Wholesale/Used car lot guys, need some help.

[CRASH]

Ok, so I'm helping my mom find a decent used car. She's looking at something like a Honda CRV, Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Rav-4, etc.

The kicker is, she is damn near dead-set on spending no more than $5k. I could talk her into spending a little more for the right vehicle, but she's pretty much been wearing me out, having me drive around looking at shitboxes.

She's not too worried about buying something with a little over 100k miles, but I'm trying to get her to spend a little more money to get a nicer vehicle with less miles.

Can anyone help me out here ? Any wholesale/used car guys got a line on some decent cars ?

Thanks in advance !!

-Aaron

[War Machine]

sounds like you have your hands full, goodluck!

[CRASH]

sounds like you have your hands full, goodluck!

Tell me about it. Went and looked at another one today that had decent miles, new timing belt, starter, alternator, etc, but the clear was pretty much faded off and half the buttons in the interior (windows, locks, radio buttons) were either missing or didn't work.

It's always one thing or another. I've looked at 2 or 3 that had the miles rolled back on them, according to the Carfax.

-Aaron

[War Machine]

when buying a 5k car, you have to over look the small stuff, look at the car, see if it has been cared for cosmetically, if so then you know more than likely it has been cared for mechanically. If it's a good car, then don't let the miles bother you. I've seen plenty of 200k mile nice dependable cars, and just as many 90k mile piles of shit

[War Machine]

4-5k priced cars are in high demand right now due to people buying kids cars for school. You might want to wait a month after it all dies down to really get a good deal

[CRASH]

when buying a 5k car, you have to over look the small stuff, look at the car, see if it has been cared for cosmetically, if so then you know more than likely it has been cared for mechanically. If it's a good car, then don't let the miles bother you. I've seen plenty of 200k mile nice dependable cars, and just as many 90k mile piles of shit

Yeah, the one I went and looked at today had faded paint, the interior was dirty and rough looking, the engine bay was filthy. I pretty much decided that wasn't the car for my mom. A younger family with little kids owned it, and you could tell.

-Aaron

[Baron Von Crowder]

She's kinda priced right in the grey area. Cheaper and there are mostly shitboxes, with a few decent cars mixed in. Higher, there's some decent buys on some good cars.bRight in the middle is tough, you really have to take a close look.

I think Jason was at the shop when you were doing my bike, he has his license and buys at auction, but tries to stay in the lower range. There's lots of folks out there with a couple to three grand ready to buy anything that runs.

[Sgt Beavis]

I'm not trying to be an asshole, but your Mom is being as dumb as a box of rocks here.

$5000 doesn't buy you a high mileage car, it buys you crap. The repair costs will kill her in the long run (and very possibly in the short run).

The used car market is still way to hot to even think of spending that kind of money and hoping (praying, begging,pleading, etc, etc, etc.) to get any sort of reliable transportation...

If she can't afford more car than that then she shouldn't buy. Wait a few more months when the market dies down a bit.

[CRASH]

I'm not trying to be an asshole, but your Mom is being as dumb as a box of rocks here.

$5000 doesn't buy you a high mileage car, it buys you crap. The repair costs will kill her in the long run (and very possibly in the short run).

The used car market is still way to hot to even think of spending that kind of money and hoping (praying, begging,pleading, etc, etc, etc.) to get any sort of reliable transportation...

If she can't afford more car than that then she shouldn't buy. Wait a few more months when the market dies down a bit.

Man, you aren't telling me anything I don't know. I've wanted to just slap her silly more times than I can count, but what can ya do.

The thing that fucks me up is, my uncle told her he would loan her up to about $15k CASH with NO INTEREST !! But she's too much of a fucking cheap skate and doesn't want to have a car payment, so here I am. "Stuck in the middle again."

I've been telling her to look for cars with less miles and spend a little more money but she just seems fucking dead set on $5k. I don't know why. Just thought I would see if anyone here would be able to give me an idea of where to look, aside from the obvious, Craigslist, etc., or if someone might own something similar to what she's looking for.

-Aaron

[SMKR]

when buying a 5k car, you have to over look the small stuff, look at the car, see if it has been cared for cosmetically, if so then you know more than likely it has been cared for mechanically. If it's a good car, then don't let the miles bother you. I've seen plenty of 200k mile nice dependable cars, and just as many 90k mile piles of shit

4-5k priced cars are in high demand right now due to people buying kids cars for school. You might want to wait a month after it all dies down to really get a good deal

Heed this man's info, he knows his stuff!

[CRASH]

'Nuther little tid bit of info, my mom was driving my grandma's car after she passed away, and it just recently bit the dust.

Sooooooo, she's been driving her uncle's Exploder while they're on vacation out driving across the country in their RV.

They're coming home at the end of August so she is limited on time for finding a new car.

-Aaron

[Hobie]

Can't 5k buy a Camry, Accord, Civic, Carolla, Sentra, or Altima in reliable shape?

Not much else I can think of in that price range that would be reliable with the sort of miles cars at those prices will have.

[JC316]

Ok, so I'm helping my mom find a decent used car. She's looking at something like a Honda CRV, Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Rav-4, etc.

The kicker is, she is damn near dead-set on spending no more than $5k. I could talk her into spending a little more for the right vehicle, but she's pretty much been wearing me out, having me drive around looking at shitboxes.

She's not too worried about buying something with a little over 100k miles, but I'm trying to get her to spend a little more money to get a nicer vehicle with less miles.

Can anyone help me out here ? Any wholesale/used car guys got a line on some decent cars ?

Thanks in advance !!

-Aaron

Man, problem with that is she is looking at cars that are in high demand with high value. The RAV 4 will go over 5K at auction, much less at a dealer. Closest thing on the lot is an 01 ford escape for 5K.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/ctd/2486375430.html

[347Mike]

What the fuck is wrong with people. When did 100k become low miles? lolz Not a bad looking car though.

[txsr20de]

Can't 5k buy a Camry, Accord, Civic, Carolla, Sentra, or Altima in reliable shape?

Not much else I can think of in that price range that would be reliable with the sort of miles cars at those prices will have.

This. You can absolutely buy solid, reliable transportation for $5k, but it's best to stick with one that has a solid reputation, i.e. the cars listed above, maybe minus the altima.

If she is dead set on a small SUV, stick to the Honda and the Toyota.