TOPIC: Need help with buying a used car

Hi All,

We've moved from India and It's been 3 weeks in Cary now.

Since we were used to right side driving we went through a proper driving instructor and then rented a car from last 3 weeks.
This whole instructor and renting thing was quite expensive - we have spend amost $2000 in 3 weeks with insurance and all.

To buy a car - I have also passed the NC driving test and I have a temporary full driving license (permanent one will come by post in 5 working days).

But I need help with buying a used car.
we dont have any credit history here.
so to buy car without any loans - we only have a budget of around $10000.
Does anyone know any dealers/private owners selling their cars under our budget with resonable milleage and reg number between 2007 - 2010.
we were also told that desi's are comfortable with toyota, honda and mitsubishi.
but all of these japanese cars are quite expensive ($20000 +)
any suggestions?

- Sunita.

For used cars you can check out Craigslist or the classified ads in your local newspaper. You may also check out cars.com and autotrader.com

The trouble is that without a car, how do you go about visiting these private sellers and dealers. Maybe ask a friend for help.

Credit History is a not much of an issue these days as dealers are dying to move inventory. Not having a history is better than bad credit history.

thanks Manoj for replying back.

Do I have to arrange for insurance before I go to the dealers to buy a car?

Any suggestions on good insurance ?
I got a shock today from my neighbour when she said she pays $ 9000 a year on just insurance. Is it common here?

- Sunita.

What you heard from you neighbor is true. Insurance is very experience for new comers as they do not experience driving in US and they have not build credit history (yes they look at credit history for insurance).

You have to shop around and call different agents. The insurance also depends on the car that you are buying and the coverage you want. A good auto insurance agent should help you with finding a good insurance. Ask whether you can go for a different car (cheaper/safer) and reduce insurance.

The other extreme is buying less than $5,000 car and not buying collision coverage. Note that if you have an accident, you have to spend money from your pocket to repair your car.

sunita wrote:

thanks Manoj for replying back.

Do I have to arrange for insurance before I go to the dealers to buy a car?

Any suggestions on good insurance ?
I got a shock today from my neighbour when she said she pays $ 9000 a year on just insurance. Is it common here?

- Sunita.

$9,000 a year for insurance seems too much. Typically for one (under $10k) car with one insured driver, the cost could be from $600 - $1500 annual. If the driver is under 25, insurance companies charge much more, some don't even give you insurance.

You should talk to insurance companies before buying the car. Try calling Geico, Allstate, State farm, Nationwide, 21st century etc. and pick the cheapest one and don't worry too much about the service - they are all same. If you're buying a used car, ask for Emergency Roadside assistance. It's often cheaper through Insurance than with AAA.

The way I tried to buy an used car is,
a) scout through raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/ ,
b) try to find car I want and I ensure I am buying from an independent owner,
c) ask the owner for carfax report or VIN number and check if car has any accidents,
d) if car has no accidents on record then take it to mechanic for pre-purchase inspection and ask how much would the mechanic pay if he wants to buy it. ALso, ask mechanic do I need to replace any of parts in near future.
e) start negotiation with owner.

thanks.
Your suggestion sounds very simple.
Any recommendation on any good mechanic ?

To top it all up - i had a car crash over the weekend and the whole buing a car has become a necessity as well as scary.

it's driving me crazy.

- Sunita.

I bought my used car from Cary Auto Sale, Cary ( www.caryautosale.com/ ) and they seem to be very reasonable to me.

They also provide carfax history for the car that you like.

One good thing is, You can take the car to any mechanic (Firestone or etc.,) and get it inspected for just $20 before you buy.
I think some places you get the inspection for free (if you have a coupon).

Hope this info helps.

Ki Kiran,

we are almost about to buy a car from caryautosale.
just wanted to ask you - if they are good dealer since they dont give any warranty on any cars nor do they gm certify.
Can i send you a private mail or get your phone number.
thanks much.
Sunita.

hey,

I was reading yur add n infact I am in the process of selling my car. It is Honda Accord. n it does fall in yur budget.

u can email back at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For a newbie on the US roads I would recommend buying a used Honda accord or a Toyota Camry. They are a very reliable cars with good resale value. Also they are safe and well built for a family.. If you have a some more $$$ i would go for a used Lexus. One of my frined was is car enthusiast and works for ford advised me, never buy a beaten up car. Any car > 50000 miles please avoid if you have kids...

Siva

sivaks wrote:

For a newbie on the US roads I would recommend buying a used Honda accord or a Toyota Camry. They are a very reliable cars with good resale value. Also they are safe and well built for a family.. If you have a some more $$$ i would go for a used Lexus. One of my frined was is car enthusiast and works for ford advised me, never buy a beaten up car. Any car > 50000 miles please avoid if you have kids...

Siva

Toyota makes good cars but recently their reputation was adversely affected by a series of recalls and most of them were safety related. So, I don't consider Toyotas as safe anymore. Japanese cars are small and light weight and do not offer much in terms of safety when compared to similarly priced models from GM and Ford. Their resale value may be high, but then, they cost more to buy.

Today cars easily last beyond the old time life expectancy of 100k miles. Several manufacturers even include factory warranty on engine/transmission up to 100k miles. So, if you're buying a used car, even up to 75-80k miles may still be OK. You have to see how long you are likely to keep the car and what's your current affordability. Maintenance expenses typically start after the car hits 100k miles.

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