Help pick out a 6 passenger car

[yesthatsteve]

I checked Autotrader for vehicles within 100 miles of me with third-row seating, fewer than 100k miles, and $8-12k asking price.

The models that pop up most frequently in the results include Mazda5, Uplander, Grand Caravan/T & C, Santa Fe, Journey, and Sedona.

A few other models make appearances, but not as frequently as those listed above.

 

[CKN]

If you can get by with a slighter smaller vehicle the Mazda 5 will be the most trouble free. IMHO!

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Dodge Caravan

As nice as that looks my sisters 2008 with 120k would have the background of the auto shop lifts, tire balancers and tool boxes. Her vehicle visits the shop every 2months with something ranging $150-$400. That all being said it was considerably less used at purchase then a Honda/Toyota minivan by I think $5000ish.

The picture is so rigged, its missing child seats but I am guessing marketers forgot that detail

 

[Run]

The caravans are my choice. Its not too hard to find a used one that has been kept in top shape. The price is hard to beat.

 

[Win]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Originally Posted By: JTK
Originally Posted By: CKN

How many ordinary people have access to an auction?


Exactly. Maybe in some areas. But most? No way. Dealers snap up anything that's decent and registered walk-ins get the crumbs. I've been there


So you've been to an auction, and now you're an expert on them? Great.

Look, auctions aren't for everyone. However, there are many options out there for John Q. Public to get whatever they want at them.


I'm not an expert on them but, for a very brief period of time, I owned two auctions.

In my area, the cars available to the non dealer public at an auction were the bottom of the barrel used cars.

Can Joe Q. Public get a servicable vehicle this way? Sure. Something has to be at the bottom of the barrel - doesn't mean it's not servicable.

Joe Q. Public can also get the car that had sawdust put in the diff, liquid glass in the coolant, loctite on the cylinder head threads, and all the other low life tricks people do to get their clunker running long enough for a "trade" at a dealer. These are also public auction cars. Someone has to buy them.

Cars are a commodity. Doesn't matter if it's a Mazer or a Mazda. If the exchange lets just anyone in, don't delude yourself that the best pork bellies are going to be traded that day.

Even dealer only auctions aren't all that great. In my area, these were at best second tier cars, but typically third tier cars.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: Win
In my area, the cars available to the non dealer public at an auction were the bottom of the barrel used cars.


Yes, of course attending a local "public welcome night" isn't the best way of securing a decent vehicle. Again, that's not the kind of auction I'm referring to.

You'll notice above that I asked CKN: "Do you live in/near SLC and have time available on the 24th?" This received no response.

If so, he'd be able to return to this thread with actual relevant knowledge, which is helpful for everyone involved; throwing up ill-founded posts are a disservice to all.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Originally Posted By: Win
In my area, the cars available to the non dealer public at an auction were the bottom of the barrel used cars.


Yes, of course attending a local "public welcome night" isn't the best way of securing a decent vehicle. Again, that's not the kind of auction I'm referring to.

You'll notice above that I asked CKN: "Do you live in/near SLC and have time available on the 24th?" This received no response.

If so, he'd be able to return to this thread with actual relevant knowledge, which is helpful for everyone involved; throwing up ill-founded posts are a disservice to all.



You just had someone who owned two auctions with "actual relevant knowledge" say going to an auction is not the best course of action. As I said previously, your suggestion for average person to get a car at auction is a poor suggestion. Period. And no-I don't wish to go anywhere on the 24th.

You have to find someone with a license, someone who will inspect a car for you, secure your own financing, and buy a car without a warranty. That's disservice to the public right there.

 

[Ramblejam]

His experience relates to local dealer auctions, which are not what I was referring to. Apples and oranges comparison. Again, you don't appear to comprehend that aspect.

Frankly, it's just disappointing that you want to add your voice to a thread without any substantive understanding of the subject.

Originally Posted By: CKN
You have to find someone with a license, someone who will inspect a car for you, secure your own financing, and buy a car without a warranty. That's disservice to the public right there.


You edited your post to add this after the fact. I'll respond.

No license required.
Can inspect the car yourself (or bring whoever you want).
I would encourage anyone to secure their own financing, regardless of avenue.

If you don't want to attend an actual auction I'm referring to and educate yourself, then that's fine. But it's absolutely absurd to continually post in a thread when you're demonstrated zero knowledge.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
His experience relates to local dealer auctions, which are not what I was referring to. Apples and oranges comparison. Again, you don't appear to comprehend that aspect.

Frankly, it's just disappointing that you want to add your voice to a thread without any substantive understanding of the subject.

Originally Posted By: CKN
You have to find someone with a license, someone who will inspect a car for you, secure your own financing, and buy a car without a warranty. That's disservice to the public right there.








Well-the fact of the matter is-that the vast majority of the public don't buy cars through auctions-so I do believe I do know what I am talking about as evidenced by the way car purchases are made. Now, I'm not wasting any more effort on you.

It sure is funny how you look at an edited post.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Now, I'm not wasting any more effort on you.


Effort? That's the issue. All you're doing is pounding away behind a keyboard and throwing up red herrings.

I went and found vehicles for you to look at locally, and would help you anyway I could so you could return and post your honest thoughts on what you observed. Even then we may completely disagree, but I'd entirely respect it given what you'd actually done.

However, if this is what "effort" is to you, then I'd gladly welcome you not wasting anymore of it in this thread.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Originally Posted By: CKN
Now, I'm not wasting any more effort on you.


Effort? That's the issue. All you're doing is pounding away behind a keyboard and throwing up red herrings.

I went and found vehicles for you to look at locally, and would help you anyway I could so you could return and post your honest thoughts on what you observed. Even then we may completely disagree, but I'd entirely respect it given what you'd actually done.

However, if this is what "effort" is to you, then I'd gladly welcome you not wasting anymore of it in this thread.



And you sir have no business telling me how much I can post in a given thread....especially since your not the OP. Anybody can go online and "google" an auction...how much effort does that take?

You are now on my "ignore list" so don't bother responding. Congrats BTW-your the first one to make the list!

 

[Ramblejam]

Simply put, I object to anyone who continually posts blatantly false information in a thread. That's your effort. That's your contribution.

You don't understand the subject, have conflated different auction types, and refuse to learn.

If OP's friend wants to buy at a dealer, then so be it. I have no personal interest, financial or otherwise, in the deal. What I am offering though is another avenue for them to possibly purchase a better vehicle then they ever imagined, and would help however I could.

 

[Win]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam


Simply put, I object to anyone who continually posts blatantly false information in a thread. That's your effort. That's your contribution.

You don't understand the subject, have conflated different auction types, and refuse to learn.



Why not just correct the blatantly false information you saw and educate those that conflate different auction types, and don't know apples from oranges?