Car buying tips?

[anothercog]

DW and I decided to buy an extra car for son to drive himself to school. We are thinking of a Honda Civic.

The question is whether to buy new or used? I'm looking at somewhat used vehicles (2019) and they are only priced about 10% less than new MSRP (at Carmax and AutoNation).

The past few vehicles we have bought new I have bought below dealer invoice which was around 10% less than MSRP.

Everyone says to buy used and let someone else take the depreciation but I'm not seeing much depreciation on used Hondas. If I can get new for the same or just slightly more than used, why buy a car with 20k miles of wear and tear?

What am I missing?

 

[bbqcoder]

What am I missing?

I don't think you're missing anything. I buy new because the price differential is small for certain brands.

 

[RunningBum]

A possible explanation would be trim level. Maybe you are looking at a used Civic with a lot of extras vs. a basic new car. Or maybe not. Some cars really do hold a lot of value. I also buy new for that reason.

 

[Jerry1]

I don't think you're missing anything. I buy new because the price differential is small for certain brands.

I agree. I’m looking at a new truck and trading in my old one. Thing is, my old one is only a couple years old and has just over 20K miles. If I take what they are offering for trade and add a few thousand for them to make some money, there’s no way I would buy it for that. As you are seeing, it’s just too close to the new price - especially with all the incentives being offered right now.

 

[OldShooter]

... Everyone says to buy used and let someone else take the depreciation but I'm not seeing much depreciation on used Hondas. If I can get new for the same or just slightly more than used, why buy a car with 20k miles of wear and tear?

What am I missing?

I don't think you're missing anything. Those sort of price situations can happen. Back in '94 I bought my very first new vehicle because every used car manager in town had the same truck, priced pretty much the same as new.

I have saved money a couple of times by buying a new, unsold, car that was one model year old.

But, but ... For school transportation why would you be looking at such an expensive solution? Even neglecting the fact that new drivers tend to ruin cars accidents, it seems to me that a 50K or even a 100K miles car should be adequate school transportation. My '06 Nissan Frontier pickup has about 120K miles now and it would be a perfect vehicle for school transportation. But it's also perfect for me, so it's not for sale.

 

[finnski1]

I don't think you're missing anything. I buy new because the price differential is small for certain brands.

I agree. I just mentioned something similar yesterday about Toyota Tacomas. Crazy used prices so I buy new.

 

[anothercog]

I don't think you're missing anything. Those sort of price situations can happen. Back in '94 I bought my very first new vehicle because every used car manager in town had the same truck, priced pretty much the same as new.

I have saved money a couple of times by buying a new, unsold, car that was one model year old.

But, but ... For school transportation why would you be looking at such an expensive solution? Even neglecting the fact that new drivers tend to ruin cars accidents, it seems to me that a 50K or even a 100K miles car should be adequate school transportation. My '06 Nissan Frontier pickup has about 120K miles now and it would be a perfect vehicle for school transportation. But it's also perfect for me, so it's not for sale.

I was thinking about this as well. I should factor in some fender benders as he will be a new driver. Maybe I'll look a bit older and hope there is more depreciation a that point. There does however appear to be high demand for used Hondas. Maybe I'll go back to my original plan of giving him my 2013 Honda Pilot and buying a new car for me. DW wants him to have something smaller though. Back to discussions with DW.

 

[Terhathum123]

I am also looking for a new car and found the similar differential between new and used Hondas in MN/WI. If your set on a Honda, new seems best.

 

[OldShooter]

I was thinking about this as well. I should factor in some fender benders as he will be a new driver. Maybe I'll look a bit older and hope there is more depreciation a that point. There does however appear to be high demand for used Hondas. Maybe I'll go back to my original plan of giving him my 2013 Honda Pilot and buying a new car for me. DW wants him to have something smaller though. Back to discussions with DW.

Bigger is better when you're going to tangle with another car.

We have some friends who had a brilliant solution to daughter's car. They bought an old pickup truck ("three on the the tree"). It didn't have enough power to get her into serious trouble. The cab wouldn't hold a mob of kids. Any of the current tin-can grocery getters would lose in a collision. AND, she could work on it herself. She actually did change out the radiator. Consider the self confidence that would instill in a young woman!

My son bought an old pickup, too, though without participation from me. He ran it out of oil, seized the engine. Lesson #1. He and I went to a junkyard run by a guy I raced with and got a good replacement engine. Parked the truck next to my garage with the engine sitting next to it and I wished him good luck. He got it done. Lesson #2. From that point he has had the self confidence to tackle almost anything and he takes care of his cars.

 

[Music Lover]

Bigger is better when you're going to tangle with another car.

We have some friends who had a brilliant solution to daughter's car. They bought an old pickup truck ("three on the the tree"). It didn't have enough power to get her into serious trouble. The cab wouldn't hold a mob of kids. Any of the current tin-can grocery getters would lose in a collision. AND, she could work on it herself. She actually did change out the radiator. Consider the self confidence that would instill in a young woman!

Old myths die hard. An old pickup with 3 on the tree would have crushed your friend's daughter's chest and knocked out most of her teeth had she hit something solid and bounced off the steering wheel. Even if it would have held up without much damage hitting a "current tin can", the driver in that tin can would have been probably saved injury by several air bags. The car would lose but the driver would win.

I am a fan of people learning to work on cars though. Unfortunately most of the things I learned in past years can't be done as easily anymore.

 

[ivinsfan]

Is money an issue? I'll be devil's advocate and say young drivers should have minimum a mid to full sized car with modern safety features. I want to protect my kid at their most inexperienced driving and judgement making age.

 

[Freedom56]

Depending where you live, used cars may be overpriced. I have always found that the best time to buy a car is at the end of the year or mid-April during tax season. I would contact the internet sales person at dealers near you and ask about any deals for cars in inventory. I would pay cash if you can to get the best deal. Dealers don't like all-cash buyers but they often need to clear inventory or make their sales numbers.

 

[RunningBum]

How does your son like driving the Pilot? My son said he felt very comfortable driving my 2008 Pilot, a lot more than his mom's minivan.

 

[doneat54]

Old myths die hard. An old pickup with 3 on the tree would have crushed your friend's daughter's chest and knocked out most of her teeth had she hit something solid and bounced off the steering wheel. Even if it would have held up without much damage hitting a "current tin can", the driver in that tin can would have been probably saved injury by several air bags. The car would lose but the driver would win.

Yep ^^^ what he said. But you probably won't change some minds. I had an older gentlemen tell me once (about a newer car) "I wouldn't want to get hit by a dump truck in that!" I asked him, "Well tell me then exactly what car you WOULD like to get hit by a dump truck in"


The safety technologies built into newer cars today are INVALUABLE.

 

[doneat54]

To the OP, consider a one owner, used Volvo. They don't hold their value well and you can get 2-5 year old ones for WAY off of new price. Find something being sold with a maintenance history and ask for a CarFax. They are very safe cars. And the smaller sedans are nice, well equipped and pretty nice looking.


We bought our son two V70s (not at the same time!) for near nothing and they were great cars, and unstoppable in New England snow.

 

[anothercog]

How does your son like driving the Pilot? My son said he felt very comfortable driving my 2008 Pilot, a lot more than his mom's minivan.

He’s only paracticed on the mini van (Odyssey) and on the drivers-Ed car, which I think is a Prius. He likes the Prius better because it is easier to park. I’ll take him out on the Pilot this weekend. It is a bit boxy (2013) and not easy to see over the hood so I suspect it will be hard to park for him but practice makes perfect.

 

[anothercog]

To the OP, consider a one owner, used Volvo. They don't hold their value well and you can get 2-5 year old ones for WAY off of new price. Find something being sold with a maintenance history and ask for a CarFax. They are very safe cars. And the smaller sedans are nice, well equipped and pretty nice looking.


We bought our son two V70s (not at the same time!) for near nothing and they were great cars, and unstoppable in New England snow.

I grew up in New England learned to drive on an old Volvo sedan my Dad had bought for $600. It was a great car.

 

[anothercog]

Old myths die hard. An old pickup with 3 on the tree would have crushed your friend's daughter's chest and knocked out most of her teeth had she hit something solid and bounced off the steering wheel. Even if it would have held up without much damage hitting a "current tin can", the driver in that tin can would have been probably saved injury by several air bags. The car would lose but the driver would win.

I am a fan of people learning to work on cars though. Unfortunately most of the things I learned in past years can't be done as easily anymore.

I do love the three on a tree but airbags are a must.

 

[OldShooter]

A steering wheel airbag adds no value for someone with the brains to wear a seatbelt. Absent such a minimal level of intelligence it would be better for the species if Mr. Darwin were allowed to deal with the situation.

 

[teetee]

A steering wheel airbag adds no value for someone with the brains to wear a seatbelt. Absent such a minimal level of intelligence it would be better for the species if Mr. Darwin were allowed to deal with the situation.

Airbags do help to dampen the impact so your don't have a concussion from hitting the steering wheel with your face and leave bruises on your chest from the seat belt.

This is from my experience with a frontal impact at speed around 40mph last year. If I never had an accident like that I would never think the airbags are that important. For crashing speed faster than that (highway accidents) airbags would likely save lives.

 

[teetee]

Honda Fit discontinued this year so your can pick the 2020 model up for cheap.

The new Yaris is really a Mazda 2 sedan but drive nice.

To save money I would get something within three years, one owner, and anywhere between 80k to 100k miles mainly because it depreciates more with high mileage but not enough for the rust to be the problem. Having the mechanic to go over the used car you wish to buy before the purchase is a must.

 

[Sunset]

How does your son like driving the Pilot? My son said he felt very comfortable driving my 2008 Pilot, a lot more than his mom's minivan.

When I was College age, I really wanted a van. Just throw a mattress in back and some shag carpet on the walls, it would have been perfect.

Instead I had a $300 AMC Hornet, but it still got me to class

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I doubt a truck with a three on the tree also has engineered crumple zones. F = dp/dt.

 

[Music Lover]

A steering wheel airbag adds no value for someone with the brains to wear a seatbelt. Absent such a minimal level of intelligence it would be better for the species if Mr. Darwin were allowed to deal with the situation.

You think a 40-year old truck with a lap belt and a steel steering wheel is safer for the driver than a modern car with a shoulder harness and multiple airbags.

I think you're also the person a few weeks ago that dismissed the safety video of a modern car in a collision with an older car where a crash test dummy showed severe injuries in the older vehicle, calling it an "ad" even though it clearly was no such thing.

You're making provable false claims with no evidence. Hopefully no one is listening to such bad advice.

 

[pb4uski]

DW and I decided to buy an extra car for son to drive himself to school. We are thinking of a Honda Civic.

The question is whether to buy new or used? I'm looking at somewhat used vehicles (2019) and they are only priced about 10% less than new MSRP (at Carmax and AutoNation).

The past few vehicles we have bought new I have bought below dealer invoice which was around 10% less than MSRP.

Everyone says to buy used and let someone else take the depreciation but I'm not seeing much depreciation on used Hondas. If I can get new for the same or just slightly more than used, why buy a car with 20k miles of wear and tear?

What am I missing?

For a young driver I would go with an older car with more miles. Insurance will be less expensive. Today's cars are very reliable.

On Carmax I can find all sorts of 2013-2016 Honda Civics with less than 60k miles for $13-16k.