix
I was car shopping this past November and, for current model years at least, the vibe is almost exactly the same car as the matrix. There are a few minor differences, but nothing to write home about.
The Vibe is.
– Last Updated: Aug-12-09 6:10 PM EST –
a Pontiac and history if you read the news,end of this year. Could you get parts???????? Almost 10K is to much ,considering I see 2009's new go for 16K.
Vibe & Matrix are the same car,different styling components,but Toyota doesn't work on them,go figure. I had 09 Matrix ,and if I remember correctly they can tow 1000lbs,but again not reccommended{manual disclaimer statement}. You have to understand vehicle frame and body construction of economy cars,why they can't tow,include stupid unsafe people & lawyers in that too. Small SUVs should be able to tow due to better frames,brakes,and load capacities,but you will loose in gas economy.
billinpa
Econo cars
Have unibody construction,and hence no frame,or only subframe. If you have ever towed anything,you would know the forces of trailing weight against a vehicle. With the engineering of unibody it is designed for wheel distributed load,and not pushing & dragging and side forces of trailing weight. Brakes are designed only for the load capacity of the loaded vehicle,and not extra forces of trailing weight included. Don’t believe me,READ your own car manual. Limits imposed in the US cars are because of our litigative society,and those who defy common sense.
billinpa
Sissy, do not buy any car until you go
– Last Updated: Aug-12-09 6:49 PM EST –
to edmunds.com.
http://www.edmunds.com/used/2006/pontiac/vibe/100536817/options.html
Thanks. Know much about clothes dryers?
Mine quit tonight with a large load of hot, wet laundry sitting in it. I bought the thing in 1980, so I guess it was due.
What next? she said, and knocked on wood…
Is it electric? If it is ,it has 5
– Last Updated: Aug-12-09 9:53 PM EST –
components - a drive motor,a belt around the drum, the drum , a heating element, and a timer. All fairly easily replaced.I kept our first going for 20 years.
The first thing to check is the belt.To get at it,you have to pull the face off.
But if it is 30 years old,you got your money's worth.
It has to be the belt
it was still heating, but not spinning. I think it is time for a new washer and dryer.
And new car, too. Going shopping this weekend. Right now mulling over whether to stick with a small Sedan—my Saturn has served me so well, and also served to keep me from accumulating more and more camping gear. I like to think about getting a little camper and so forth, but I really do like to keep my life simple.
Thinking about Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra.
Used car prices
The mark up on any used car on a dealer’s lot is $3k. That’s the minimum. On the most desirable models that spread could double.
Sites like Kelly Blue Book cater to car dealers, setting prices that favor dealers. Thus all the newspaper adds that proclaim "WE will beat Kelly Blue book-NADA-Edmonds etc.
Dealer’s set their used car prices based on two sources, Manheim, or Galves. Manheim is the largest used car auctioneer in the country and Galves is a statistical service that gathers real time auction prices from all auction sites and the sells that info to dealers on a regionalized basis. Neither of these services is available to the public. As for CarMax, they are a dealer, not a reliable source of used car pricing.
As for price, use 100,000 miles as the useful life of the car. Yes, it could go 3x that distance with excellent care, but diminishing returns start to set in between 50 and 100k. If a 3 year old car listed new for $14k, was buyable new for $12k and is 50% thru its useful life how much would be a fair price to pay for it today? Condition and options also factor in, but mileage rules. It’s the only thing the dealer cares about. And a clue here is that paying 80% of the new buy price or more for that kind of car is lamb going to slaughter territory.
Car Fax any used car to verify ownership and to get a mileage trail. However, know that Car Fax cannot tell you if the car is a stolen salvage rebuild or if the car is a rebuilt clean title total. Same for flood car rebuilds. Carfax can catch some of these cars, but there is a reason insurance companies like totaling cars in clean title states that don’t require branding. Any changes of ownership with little difference in mileage may be tip offs to a rebuilt car. Thousands of rebuilt cars are sold to unsuspecting consumers every year. Disgustingly, some are even sold as certified pre-owned cars. Honda and Acura dealers deserve extra scrutiny in this area. (Honda misses that car is rebuilt wreck and offers it at factory sale. Dealer buys car and offers it as certified preowned. Even if dealer discovers car is a rebuilt wreck, Honda will not buy the car back from them. Their choice, eat it or sell it)
Have the car checked by a mechanic you trust. Flood cars can be avoided by simply running your hand under the dash. Only dust, if anything, should come off on your fingers. Also look under the trunk liner and under the spare tire. New carpets in a relatively new car also a tipoff. Some wear is good!
Car fax is supposed to show lemon law buy backs, but that program depends on the manufacturer branding the cars. Good luck with that! BMW has earned a reputation in this area…
If the car is being offered by a dealer that sells new cars of the same brand ask them for the service records. This will show all warranty work done.
Lastly, a large percentage of used cars offered by dealers are purchased at auctions. Large sources of used cars are off lease cars and program cars. Program cars are either rental vehicles or cars owned and used by the manufacturer for their employees. These cars are offered to new car dealers by the manufacturer at factory sales usually run by Manheim. For example Toyota offers cars to Toyota dealers at the Toyota sale. The importance of knowing this is, if you see, for example, a 3 year old Camry for sale at the local Ford dealership it was either traded directly to them or purchased at the auction. If it was purchased at the auction one might want to question why it didn’t make the cut at the Toyota sale? After-all what Toyota dealer wouldn’t want a big profit preowned Camry to sell? And if traded, why to a Ford dealer? Neither means the car is a bad car, Just extra caution needed before writing a check.
E320
I found one in CT for 24K 2005 50K on the clock.
Thank you for all the information
You sound very knowledgeable; wish I could take you shopping.
I’ve always bought new cars, not used, and then I keep them for quite a while—6 years was the shortest length of time (VW Golf, POS from day one), 13 years the longest (VW beetle.) I’m definitely leaning toward buying another new car, just so I can postpone as long as possible having to do this again. Some people enjoy shopping. I don’t. Rather be paddling.
The Vibe that is at the Saturn dealership was bought at auction, and only shows one owner. I know two people who have Vibes and like them. But I do think the mileage on that one is too high.
This weekend I’m going looking with my niece, who is a real whiz. She’s the family negotiator when it comes to large purchases; she got her sister a really good deal a couple of years ago, and I trust her. It may even be fun, if all I have to do is look dumb ;^)
Much as I hated to spend money on my car yesterday, I think it was probably money well spent to buy me time to decide exactly what I want.
First priority of course, is to make sure Yakima racks will fit.
You will probably need new clips
for the racks;the towers and bars are fine. The clips are made to fit the contour of specific model’s doors.
They don’t seem to make clips for
all cars, or maybe their website isn’t up to date. I’ll check with local dealer to make sure before I buy.
BTW, replacing a dryer belt is easy
but takes 2 people.
Not easy for me,
– Last Updated: Aug-13-09 6:25 PM EST –
and that rusty old tub is gonna go, along with the washing machine that has a switch I've held together with duct tape for two whole years to avoid the $200 (estimate that was given) repair bill to fix it.
Without duct tape, my life would be.......falling apart...
edit: so far, nothing broke today!
Don’t buy a used Matrix/Vibe
– Last Updated: Aug-14-09 11:49 PM EST –
The Toyotas in particular (and perhaps the Pontiacs too) retain far too much market value to make them a logical choice in the used market.
I liked the configuration 3 years ago when I started shopping, and began looking at 2-3-year-old models, as I've always done. Cars with 50-70k on the clock were indeed selling for $12-14k, when a brand-spankin'-NEW one could be had for about $16k!
So that's what I bought, and couldn't be happier with it. Especially when hauling two yaks and a big heap o' camping gear, and squeezing 30-32 miles out of a gallon. Remove the boats and rack, and cruise at 65mph, and you may even see 37 MPG ...
Happy Paddling!
http://www.AquaDynology.com/
Delphinus
Delphinus, thanks
for your info. They sure do hold their value, and I’ve about decided to buy new again, just for the pure pleasure of having a car under warranty for a while. The Hyundai Elantra was of interest, but Yakima doesn’t make towers to fit it yet, so that won’t work.
Today I’m going to look at the Matrix, and the Honda Fit, either of which would serve as nice transport for my canoe, which after all is the most important function of my car. Buying a little camper trailer is not in my immediate plans, but maybe someday, and the Matrix can handle that, which the Fit cannot.
The Civic
Has better MPG numbers than the Fit. It may be out of your price range, but just sayin’. The Fit is a cool commuter car. I’ve owned six accords and three Civics and almost no problems. A wheel bearing failed on our 07 Civic and I had a an AC compressor leaking water into my 1994 Accord EX. Several trips without a fix. I blame the dealer for not performing a relatively easy fix. I’m not a mechanic and even i knew it was a problem in the drain line. Still, no fix? Anyway, three Accords after that one, plus two Civics before the 07, hundreds of thousands of miles of use and not one problem. Hondas are good stuff!!!
The Fit
– Last Updated: Aug-15-09 1:47 PM EST –
Gets way better milage then the civic. The EPA sticker milage for the Fit is way off. Most Fit owners{Fit message board poll of owners coast to coast} get 35mpg in town,and as high as 45mpg on the highway. I routinely get 35-36 in town,an 40-42mpg highway,and I average 38mpg mixed driving since day one. The Insight,and Civic hybrid aren't much higher in mileage figures. I had a 1995 Civic that got 35mpg at best on the highway.
billinpa