Used car purchasing: repairs vs mileage

Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted by maxdustington
I wouldn't buy a $2700 car and pay a shop $3500 for repairs, that's a little ridiculous. Penny wise, pound foolish.

Seems foolish but I could see it making sense, at least in some situation (every situation being unique). I picked up my Camry from $1,500 and put $1,500 into it. $1,200 or $1,300 was actual work, the rest was stereo & trailer hitch. Outside of welding the flexpipe ($200, ouch) the rest I did myself--mounted tires in order to save $70, timing belt and the oil pump seal, valve cover gasket, odds and ends. A shop would have charged over $3k I bet for what I did. All the same: 2 years and 54k, and counting.

I guess since most people couldn't do that out of pocket it changes the scenario, but I could see it working. Me, I could have written it off at any time as an experiment, so I guess it doesn't count--I was willing to gamble. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
 
Originally Posted by supton
I think it's the luck of the draw.


I totally agree. A good friend of mine bought a 1999 Civic sedan many years ago for $150, it had about 60,000 miles on it and looked in rough shape. But he kept that car about 6 or 7 years, put about 300,000 miles on it, and spent maybe $1000 in repairs during that time. He could have kept driving it too, as it was still mechanically good but he got a newer car so that he could do Uber and Lyft.
 
I did cheap used cars for years as mechanic and drove for couple years then replaced when I found something better. Then back goes out so had to finance 06 Saturn in 2010 with 85k which wife loved SUV then recently needed electrical repairs which meant laying on back inside car or pay high dealership fees so I traded in for 18 Grand Caravan with 3k for 19k. Smartest thing I did was build credit up with overpriced Saturn so I could get vehicle with lower mileage and higher warranty. I did get 50k on Saturn in 8 years so hopefully Caravan will last
 
The key is finding something with low miles AND maintenance records.

Even then, you need to have it inspected with a fine tooth comb for anything requiring replacing. Don't buy things that are rusted out.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a low mileage vehicle from the northeast that's been oil sprayed and properly maintained.

I have two cars now - an older truck with low miles, and a newer car with higher miles. The newer car is at the point where it is always having something going wrong on it. Nothing major, but it's still annoying. The truck has been bulletproof (knock on wood) and rides like a new car.

On the flip side, my parents bought a low mileage but older car that ended up blowing a headgasket - it was 10 years old and never had the Dexcool coolant changed on it.

I personally wouldn't buy something with more than 100k on it unless it's a second vehicle and you have time to work on it. I try to find something driven ~ 5000 miles a year or so. YMMV.
 
Do an honest cost per mile assessment.

You may find that a well purchased, reliable, brand new car is no more that 3-5 cents per mile more than a used car.

Keep in mind the capital costs of a vehicle are often well less than lifetime operational costs.

I think the very lowest cost option is to purchase a simple and robust vehicle new, and drive it until it's totalled or the owner passes away.
 
Buy a used Buick, it's almost a guarantee that it was owned by a little ol' lady and gently used
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted by Duffyjr
Buy a used Buick, it's almost a guarantee that it was owned by a little ol' lady and gently used
grin2.gif



My friend has a 2000-2005 model LeSabre in high school... drove like it was on a cloud while 4 big 17-18 year old dudes screamed Adele from the top of their lungs with the 2 12" Kicker subs going through downtown.
banana2.gif
 
A new car has 5000 parts that could inexplicably fail. A 12 year old mass market car has ten things that are likely to go, and have beefed up replacement aftermarket parts that are cheaper than OE. When it goes, mechanics are already familiar with the job, and the diy guy has YouTube videos to help.
 
Originally Posted by Cujet
Do an honest cost per mile assessment.

You may find that a well purchased, reliable, brand new car is no more that 3-5 cents per mile more than a used car.


Okay.. Let's carve that right down the middle and say 4 cents more/mile.

My daily driver has 266,000 miles on it. Going on your premise, above, that would equate to $10,640 extra spent.

Or, if we look at it another way, it was about $25,000 new. I paid $5,600 for it in 2014. That's nearly $20,000 less.
 
Sort of depends on your situation, doesn't it? If you live three miles from work in a city/suburban situation, you have a lot more ability to take a chance than a guy who lives in the country and drives a lot of miles.

Also depends on market conditions at the moment you buy. Right now, there are few scenarios where a used 2 wd sedan wouldn't be better than new. For a new 4x4 (basic trim) pickup truck, you might be better off with new if you plan to keep it a few years.
 
Originally Posted by SirTanon
Originally Posted by Cujet
Do an honest cost per mile assessment.

You may find that a well purchased, reliable, brand new car is no more that 3-5 cents per mile more than a used car.


Okay.. Let's carve that right down the middle and say 4 cents more/mile.

My daily driver has 266,000 miles on it. Going on your premise, above, that would equate to $10,640 extra spent.

Or, if we look at it another way, it was about $25,000 new. I paid $5,600 for it in 2014. That's nearly $20,000 less.


Can one spend $20,000 less for the same $25,000 car?

Really we can't categorize the low cost of a used (up) car in a valid cost per mile comparison.

So, let's go back to my original statement. A valid cost per mile assessment includes operational costs. Operational costs are known to be higher when purchasing a used vehicle. In fact, operational costs are minimized when purchased new, retained for a long time, and maintained very well.

Please understand, I'm not here to claim that purchasing a new car is the right option. I am saying that cost per mile really does not vary by as much as people tend to think (by class of vehicle) The IRS allows 55 and 1/2 cents per mile, not because they feel like letting us keep our money. But because that's pretty close to real world operational costs for an average car. It is nowhere near close for modern trucks, which can cost as much as 50 cents per mile in capital costs alone!
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by eljefino
A new car has 5000 parts that could inexplicably fail. A 12 year old mass market car has ten things that are likely to go, and have beefed up replacement aftermarket parts that are cheaper than OE. When it goes, mechanics are already familiar with the job, and the diy guy has YouTube videos to help.



Not if you purchase a Toyota Yaris
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted by Cujet
Originally Posted by eljefino
A new car has 5000 parts that could inexplicably fail. A 12 year old mass market car has ten things that are likely to go, and have beefed up replacement aftermarket parts that are cheaper than OE. When it goes, mechanics are already familiar with the job, and the diy guy has YouTube videos to help.



Not if you purchase a Toyota Yaris
smile.gif



Some people wouldn't be caught dead in a Yaris.
 
Things to keep in mind. Having owned more than a few cars that I bought new or with low mileage and took to 200K plus, you may not HAVE to do a lot of work to keep a vehicle on the road, but if you want to keep the car driving and riding and looking like new, a good amount of money will be spent over the years. At some point before 200K, you will need to at least start to replace bushings and tie rod ends and shocks and fans and maybe a repair or two. After some number of years, at least here in the south, your dashboard will crack or get sticky, your paint may fade, seats may tear. These all seem like minor things, but they add up. Right now I have one car and one truck that need their second new dashboard at almost $1K each (luckily, one of the originals was done under warranty) if I do the work. On the truck, the vinyl sides of the drivers seat is starting to crack.

The cost to maintain is still less than a new car, but I have not had any actual mechanical failures aside from a fan clutch and a couple of sensors, but the maintenance costs add up. A driveshaft here, bushings there, at some point the A/C might quit, or the transmission - at which point, the gamble has not paid off.
 
Makes me wonder if I should stock up car parts for my older cars. I am worried the parts won't be available from the OEM for much longer. New cars are so insanely complex with electronics, I just don't see them hanging around for 20 years like older cars did/do.

Repairs certainly "feel" more expensive than a newer car upfront cost, plus the feeling of sinking money into a car that's worth so little is hard to accept.
 
Depends on how much time you want to spend on "saving money".

Unless you buy a car that has been around for a while (i.e. only refreshed, and not the redesign year with new power train), with known history (i.e. fleet or CPO), and extended warranty, nothing is guaranteed. You can take an educated guess on how it will turn out, and usually be right.

For me I'd just get a lightly used still in warranty car or a new one if I don't have the time to deal with anything more than simple stuff (oil change, plugs, coolant, etc) for my main ride. I'd just want a boring cheap ride and spend my time elsewhere. Hyundai Elantra sounds pretty good to me with their 10 year warranty.
 
What will make a huge difference is how much of the upkeep and repairs you can do on your own.

I bought a 2002 model Ford a few months ago for $2300. 96k miles. Real clean. I've since flushed nasty coolant, unstopped a heater core full of mud, replaced an oil pan gasket that required dropping y-pipe, replaced cam synchronizer and oil pressure sender. Mechanic wise all this probably would have been close to another $1000 but I'm into it for about $200 in parts so far. Definitely not worth $1000 in repairs but definitely worth $200. Problem is I'm almost gunshy with the thing, wondering what's going to tear up next.

Also, a great example of unexpected expense: the car infamously pings on anything other than 93 octane so add in the added cost of 93 over 87 in another vehicle. IThere's no obvious reason for it so I'm not willing to waste any money on it by throwing parts at it.

I believe one of the best things you can do when looking at a used car of any kind is finding a couple forums for that vehicle and reading about common issues. You'll find out Tauruses ping, CVT's fail, Chevy lifters tap, etc...
smile.gif
 
I think a lot of this depends on if you can DIY any repairs needed . As I get older , I am less able to do that .

Also , remember , the drive train is not the only thing to consider . Cars now a days contain a LOT of plastic and rubber parts . The rubber and plastic go down hill with age . No matter the miles .

June 2017 we purchased a 2006 Buick Lacrosse 3.8l with ~ 37,000 miles . Looked great , clearly garage kept . Little old lady car , but in this case car fax verified it . Good tires , brakes , heat / A/C , etc .

Told my wife , even if it did not turn out as hoped , we only had $ 6250 out the door , invested in it .

First thing , replaced the infamous plastic coolant elbows with metal ones , heater hoses , radiator hoses , tstat , belt ,filters . Turkey baster the PS & brake fluid . Suctioned 4 quarts of Dexron 6 out of it and put 4 quarts of synthetic Dexron 6 back in ( existing fluid looked good ) .

Dealer have changed the oil / filter with dino oil ( does not call for DEXOS ) .

Drained out 1 gallon of Dexcool when I had the lower radiator hose off , and replaced with a gallon of new Dexcool .

So , far , we have been very pleased with the car .

Use the online services such as carguru.com to find a good , older car . The Buick was cheap enough , we paid cash , no interest cost .

Best of luck to you .
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top