So here’s the thing… the ol’ truck? It’s starting to need more work more frequently than I’d like, and I’d really like to get out from under it ASAP. I do not want to be the owner of that vehicle when it suddenly needs engine work or a new clutch. Do. Not. Want.
So… let’s play a game… I’m looking to buy a car… either new or used (but not too old) in Indy/Bloomington. I’ll hear any advice you feel like giving about makes, models, years, dealerships, negotiating, options, etc, etc, etc. Pretend I know nothing. (This should not be hard for some of you)
If your comment is long and you you have a blog, do me a favor and just post it at your place and link to it. It doesn’t have to be Indiana specific if you don’t want, but if you have specific experiences in the area, those would be great too.
The person who gives the best advice will get to “name” the car (for the purposes of the blog only). I’ll decide who that person is after the new car is procured (probably some time in late Sept or October)
August 16th, 2006 at 9:36 pm
Car shopping in Bloomington kind of sucks. In May I was looking for a used car around $7000 and there wasn’t much that wasn’t way under that amount and/or really old. Since I didn’t already have a car, I could really only look in Bloomington. Most of the car lots here don’t sell used cars in that price range. There’s one on North Walnut across from the McDonalds. I had the best luck by far with the IU Classifieds in OneStart though. That’s where I found my car and several other potential cars.
Consumer Reports online has a lot of good advice about what to look for when buying a used car. If you don’t already have a subscription, I have a Word document that has the stuff I found helpful in it that I can email you.
And for some bizarre reason, car lots in Indiana aren’t open on Sundays.
Good luck!
August 17th, 2006 at 10:06 am
If you are looking for a used car… try CarMax. There is one in Indy, I looked on their website. Basically it’s a HUUUUGE lot of all kinds of nice used cars. No negotiation… the price on the sticker is what you pay. Also, they don’t do trade-ins. What they will do is buy your old car from you. You agree on a price. They buy it. Then, they give you cash… or if you want… you can turn around and give them the cash back and use that towards buying one of their cars. But if you just want to sell it to them and buy a car somewhere else… that’s cool. It’s two seperate transactions. Several of my co-workers buy all their cars from the ones in Houston and they rave about it.
New/Used: Depends on what you want. Pure value… getting a one/two/three year old car is probably best. But… there’s something so nice about a new car. And… if you need to finance it… you can usually get better financing deals/interest rates on a new car. But new cars are more expensive.
Do you know if you want a car or a truck or an SUV? If you want a car… and you want a new car… I would highly reccomend a Honda Civic (model year 06 or later… the 06 was a complete redesign). It’s a smaller car… but my fiancee bought one last year and I drive it all the time. It’s nice. It gets 30 MPG in the city and 40 on the Highway. It’s very easy to drive. It’s pretty roomy as well.
But if I were you… I would a) figure out if I want a car, truck, or SUV. b) Figure out how much money you want to spend between down payment and monthly note. Once you do that… then it’s just a matter of looking till the car you like strikes you!
August 17th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
I just bought a pretty new Highlander. You are more than welcome to drive it to see if you like them.
As far as car advice, don’t buy in Bloomington. Drive up to Indy to get a better deal. Also, if you are not planning on living in Indiana after graduation, maybe go down to Alabama to buy a car so you don’t have to pay sales tax and for new registration when you go home. That gets really expensive.
August 17th, 2006 at 2:13 pm
I have a six and a half year old toyota Rav4. I LOVE it…it has high-mileage- almost 130,000 miles(I bought it new)…and she has given me VERY little trouble beyond regular maint. things…
I am so impressed with my Rav that I am def going to go TOYOTA the next time I buy…and will most likely go with another Rav or possibly a highlander…(although that new FJ CRUISER is really CUTE- but the gas mileage sucks for someone like me who commutes).
August 19th, 2006 at 11:15 am
If you ask anyone who has owned a Toyota or Honda, you will find one loyal customer to either of those brands and for good reason. If you are looking for an economical vehicle that is reliable, gets great gas mileage, and offers many extras, you can’t go wrong with Honda or Toyota. These cars also tend to hold their value longer than other makes.
Personally, I pledge allegiance to the Honda family of cars. I absolutely love my Honda CR-V and I loved the Civic I owned previously. Both cars were fun to drive and were very easy to maintain. Honda offered a great 100,000 mile warranty when I bought my CR-V, which has covered the few small problems that I have had in the last six years. Also, August is clearance time for Honda — their 07 models will be out in September, so many dealers are offering great deals.
Be careful about purchasing a Honda or Toyota used, I’ve seen several used Honda and Toyota models that sell for almost as much as the brand new counterparts. This is particularly common with Civics and Camrys. While, your value will not drop as significantly after driving off the lot, lenders tend to offer higher interest rates with used vehicles. I would definitely compare the used car price to a brand new price prior to purchasing.
August 25th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
Every year, BBC’s Top Gear conducts a survey of cars 0-3 years old to determine which car owners were most satisfied with overall. Which car won 2004 & 2005?
http://www.topgear.com/content...../01/1.html
The 2006 results are pending.
September 6th, 2006 at 10:57 am
Hello,
This is exactly what I was serarching for. Thank you. It’s amazing.