The Ford seems to have real high miles on it - I'd be concerned with things like timing belts and transmission going.
Suggestion: Check into what the costs are to REPAIR these vehicles before you buy them. Sometimes the parts cost more than you'd be willing to spend to rescue a car with a ton of miles on it that you're making a payment on.
Quick story: We bought a Land Rover FreeLander about two and a half years ago. It had only 32K miles on it and was only about $15K - seemed like a good deal, right? We couldn't have gone more wrong with that SUV - there's a class action lawsuit forming now because of all the problems with them! A new timing belt (actually, there's 3 in that SUV) was $2,400. The tranny blew at 47K miles - that would have been $4K if it wasn't still under warrantee. An oil change was about $100 because it took synthetic oil and a strange (non-standard) size oil filter. It was a TOTAL NIGHTMARE! We traded it when we realized it was blowing seals and gakets like crazy. Then engine went at 72K - AFTER the dealer took it in that we traded it to. It would have been $6K for us to have a new engine installed in it. (We traded it for a safe, boring Jeep Liberty.)
We NEVER would have expected that from a Land Rover - and one that was in the $24K as a new vehicle. Forget it!
(I disagree about the Japanse cars as being better - I've had bad luck with Toyotas - especially a RAV-4 and probably won't go there again. We've done well with MOPAR or GMC, tho.)
I owned a 94 SL2 and had it for about 8 years. (I bought it new) I had no problems with it. The only reason that I traded it in was to get something bigger. (Another saturn)
I know a few people who've had Tauruses and it seems they just go and go and go and go.
Saturns are excellent, also. The only question might be in parts availabilty. Certainly there are LOTS of good Taurus parts available out there.
The mileage seems a bit high on the Taurus. You might take it to a good mechanic and have him check it out, particularly the compression. If the engine has ever overheated, that will cause problems later as the heads are aluminum and don't take heat very well. That should show up on a compression check.
It may be dumb to suggest this, but with that many miles, you might want to check the oil for evidence of water and check the radiator for any evidence of oil...also with the engine running, hold a clean piece of paper under the tailpipe for a while just to see if there is any oil collecting. That could mean very early stages of ring deterioration.
If the dealer is reputable as you say, then it's probably okay....just never hurts to check.
Coolness! Great ideas all around (great idea as to check for engine compression/water leakage, Ron :) Will do, with either car.)
Dave, sorry, but the Subaru isn't on the 'Finalist' list, as for one thing, the dealer I'm checking out doesn't have Subarus. Also, a family member is springing for the car, and I promised them that this dealer (who's a good one from our dealings with him) is the one I'm going to. But I have a rather wide selection of cars to choose from.
Keep 'em coming, if you have any more info about these models. I've been reading a lot about both of them on the Net, and overall they are very good cars all around.
I'mn in the market for a used car, and the 2 top candidates I'm seriously considering are 1) a 1999 Saturn SL2 w/ 84,000+ miles, and 2) a 2001 Ford Taurus SES w/ 138,000 miles. (And both are from a reputable dealer that treated some of my family members well)
I would like some opinions about either one/both of the cars from anyone here who has had experience with either those particular models/years, or those models in general, any year.
Overall I've heard that they were 2 of the more high quality and reliable cars, but I'm still doing some information mining here. ... Good cars? Bad lemons? Any points in particular I should watch out for?
I know, I know, no gaurantees, as each car is gonna be different. I'm just looking for ballpark expectations for the cars, or any major things I need to look out for.
Anybody want to chime in? Advise me? ... Please? :)
I will NEVER, if I can help it, EVER purchase any Ford automobile again.
In 1986, I purchased a 1983 Escort. It didn't take long for the first trouble to appear. It already had 63K miles on it, but the price was (theoretically) good.
I had repeated troubles with the timing chain; problems with the engine cooling system... frequent over heating, even after I put a brand new radiator in it (a front wheel drive car, the radiator fan was driven by an electric fan, NOT by an engine shaft); and the REAL problem -- an electronic ignition device (not related to starting the engine, but with providing the spark to the spark plugs/cylinders).
Ford even had what should have been a recall to fix the ignition device, but they did NOT, and the state of California ended up suing Ford (a class action, I believe) to get Ford to deal with this widespread problem. Ford denied, for years, the problem was theirs.
The car pretty much died before I got 110K miles on the odometer.
I ended up trading the Escort in when I bought a brand spanking new Nissan pickup in 1993 that I STILL drive (it has 182K miles on it) and it still runs just as well as it did when I first drove it off the dealer's lot.
Bottom line -- I hate FORD cars. I understand Ford's pickup trucks (like the F-150) are well made. But NOT it's lower end passenger cars (like the Focus, which I've read also has widespread problems). I believe Zshot might know something about the Taurus model.
And I wish I knew about Saturns. I see LOTS of them around... they seem to be pretty good cars.
Have you checked with Consumer Reports?
I understand you can also get a "CarFax" report on a particular unit you might be interested in...
When I am looking at the cost, I used to go to bluebook.com and add mileage type blah blah blah and see if I am paying to much or getting a bargain. Cant really help you on either of your choices as I know little about the two.
When I am looking at the cost, I used to go to bluebook.com and add mileage type blah blah blah and see if I am paying to much or getting a bargain. Cant really help you on either of your choices as I know little about the two.
If the motor on the Taurus checks out ok,I would also take it to a mechanic to have the front cv joints and transmission checked out...In the later 90's,at least,the Tauruses would have problems with their automatic transmissions...If there is evidence on either car,but especially the Taurus,that the tranny and front cv joints have been replaced.you have a good chance of saving yourself potentially thousands of dollars in not-too-distant-future repairs,considering the mileage of both cars...
Whoops....Don't know how I ended up quoting Fellershipper here,but greetings brother in the wonderful name of the Yashladi Yashli Tulsi,whom Victor Paul preacheth...
"a front wheel drive car, the radiator fan was driven by an electric fan, NOT by an engine shaft"
pssst....pssst...
uh...Rocky,
They ALL have electric fans these days...and have since the early 90's. It adds HP and improves gas mileage while cooling the engine more efficiently. If the engine should get a little too hot, the fan will run after the car is shut off so the engine doesn't cook immediately after turning it off. It helps protect the aluminum heads that reduce weight also adding to improved mileage.
Betcha a dollar to a donut that your truck does, too.
Just thought you'd be interested.
Interestingly, a friend of mine found an old '52 Studebaker that had been sitting up for a number of years. He took it and cleaned the points and replaced the battery and it started right up. It's a straight 6 with cast iron head and three on the tree (remember those?). It's built like a tank and is quite plush inside.
Dave, sorry, but the Subaru isn't on the 'Finalist' list, as for one thing, the dealer I'm checking out doesn't have Subarus. Also, a family member is springing for the car, and I promised them that this dealer (who's a good one from our dealings with him) is the one I'm going to. But I have a rather wide selection of cars to choose from.
Good enough. But ask the dealer if he can find you a Subi. Usually -- they can find what you ask for.
They really are (imo) far superior to Fords. Subarus just don't break. :)
I've had both Ford's and Chevy's, Plymouth's and Volkswagens.
My favorite Chevy was a 1967 Camaro I used to have. My least favorite Ford was an Escort.
My favorite Ford was a 1949 pick-up, with a 351 Cleveland engine. (It ROCKED!)
I've got a Dodge 4 x 4 and the Subaru now.
(Just a thot) --- perhaps you could do searches for the (cough!!) BEST auto for you.
The dealer I got mine from doesn't carry Subarus (normally),
but was able to locate this one for a customer of his.
The customer backed out of the deal, and I stepped in where he left off.
Figure out what you want in an auto, let the dealer know,
and I'm willing to bet he'll do the *leg-work* to find it for you. :)
And ---------- don't forget that Car fax link I gave earlier.
If you have the Vin number of the car -- you can get detailed info on THAT PARTICULAR vehicle.
Interestingly, a friend of mine found an old '52 Studebaker that had been sitting up for a number of years. He took it and cleaned the points and replaced the battery and it started right up. It's a straight 6 with cast iron head and three on the tree (remember those?). It's built like a tank and is quite plush inside.
Points AND a *three on the tree*!!! That's going back a few years!
I've still got a timing light, but haven't used it in who-knows-how-long!
Anybody have any experience with Saturns or Ford Tauruses tho? Any info in that area?
************This is ABIGAIL**************
Be very careful of the Saturn. My sister bought one. After a week she realized it was burning oil. She took it in to a shop to have it checked out. Apparently one of the cylinders (I hope I am explaining this well, I am not a mechanic) was worn out. The mechanic said they see that a LOT with the Saturns. Over time one of the cylinder's warps and becomes oval shapped. Once that occurs, it is only a matter of time (and not a lot of time) before you have to replace the entire engine.
She got royally screwed on the deal.
Just as an aside in case you consider it - the newer GM cars suck too. Do not buy the ones with the red coolant. GM used really cheap gaskets in those cars and the red coolant eats the gaskets away. We made the mistake of buying two GM cars - both with the same problem. It is roughly $1300 to replace that stupid gasket. There are a bunch of people in Canada trying to get a class action suit against them over this.
I have a 1999 Camry-last year I brought it in to the mechanic to have it checked because I thought for sure there would be things wrong or things that would be worn out. My mechanic looked everything over and said to me I've never seen anything like it. I can't find a thing to do on this car. I had put over a hundred thousand on it and he couldn't do a thing. Now that's a car.
Be very careful of the Saturn. My sister bought one. After a week she realized it was burning oil. She took it in to a shop to have it checked out. Apparently one of the cylinders (I hope I am explaining this well, I am not a mechanic) was worn out. The mechanic said they see that a LOT with the Saturns. Over time one of the cylinder's warps and becomes oval shapped. Once that occurs, it is only a matter of time (and not a lot of time) before you have to replace the entire engine.
She got royally screwed on the deal.
Interesting. Then why do a lot of reviews/posts/the like (and I'm referring to folks who owned Saturns over the years, NOT the company or the car dealers) go on and on about Saturn's reliability? Particularly if this happens in 'a LOT of Saturns'?
Interesting. Then why do a lot of reviews/posts/the like (and I'm referring to folks who owned Saturns over the years, NOT the company or the car dealers) go on and on about Saturn's reliability? Particularly if this happens in 'a LOT of Saturns'?
Just curious.
My understanding is that the problem is limited to a specific range of years, but I don't know exactly what years. I will try to find out what year her car was. She's not at her desk right now.
Just got off the phone with my sister, the problem is with the 4 cylinder engine in the 1999 Saturns. It is a manufacturing flaw that effects the 3rd cylinder. The problem usually arises around the 75,000 mile range.
My 2004 Ford Taurus SES has been a real sweet car. No problems whatsoever. I get 24-29 mpg on the highway. It's very comfortable for traveling long distances. I've got 63,000 miles on it.
I've been fantasizing about trading it in for a Saturn VUE and will probably do that this year. I've been paying close attention to the VUE and will probably get an '04 or newer.
Every time I get close to trading it in, I remember it's paid for and it really does all I need it to do.
I’m on my third Ford Taurus (a company 2006 SE). The second Ford Taurus was a 2002 SES that was bought used, and that got traded at about 175,000 miles. IIRC, the repairs on the car through that point, excluding stuff such as tires and fluid changes, had run about $4,000, and I was informed the car had broken springs when traded. Overall, I liked the car quite well. It rode and handled nicely -- so nicely that it is the favorite among the cars I have driven. Trouble points on Tauruses, from my experience, are brakes (pad-life isn’t bad, but the cars seem prone to developing warped front rotors), the suspension, and the fuel pump.
I probably would not buy a Taurus with 138,000 miles on it (particularly since I put more than 40,000 miles a year on car). It’s hard to beat the deal you can sometimes find on a late model Taurus, however, even with less than 20,000 miles on it. I came across one website (I can’t remember which one) of a company that sells cars for several auto-rental companies, and that was advertising late model Tauruses with around 15,000 miles on them for about $8,500. The drawback was that you had to get to New York or New Jersey to get one, and, once there, you had to rent the car you wanted to buy in order to test drive it. A similar car around these parts is hard to find under $13,000.
IMO, the keys to getting a deal on a car are:
1. Being able to wait for a deal (sometimes deals just don’t seem to be out there).
1. Watch out for deals that seem too good to be true (it seems usually to mean that the car is damaged, or was damaged and now has a salvage title).
2. Run a Car Fax on any used car you are considering buying.
3. Check the safety and reliability ratings (I check them at the auto section at http://www.msn.com ) for the model and year (the ratings can vary from year to year on a particular model) of a car you are interested in.
My suggested mode of transportation, however, for Socinian, Unitarian, or anti-theistic miscreants (particularly those driving regularly on freeways with heavy, high-speed tractor-trailer traffic) can be viewed at http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/mode...p;ModelId=CH807 . :]
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ChasUFarley
The Ford seems to have real high miles on it - I'd be concerned with things like timing belts and transmission going.
Suggestion: Check into what the costs are to REPAIR these vehicles before you buy them. Sometimes the parts cost more than you'd be willing to spend to rescue a car with a ton of miles on it that you're making a payment on.
Quick story: We bought a Land Rover FreeLander about two and a half years ago. It had only 32K miles on it and was only about $15K - seemed like a good deal, right? We couldn't have gone more wrong with that SUV - there's a class action lawsuit forming now because of all the problems with them! A new timing belt (actually, there's 3 in that SUV) was $2,400. The tranny blew at 47K miles - that would have been $4K if it wasn't still under warrantee. An oil change was about $100 because it took synthetic oil and a strange (non-standard) size oil filter. It was a TOTAL NIGHTMARE! We traded it when we realized it was blowing seals and gakets like crazy. Then engine went at 72K - AFTER the dealer took it in that we traded it to. It would have been $6K for us to have a new engine installed in it. (We traded it for a safe, boring Jeep Liberty.)
We NEVER would have expected that from a Land Rover - and one that was in the $24K as a new vehicle. Forget it!
(By the way - Ford OWNS Land Rover.)
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polar bear
Sorry but I don't trust North American cars anymore.
I would buy a Toyota Corolla or Camry, or even a Honda Civic. Once you do you will never go back.
Maybe these guys will wake up someday and start building decent cars again.
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ChasUFarley
(I disagree about the Japanse cars as being better - I've had bad luck with Toyotas - especially a RAV-4 and probably won't go there again. We've done well with MOPAR or GMC, tho.)
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GarthP2000
Anybody have any experience with Saturns or Ford Tauruses tho? Any info in that area?
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pawtucket
I owned a 94 SL2 and had it for about 8 years. (I bought it new) I had no problems with it. The only reason that I traded it in was to get something bigger. (Another saturn)
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Ron G.
I know a few people who've had Tauruses and it seems they just go and go and go and go.
Saturns are excellent, also. The only question might be in parts availabilty. Certainly there are LOTS of good Taurus parts available out there.
The mileage seems a bit high on the Taurus. You might take it to a good mechanic and have him check it out, particularly the compression. If the engine has ever overheated, that will cause problems later as the heads are aluminum and don't take heat very well. That should show up on a compression check.
It may be dumb to suggest this, but with that many miles, you might want to check the oil for evidence of water and check the radiator for any evidence of oil...also with the engine running, hold a clean piece of paper under the tailpipe for a while just to see if there is any oil collecting. That could mean very early stages of ring deterioration.
If the dealer is reputable as you say, then it's probably okay....just never hurts to check.
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dmiller
Garth -- hey there. :) I can't say anything about the Saturn, but two friends of mine have the Taurus.
Surprisingly enough -- the taurus gets GREAT GAS MILEAGE (about 40 mpg).
(I didn't believe it at first, but this is a co-worker of mine, and she is to be believed). :)
Everything I have heard about Saturn, is all positive as well.
May I suggest a third option??
Subaru.
I used to be a truck guy. 4 X 4 Dodge, Toyota, and Mazda.
Still am, but I bought a Subaru car (about) two years ago.
It's a 2001 Legacy (sedan), 4 door, all-wheel drive, and it had 86,000 miles on it when I got it.
It's a pleasure to drive, and the gas mileage is 30+ mpg when out on the open road.
Traveling 90 mph feels like a Sunday drive.
(I got pulled over in Wisconsin by the *locals* there last year,
coming home from Indiana to Minney-soda --doing 87 in a 55 mph zone). :(
(Read *Big Bucks Fine here*)
Dad gum car was SOOOO smooth -- I didn't realize I was going that fast!
Up here -- all-wheel drive (4 X 4) is maybe more important than where you are,
but the handling of the car is superb, given the all-wheel drive.
So give Subaru a thought as well. :)
And regardless of what you are looking at -- check out CAR FAX.
Get the Vin number of the car you are looking at.
If you are serious about getting it, it'll cost you a few bucks to access this site,
but the info you will get on that specific vehicle will be well worth it.:)
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GarthP2000
Coolness! Great ideas all around (great idea as to check for engine compression/water leakage, Ron :) Will do, with either car.)
Dave, sorry, but the Subaru isn't on the 'Finalist' list, as for one thing, the dealer I'm checking out doesn't have Subarus. Also, a family member is springing for the car, and I promised them that this dealer (who's a good one from our dealings with him) is the one I'm going to. But I have a rather wide selection of cars to choose from.
Keep 'em coming, if you have any more info about these models. I've been reading a lot about both of them on the Net, and overall they are very good cars all around.
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Rocky
I will NEVER, if I can help it, EVER purchase any Ford automobile again.
In 1986, I purchased a 1983 Escort. It didn't take long for the first trouble to appear. It already had 63K miles on it, but the price was (theoretically) good.
I had repeated troubles with the timing chain; problems with the engine cooling system... frequent over heating, even after I put a brand new radiator in it (a front wheel drive car, the radiator fan was driven by an electric fan, NOT by an engine shaft); and the REAL problem -- an electronic ignition device (not related to starting the engine, but with providing the spark to the spark plugs/cylinders).
Ford even had what should have been a recall to fix the ignition device, but they did NOT, and the state of California ended up suing Ford (a class action, I believe) to get Ford to deal with this widespread problem. Ford denied, for years, the problem was theirs.
The car pretty much died before I got 110K miles on the odometer.
I ended up trading the Escort in when I bought a brand spanking new Nissan pickup in 1993 that I STILL drive (it has 182K miles on it) and it still runs just as well as it did when I first drove it off the dealer's lot.
Bottom line -- I hate FORD cars. I understand Ford's pickup trucks (like the F-150) are well made. But NOT it's lower end passenger cars (like the Focus, which I've read also has widespread problems). I believe Zshot might know something about the Taurus model.
And I wish I knew about Saturns. I see LOTS of them around... they seem to be pretty good cars.
Have you checked with Consumer Reports?
I understand you can also get a "CarFax" report on a particular unit you might be interested in...
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fellowshipper
When I am looking at the cost, I used to go to bluebook.com and add mileage type blah blah blah and see if I am paying to much or getting a bargain. Cant really help you on either of your choices as I know little about the two.
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simonzelotes
If the motor on the Taurus checks out ok,I would also take it to a mechanic to have the front cv joints and transmission checked out...In the later 90's,at least,the Tauruses would have problems with their automatic transmissions...If there is evidence on either car,but especially the Taurus,that the tranny and front cv joints have been replaced.you have a good chance of saving yourself potentially thousands of dollars in not-too-distant-future repairs,considering the mileage of both cars...
Whoops....Don't know how I ended up quoting Fellershipper here,but greetings brother in the wonderful name of the Yashladi Yashli Tulsi,whom Victor Paul preacheth...
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Ron G.
"a front wheel drive car, the radiator fan was driven by an electric fan, NOT by an engine shaft"
pssst....pssst...
uh...Rocky,
They ALL have electric fans these days...and have since the early 90's. It adds HP and improves gas mileage while cooling the engine more efficiently. If the engine should get a little too hot, the fan will run after the car is shut off so the engine doesn't cook immediately after turning it off. It helps protect the aluminum heads that reduce weight also adding to improved mileage.
Betcha a dollar to a donut that your truck does, too.
Just thought you'd be interested.
Interestingly, a friend of mine found an old '52 Studebaker that had been sitting up for a number of years. He took it and cleaned the points and replaced the battery and it started right up. It's a straight 6 with cast iron head and three on the tree (remember those?). It's built like a tank and is quite plush inside.
DAMNED if it doesn't get about 30 MPG!
Why don't they build cars like that any more?
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mstar1
planned obsolescence is my guess
***
I honestly dont know much about either Saturns or Taurus but when I am in the market for a vehicle i usually check out www.edmunds.com.
They have reviews, ratings, used vehicle values, and other info all of which I have found accurate.
For a few bucks they also have a method to trace the history of the individual vehicleyou may be thinking of purchasing.
Click around for awhile and you can find out quite abit
Good luck. Happy Motoring
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dmiller
Good enough. But ask the dealer if he can find you a Subi. Usually -- they can find what you ask for.
They really are (imo) far superior to Fords. Subarus just don't break. :)
I've had both Ford's and Chevy's, Plymouth's and Volkswagens.
My favorite Chevy was a 1967 Camaro I used to have. My least favorite Ford was an Escort.
My favorite Ford was a 1949 pick-up, with a 351 Cleveland engine. (It ROCKED!)
I've got a Dodge 4 x 4 and the Subaru now.
(Just a thot) --- perhaps you could do searches for the (cough!!) BEST auto for you.
The dealer I got mine from doesn't carry Subarus (normally),
but was able to locate this one for a customer of his.
The customer backed out of the deal, and I stepped in where he left off.
Figure out what you want in an auto, let the dealer know,
and I'm willing to bet he'll do the *leg-work* to find it for you. :)
And ---------- don't forget that Car fax link I gave earlier.
If you have the Vin number of the car -- you can get detailed info on THAT PARTICULAR vehicle.
Good luck, and happy motoring!
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dmiller
Points AND a *three on the tree*!!! That's going back a few years!
I've still got a timing light, but haven't used it in who-knows-how-long!
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Sushi
************This is ABIGAIL**************
Be very careful of the Saturn. My sister bought one. After a week she realized it was burning oil. She took it in to a shop to have it checked out. Apparently one of the cylinders (I hope I am explaining this well, I am not a mechanic) was worn out. The mechanic said they see that a LOT with the Saturns. Over time one of the cylinder's warps and becomes oval shapped. Once that occurs, it is only a matter of time (and not a lot of time) before you have to replace the entire engine.
She got royally screwed on the deal.
Just as an aside in case you consider it - the newer GM cars suck too. Do not buy the ones with the red coolant. GM used really cheap gaskets in those cars and the red coolant eats the gaskets away. We made the mistake of buying two GM cars - both with the same problem. It is roughly $1300 to replace that stupid gasket. There are a bunch of people in Canada trying to get a class action suit against them over this.
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polar bear
I have a 1999 Camry-last year I brought it in to the mechanic to have it checked because I thought for sure there would be things wrong or things that would be worn out. My mechanic looked everything over and said to me I've never seen anything like it. I can't find a thing to do on this car. I had put over a hundred thousand on it and he couldn't do a thing. Now that's a car.
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GarthP2000
Abigail,
Interesting. Then why do a lot of reviews/posts/the like (and I'm referring to folks who owned Saturns over the years, NOT the company or the car dealers) go on and on about Saturn's reliability? Particularly if this happens in 'a LOT of Saturns'?
Just curious.
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Abigail
My understanding is that the problem is limited to a specific range of years, but I don't know exactly what years. I will try to find out what year her car was. She's not at her desk right now.
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Abigail
Garth,
Just got off the phone with my sister, the problem is with the 4 cylinder engine in the 1999 Saturns. It is a manufacturing flaw that effects the 3rd cylinder. The problem usually arises around the 75,000 mile range.
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bowtwi
My 2004 Ford Taurus SES has been a real sweet car. No problems whatsoever. I get 24-29 mpg on the highway. It's very comfortable for traveling long distances. I've got 63,000 miles on it.
I've been fantasizing about trading it in for a Saturn VUE and will probably do that this year. I've been paying close attention to the VUE and will probably get an '04 or newer.
Every time I get close to trading it in, I remember it's paid for and it really does all I need it to do.
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Cynic
I’m on my third Ford Taurus (a company 2006 SE). The second Ford Taurus was a 2002 SES that was bought used, and that got traded at about 175,000 miles. IIRC, the repairs on the car through that point, excluding stuff such as tires and fluid changes, had run about $4,000, and I was informed the car had broken springs when traded. Overall, I liked the car quite well. It rode and handled nicely -- so nicely that it is the favorite among the cars I have driven. Trouble points on Tauruses, from my experience, are brakes (pad-life isn’t bad, but the cars seem prone to developing warped front rotors), the suspension, and the fuel pump.
I probably would not buy a Taurus with 138,000 miles on it (particularly since I put more than 40,000 miles a year on car). It’s hard to beat the deal you can sometimes find on a late model Taurus, however, even with less than 20,000 miles on it. I came across one website (I can’t remember which one) of a company that sells cars for several auto-rental companies, and that was advertising late model Tauruses with around 15,000 miles on them for about $8,500. The drawback was that you had to get to New York or New Jersey to get one, and, once there, you had to rent the car you wanted to buy in order to test drive it. A similar car around these parts is hard to find under $13,000.
IMO, the keys to getting a deal on a car are:
1. Being able to wait for a deal (sometimes deals just don’t seem to be out there).
2. Being able and willing to travel to get a car.
My favorite website for car shopping is http://www.autotrader.com .
Tips:
1. Watch out for deals that seem too good to be true (it seems usually to mean that the car is damaged, or was damaged and now has a salvage title).
2. Run a Car Fax on any used car you are considering buying.
3. Check the safety and reliability ratings (I check them at the auto section at http://www.msn.com ) for the model and year (the ratings can vary from year to year on a particular model) of a car you are interested in.
My suggested mode of transportation, however, for Socinian, Unitarian, or anti-theistic miscreants (particularly those driving regularly on freeways with heavy, high-speed tractor-trailer traffic) can be viewed at http://powersports.honda.com/scooters/mode...p;ModelId=CH807 . :]
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Cynic
duplicate post
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GarthP2000
... but what is the MPG on that lil' hog?
:P
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