where did YOU find your new car?

[S.D.Willie]

im not exactly in the market for a new car but i so desperately need one. im going to have to possibly take one of these no money down deals but try to soften the blow by having a decent amount for a down payment anyhow.

my question is when you dont know what you want exactly, where can you find (good sites) to find what you might want in a car? sure i can look around in lots bit its getting cold outside now.
any good links that anyone would know of besides autobytel?
thanks.

SD

[Epidemic]

Depends on your definition of a new car.

The proper definition of a new car I would have to say never owned and probably will never own a new car.

Most of my cars I have gotten at auction, private sale or at the local used car dealer.

This time around I will consider internet sites but I still like the accountability of a local used dealer or private sale.

[vass0922]

for good information www.edmunds.com

I didn't have much choice when I got my new(er) car
My last car was dying and I was happy the thing made it to the dealership so I kinda grabbed a car from the first dealership I went to, and got a decent deal. So I'm not much help in that aspect
Usually its good to just keep your eye out when driving for a car that looks good, then find some information on it to see if its a reliable car. Definately want to research the car as even some of the newest ones fall apart quickly, then again some hold together pretty well

[J-Excel]

The best thing to do is just go from dealer to dealer until you know what you want. And remember, they want to sell you a car more than you want to buy one. I've bought used cars and new cars. I've had better experience, and lowest total cost of owning a vehicle, with a new car.

[Epidemic]

OMG you must have picked some real rotters when you bought used.

I usually come out on top when I buy used. I have always sold @ or around my purchase price buying used. I typically put on about 30 to 40 thousand miles on them and spend roughly 1000 dollars above purchase price in repairs over my ownership period.

I bought my subaru GL 3 door for 5,000 bucks and sold it for $3,500 with an additional 60,000 miles on it. I had to replace the alternator, both front CV joints and a clutch. Figure an additional 1000 bucks. So for 2,500 dollars I traveled 60,000 miles .0417 cents per mile. That was one of my losers.

Most cars I buy and sell at roughtly the same price or higher depending on whether I decided to work on them.

My biggest all time biggest loser was my firebird. 1500 did all the body work, just ready to paint, Trany and engine work 1000 bucks and in a freak case of SDS (Sudden deceleration Syndrome) the car went from about 5000 dollar value to - 50 dollars for towing costs. That was after 6500 miles or so. That was 38 cents per mile.

[Target]

You might want to consider checking out auto magazines as well (both current and past issues) to see what models are available this year, and what the reviewers impressions are. Public libraries often have several issues of these on hand you can look through.

Bottom line is, you need to decide what major functionality you need (truck for hauling and passengers, just passengers, 4x4 or not, etc) to narrow down your search. Once you have nailed down the general type of vehicle you want, you have to then decide what styles/features you are looking for in the vehicle and which ones appeal to you and your needs. This narrowing down process should get you to eventually 6 or fewer possibilities to choose from.

From there, its then a matter of deciding which is the best over all match for your needs and price range. I should mention, this is where the really nitty-gritty research you do on the models comes into play. Once you have narrowed it down a bit, its a lot easier to really research and compare those models for things like dependability projections, standard features, available options, warranties, price, etc.

You'll eventually want to go to the dealer lots though and actually spend some time with each choice. Sit in them, check out the workmanship, drive them, etc. This should narrow the field down even further for you.

I have no idea how badly you need a replacement auto, or what timeframe you have. The longer you can wait, the more time you have to research brands, models, and prices to make sure of your choice. Stay flexible as well. Try not to get in a hurry, or to catch "new car fever". This tends to cloud your judgement when evaluating your options and may lead you to choose a car you aren't completely happy with a few months down the road, or to pay too much for what you get.

[S.D.Willie]

to be honest its narrowed down to a 2 door car, decent on gas but not too small, can be manual but i prefer automatic now) the honda accord is quite nice but hondas are no doubt up there in price. i had a pulsar which i got for free and it lasted 3 years and looked like hell but back then geting inspection stickers were alot easier than now.

i got lucky in the fact that i have an auto mechanic friend who is selling 2 cars. an old lincoln with too many miles(250,000, runs like a top(luxury car) for a $1000.00) or an 87 grand am with a decent body with a new engine (12k miles on, tranny is strong) he wants 500 bucks for the grand am and the inspection is good till may this year. i think the pontiac will be my new " get me through a while" car. the longer it lasts the better down payment i get is the way i can look at it i guess.

im just waiting on hearing the damage of my cougar. i already know the bearings are shot in the crankshaft. i think i hear taps playing in the backround for the mercury. can you say motorjob?
im not.

SD