Buying a car... what do you think...

[FinanceDude]

quietman is a little confused..........

 

[Walt34]

There have been a number of articles on what constitutes an "American" car anymore. Nissan, Honda and Toyota all have assembly plants in the U.S. My GMC truck was made in Canada. The electronics for all of them are made in various Asian countries.

My Suzuki motorcycle was made in Japan, but I've read that GM owns 40% of Suzuki.

It isn't cut and dry anymore.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I know Chrysler is not on OP's list, but I just saw this today:

Chrysler Offers $4,500 as ‘Clunker’ Program Begins (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

Perhaps the info could be used in negotiating?

 

[Texas Proud]

I know Chrysler is not on OP's list, but I just saw this today:

Chrysler Offers $4,500 as ‘Clunker’ Program Begins (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

Perhaps the info could be used in negotiating?

Since I am in a credit union, the G6 reabate is $4,750, the Matrix is $3,250...

Hyundai is giving $3,000 for the Sonata and $2,000 for the Elantra...

I will see if some of these goes up... but I am not interested in any Chrysler... I think they are a lot worse than GM...

As for negotiating... only for the Hyundai.... I can get the supplier price on the GMs... which, BTW are NOT that much less... but still less then I can negotiate...

 

[Bestwifeever]

Since I am in a credit union, the G6 reabate is $4,750, the Matrix is $3,250...

Hyundai is giving $3,000 for the Sonata and $2,000 for the Elantra...

I will see if some of these goes up... but I am not interested in any Chrysler... I think they are a lot worse than GM...

Well, the article does say the other car makers are expected to follow suit, so maybe that would be helpful info?

 

[Texas Proud]

I know Chrysler is not on OP's list, but I just saw this today:

Chrysler Offers $4,500 as ‘Clunker’ Program Begins (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

Perhaps the info could be used in negotiating?

OK... I can hope they do match.... here is the costs IF they match..

G6
14,700
Sonata
12,700
Vibe
11,250
Elantra
9,000


The Elantra starts to look very good at that price...

 

[Texas Proud]

OK..... how about buy one... get a second for $1...

"Buy any new 2009 Hyundai Sonata and get a new 2009 Hyundai Accent for 1$ offer: When you purchase any new 2009 Hyundai Sonata at Dealer’s list price, you will receive a new 2009 Hyundai Accent (Dealer List Price $10,960.00) for $1. The customer is responsible for all fees and taxes on both vehicles (by the way, that’s less than $600 on the Accent).
Dealership must receive all funds from customer and finance source for the Sonata before finalizing the Accent purchase and delivery. In other words, if you buy a Sonata, the dealership must have all funds collected from you and the lien holder before we finalize the sale and you take delivery of the Accent.
Offer is valid while supplies last or June 30th, 2009 whichever comes first. There are a limited number of these models remaining in inventory, so hurry! All vehicles must have the same name on the titles (Co-buyers are okay). This offer cannot be combined with any other offers. Any rebates that you qualify for, on both vehicles, will be used in conjunction with dealer discounts towards the purchase of the Accent. Offer is for well qualified buyers or cash buyers."

 

[FinanceDude]

OK..... how about buy one... get a second for $1...

"Buy any new 2009 Hyundai Sonata and get a new 2009 Hyundai Accent for 1$ offer: When you purchase any new 2009 Hyundai Sonata at Dealer’s list price, you will receive a new 2009 Hyundai Accent (Dealer List Price $10,960.00) for $1. The customer is responsible for all fees and taxes on both vehicles (by the way, that’s less than $600 on the Accent).
Dealership must receive all funds from customer and finance source for the Sonata before finalizing the Accent purchase and delivery. In other words, if you buy a Sonata, the dealership must have all funds collected from you and the lien holder before we finalize the sale and you take delivery of the Accent.
Offer is valid while supplies last or June 30th, 2009 whichever comes first. There are a limited number of these models remaining in inventory, so hurry! All vehicles must have the same name on the titles (Co-buyers are okay). This offer cannot be combined with any other offers. Any rebates that you qualify for, on both vehicles, will be used in conjunction with dealer discounts towards the purchase of the Accent. Offer is for well qualified buyers or cash buyers."

It expired June 30th, any updates??

 

[Texas Proud]

It expired June 30th, any updates??

Wow... did not see that date.... I just heard it on the radio ad last night... I guess when you go into the dealer they say 'that program is over'....

 

[ERD50]

We are still struggling through the end of a recession - and you are planning to use a US program to get "cash for clunkers" money to help make this purchase. Why would you consider a non-American car company?

Because that is how Congress wrote the rules? If they intended the program to be mfg specific, they should have done that.

BTW, I think the program is stupid in every way imaginable.

-ERD50

 

[Cattusbabe]

I voted for the Sonata. We purchased a Santa Fe a few weeks ago. Absolutely love the car.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

So how does cash for clunker work? The manufacturers are making it sound as if as long as you trade in an older vehicle for a new higher MPG new vehicle, you could get $3500 to $4500. Even the lower $3500 is higher than what I can get for my 8-year-old domestic van with close to 90,000 miles on it. That new Mazda3 hatchback is looking pretty good with a $4500 discount.

BTW, according to http://www.cars.gov/, the program's details are just starting to firm up, so the program is just getting start instead of being over by June, 2009 as another poster stated.

OK, so for a car that gets 4 MPG more, you qualify for the $3500 rebate. For a car that gets 10 MPG more, you qualify for the $4500 rebate. The car you're trading in can't be more than 25 years old.

 

[Texas Proud]

So how does cash for clunker work? The manufacturers are making it sound as if as long as you trade in an older vehicle for a new higher MPG new vehicle, you could get $3500 to $4500. Even the lower $3500 is higher than what I can get for my 8-year-old domestic van with close to 90,000 miles on it. That new Mazda3 hatchback is looking pretty good with a $4500 discount.

BTW, according to CARS.gov - Car Allowance Rebate System - Home - Formerly Referred to as “Cash for Clunkers”, the program's details are just starting to firm up, so the program is just getting start instead of being over by June, 2009 as another poster stated.

OK, so for a car that gets 4 MPG more, you qualify for the $3500 rebate. For a car that gets 10 MPG more, you qualify for the $4500 rebate. The car you're trading in can't be more than 25 years old.

Your last stmt is correct...

Your second, about someone posting about it ending June is wrong.... that was the $1 car promo I posted.... not the cash for clunkers..

 

[dixonge]

My wife moved from an Acura to a Hyundai Sonata about six years ago. We paid it off early. Full power-everything and leather seats. It was her way of downsizing without giving up comfort/luxury. We've had no major issues and very few minor ones. It's been a real solid car to own and drive.

As part of our get-out-of-debt program I sold my Honda CR-V for around $10,000 a few years ago and purchased a 2001 Elantra with 140,000 miles on it for $4000. Used the proceeds to pay off the motorcycles. I called it my ghetto-mobile. The wife made me replace the steel wheels. I drove it for two years commuting. It ran very well for an older car and never left me stranded or calling for roadside assistance.

So yeah, Elantra or Sonata, can't go wrong. Elantra if you want to get rid of the debt soonest. Pontiac? Well, my wife's sister used to work for them and I've heard too many stories. She owns a Jeep now.

 

[Zoomie]

Thanks for this thread. I just went and bought a Sonata based upon all the feedback on here. Sweet deal. They discounted $900 off dealer invoice, $3,000 rebate, and gave me full Kelly Blue Book trade value on my big boat 2003 Mercury. Got out of there for a little over $10k and a brand new car with a 100k miles warranty plan and the automatic transmission. I'm 6'3" tall and this car is as roomy as my Merc, and has a bigger trunk! I didn't even haggle, there was no need. I was going to buy a Cadillac but their salesman was the laziest I have ever come across.

 

[Texas Proud]

Thanks for this thread. I just went and bought a Sonata based upon all the feedback on here. Sweet deal. They discounted $900 off dealer invoice, $3,000 rebate, and gave me full Kelly Blue Book trade value on my big boat 2003 Mercury. Got out of there for a little over $10k and a brand new car with a 100k miles warranty plan and the automatic transmission. I'm 6'3" tall and this car is as roomy as my Merc, and has a bigger trunk! I didn't even haggle, there was no need. I was going to buy a Cadillac but their salesman was the laziest I have ever come across.

Thanks for letting me know the price you got... I know the price I was given was over invoice... but I was 'just looking', so it did not matter...

Still have to get my wife out to test drive this weekend... if I can...

 

[Martha]

I just heard from a local auto dealer that there is some chance that all the cash for clunker money could be gone within a month or two. He said they are backed up with all sorts of people wanting to trade in their clunkers.

So don't wait.

 

[REWahoo]

I just heard from a local auto dealer that there is some chance that all the cash for clunker money could be gone within a month or two. He said they are backed up with all sorts of people wanting to trade in their clunkers.

So don't wait.

To add to the above, I read the program was retroactive to all qualifying clunker trade-ins as of July 1....

In 135 pages of "cash for clunkers" rules issued this morning, the government throws a nice bone to anyone who might have already traded in their clunker in the past couple weeks and bought a new car: the incentive of $3,500 or $4,500 is retroactive to July 1.

Here's the quick read on the 'cash for clunkers' rules just published - USATODAY.com

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

So if you use your cash for clunker trade in + all of your GM card award dollars at once, you could get a new Pontiac Vibe for $10k? Hmm...I may have to look into that.

On second thought, I priced out a 2.4L Vibe with cruise, keyless, and auto transmission, and the price topped $20k even on carsdirect. I drove a 2008 Impreza today with only 11k miles on it, and it's only $15,800. A new 2009 Impreza is $17,800 with automatic, so assuming that cash for clunker program is going to give me $1000 more for my trade in than the KBB trade in value and that the dealer won't pay anywhere close the KBB value for a straight trade, then a new Impreza and an old one will cost me exactly the same or at the most $1000 more.

I am going to test drive the Mazda3 next week just to see if it's worth the extra dollar.

 

[bow-tie]

Keep in mind your clunker has to have a combined mpg rating below 18mpg (which precludes most cars). My '98 Bonnie has just rolled 200k on the clock, but it has a combined mpg that's too high. What a pisser....

... by the way Zoomie, Hyundai has come a LONG way with their cars in the last handful of years. From everything I have heard and read, you will be happy with your choice. Sometimes it really sucks being a GM loyalist....

 

[Texas Proud]

OK... the wife just did the test drives... from the top to the bottom.. with an added car...

#1 Sonata
#2 Elantra touring
#3 Elantra
#4 Pontiac G6
#5 Pontiac Vibe....


SOOO, now have to dicker with the price.... and what to get on the car... wife wants leather and sun roof....

 

[bright eyed]

I used the online sales dpts and it was very quick and easy - via edmunds, you can click a "ask for quotes now" button, you can choose which local dealers you want it to go to and specify what you want (make, model etc). consider setting up a new yahoo or such email as they will continue to email you later...

You will start getting email quotes pretty immediately - they are all different - some dealers really send you nicely laid out quotes and some send you obvious generic looking crap that doesn't even match what you want.

But once you see what you are looking for you can start haggling. Once I got a quote I liked, I replied to the other dealers what I was quoted and they started trying to outbid each other. Took less than one hour and i got far below invoice...it seems the internet sales guys are often paired with the fleet sales guys and have different prices and incentives than the floor sales...i called the winning bidder and we made an appt to pick up the car.

I was nervous they'd try to haggle or do some shenanigans when I got there - I printed out the email quote and on the phone confirmed the terms with the guy. The only shenanigans were from the finance guy who was trying to sell me all kinds of weird add ons, insurance etc that i didnt' want.

I might also add that my make,model, color was extremely hard to get (there were only 1 or 2 in all of southern cali) and it didn't matter, they dealer wanted to make the sale and they got it for me, picked it up the next day...

good luck!

 

[SarahW]

What is 'American' and what is not?

IMO, "American" car means that the actual profits are returning to an American company. America's wealth is slowly being drained away, but no one takes notice as they defend their Toyota/Hyundai/Honda. It's the new world economy, donchaknow? otstirrer:

JMO, and buy anything you want...it's your money.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

IMO, "American" car means that the actual profits are returning to an American company. America's wealth is slowly being drained away, but no one takes notice as they defend their Toyota/Hyundai/Honda. It's the new world economy, donchaknow? otstirrer:

JMO, and buy anything you want...it's your money.

Agree 100%. All those that think they are buying "American" because the car is made in the U.S. are only half correct. Sure, we get people employed but the profits go to Japan, Korea, Germany, etc. OTOH, some of our cars are made in Mexico and Canada. As a GM retiree I was stunned the other day while at the Saturn dealer. They had a 2008 Saturn Aura(?) coupe. I believe that was the name. Salesman told me they were "giving" it away as it wasn't going to be made any longer. I looked at the window sticker and it read: engine-country of origin (Hungary), transmission-country of origin (Japan), final assembly Antwerp Belgium. And here I thought it was an "American" car.
Never saw that before.

 

[Martha]

OK... the wife just did the test drives... from the top to the bottom.. with an added car...

#1 Sonata
#2 Elantra touring
#3 Elantra
#4 Pontiac G6
#5 Pontiac Vibe....


SOOO, now have to dicker with the price.... and what to get on the car... wife wants leather and sun roof....

I thought leather was about impossible in the south as they get so hot. No?