Looking for a used car under 10K

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Originally Posted by Dave9
If you want a Fusion then the main issue seems to be jumping on one when you find it. Good deals (on anything) don't tend to stick around long.

No Malibu! No GM at all used, IMO they become money pits after a few years. A Corolla is a solid yet boring pedestrian choice. IE beats walking.
wink.gif


Then again the way you wrote that she totalled it out, if she is an accident risk then it's probably worth a few bucks more for more metal around her with a Camry, or even an Avalon... she can get used to a larger vehicle, it's not as though it is a tank, but owners of those tend to be conservative and take good care of them so something a little older with low miles can be a great value and better crash protection.


I agree totally on the Corolla. My wife leased a 2013 and I was so excited to turn it in. I preferred driving my beaters. Sure it was reliable but I just hated it. Felt like driving a tin can
 
A newer, smaller car may have more safety features than an older, bigger car. Someone on here got a clearance Fiesta sedan for less than 10k
smile.gif


Small cars aren't really that small anymore, except the smart car.
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
A newer, smaller car may have more safety features than an older, bigger car. Someone on here got a clearance Fiesta sedan for less than 10k
smile.gif


Small cars aren't really that small anymore, except the smart car.



Very true...even the Honda Civic 2016 and newer look fairly good sized.
 
Here ya go
Found this in the Atlanta area. I know that's a ways for you but an example of what's out there .
58,300 miles

EF1462A5-EFE5-4C3E-A46B-CB11364EC3C7.jpeg
 
Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima now have a lifetime warranty on their 2.4 GDI engine.

I got my Kia Optima with 18,000 miles for $10,000 - - I would do it over again, too. No buyer's remorse whatsoever at all!!!
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
A newer, smaller car may have more safety features than an older, bigger car. Someone on here got a clearance Fiesta sedan for less than 10k
smile.gif


Small cars aren't really that small anymore, except the smart car.


That was me. I would much rather have my $9995 Fiesta with a warranty than the $10K used cars I was finding, and I looked for months.
 
Hertz etc. Spend another 2K and get a 2 year old great car with a warranty. .
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
A newer, smaller car may have more safety features than an older, bigger car. Someone on here got a clearance Fiesta sedan for less than 10k
smile.gif


Small cars aren't really that small anymore, except the smart car.


A Fiesta is a 2600 lb car. There's a point where onboard safety stuff loses badly to weight differential.
 
Toyota Avalon would be my choice for safety reasons in your situation but you are right, At that price they will have high miles.
 
Originally Posted by 14Accent
Always gets my vote:

2013 Chevrolet Volt : $9,300


Volts are pretty sweet but they have one giant risk. After 8 years from sale date, the battery warranty is gone, and should the pack fail your car is mechanically totaled. This is rare with the Volt but it has started to happen as some early cars come off warranty. My relative let his Volt go to a dealer for only 6k trade in value because he didn't want to risk a battery failure outside of warranty. He did trade in on a 2019 Volt, so he's clearly a fan, but MSRP on his car was mid 40k back in the day.
 
Y
Originally Posted by dareo
Originally Posted by 14Accent
Always gets my vote:

2013 Chevrolet Volt : $9,300


Volts are pretty sweet but they have one giant risk. After 8 years from sale date, the battery warranty is gone, and should the pack fail your car is mechanically totaled. This is rare with the Volt but it has started to happen as some early cars come off warranty. My relative let his Volt go to a dealer for only 6k trade in value because he didn't want to risk a battery failure outside of warranty. He did trade in on a 2019 Volt, so he's clearly a fan, but MSRP on his car was mid 40k back in the day.


Carb volts are 10/150k

Junkyard Volt batteries are $2000, they are no more complex to replace than a transmission.

Sadly there are a lot of unknowlegable stooges in the industry that can't fix a bad temperature sensor on a hybrid let alone drop the battery .
 
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Originally Posted by rekit
Hertz etc. Spend another 2K and get a 2 year old great car with a warranty. .


Good point. You can rent the car at a reduced rate for a few days to check it out and if you do buy it, they waive the rental fee.
 
Originally Posted by Rmay635703
Y
Originally Posted by dareo
Originally Posted by 14Accent
Always gets my vote:

2013 Chevrolet Volt : $9,300


Volts are pretty sweet but they have one giant risk. After 8 years from sale date, the battery warranty is gone, and should the pack fail your car is mechanically totaled. This is rare with the Volt but it has started to happen as some early cars come off warranty. My relative let his Volt go to a dealer for only 6k trade in value because he didn't want to risk a battery failure outside of warranty. He did trade in on a 2019 Volt, so he's clearly a fan, but MSRP on his car was mid 40k back in the day.


Carb volts are 10/150k

Junkyard Volt batteries are $2000, they are no more complex to replace than a transmission.

Sadly there are a lot of unknowlegable stooges in the industry that can't fix a bad temperature sensor on a hybrid let alone drop the battery .


The Volt has quite a large T shaped battery. I'd say its more complex than a transmission swap unless your talking about a V12 lamborghini awd transmission. Yes, people will be able to get junk yard packs and hope for the best. But i'd estimate that at $4k total cost, and then you have a battery that sat around degrading. It kills your EV savings making the Volt much worse than your typical econobox burning gas. Brand new pack from chevy is like a 5 digit estimate.
 
Originally Posted by dareo
Scour the credit union repo pages near you. Some great deals to be found. I'd probably buy a Mazda or try and find a high mile Golf MK7 for that budget.


This.

I bought my first 3000GT from a credit union. Was a repo. Fully loaded SL model. Car was near brand new. Bluebook was $26,000 and they sold it to me for $12,000.
 
Originally Posted by dareo
Originally Posted by Rmay635703
Y
Originally Posted by dareo
Originally Posted by 14Accent
Always gets my vote:

2013 Chevrolet Volt : $9,300


Volts are pretty sweet but they have one giant risk. After 8 years from sale date, the battery warranty is gone, and should the pack fail your car is mechanically totaled. This is rare with the Volt but it has started to happen as some early cars come off warranty. My relative let his Volt go to a dealer for only 6k trade in value because he didn't want to risk a battery failure outside of warranty. He did trade in on a 2019 Volt, so he's clearly a fan, but MSRP on his car was mid 40k back in the day.


Carb volts are 10/150k

Junkyard Volt batteries are $2000, they are no more complex to replace than a transmission.

Sadly there are a lot of unknowlegable stooges in the industry that can't fix a bad temperature sensor on a hybrid let alone drop the battery .


The Volt has quite a large T shaped battery. I'd say its more complex than a transmission swap unless your talking about a V12 lamborghini awd transmission. Yes, people will be able to get junk yard packs and hope for the best. But i'd estimate that at $4k total cost, and then you have a battery that sat around degrading. It kills your EV savings making the Volt much worse than your typical econobox burning gas. Brand new pack from chevy is like a 5 digit estimate.


Other than the odd size of the pack, it's actually much easier to remove than a transmission. There's 2 coolant feeds, two refrigerant feeds, a few electrical plugs, and something like 25 bolts then it drops right out. You do need some slightly special equipment but nothing crazy except maybe the AC machine.
 
Several folks have dropped the battery in their garage using simple tools.

The "complex " tool is a laptop with a subscription to GMs obdii software to reset codes, purging air is as simple as having enough coolant and following procedure.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php%3f321946-A-guide-to-swapping-your-Gen-1-Volt-battery-at-home&amp=1

What is even better is 90% of the time the battery you remove is fully functional save a temperature sensor and can be sold working or not for solar and EV conversion folks.

I've found good low mile Volt batteries for as little as $795 and volt gas engines for as little as $150, there just isn't much demand for the parts

ACA641D9-1542-4DE6-862F-14F70FF64BB6.jpeg
 
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Okay so its just a big heavy high voltage piece of toxic waste that also involves A/C refrigerant? How do you even get rid of the old pack? Shipping for the [used] one is likely complicated as well. At least if you yank an engine or transmission you can take it to be scrapped. You can die from mishandling an EV pack.

Even if you could drive all EV all the time in a Volt and charge for free, that $4,000 hit would wreck the whole equation for somebody on a budget buying an old 1g volt. That cost is about 4 years of gas for a similar sized gasser. In reality 48k of EV driving is going to cost about $1700 compared to about $4500 in a 30 mpg ICE car.
 
Originally Posted by dareo
Okay so its just a big heavy high voltage piece of toxic waste that also involves A/C refrigerant? How do you even get rid of the old pack?.


I guess the more people that believe what you are saying the better the prices are for those that know better.


A hint there is no AC refrigerant in a battery, just antifreeze.
 
I spent about 2-3 weeks shopping for a Camry after my son totaled the 2004 Camry I had. I managed to pick up a 2014.5 Toyota Camry SE for right at the 10,000 budget with 68,000 miles. It had all dealer service records. I had a few others I was negotiating with that I could have picked up for closer to 8000 that were a little older with just over 100000 miles. I originally was looking for a 2003-2006 Camry but couldn't get the figures to work for a clean one.
 
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