Does Buying a Used Car Have to Be So Awful?
Does Buying a Used Car Have to Be So Awful?
I am almost 69 years old and I have only had used cars my entire car-driving life, starting with my father’s 1968 Ford Mustang, which I “inherited” in 1971 (shared with my brother for one year, than all mine the second). That was the “newest” used car I ever had.
My “Car Sense”
(The above resembles my first car, but isn’t it.)
During my solo year of using this mustang (YES, as “Mustang Sally”), the right front axle suddenly broke on my way to school one fall morning, making that tire go horizontal to the ground which sent me crashing (thankfully, very slowly, and, on an infrequently used road) into the private property barrier (luckily, a very low) bordering stone wall.
Turns out, though, this was GOOD FORTUNE. After it got towed in, the mechanic said that the battery had fallen over just prior to that and almost started an engine fire.
This became a theme in my car-using life: something in a car gets my attention (what is that, it sounds wrong, something smells bad, what is that wobble?), because it is actually something (else) that NEEDS fixing/replacing, FAST. It isn’t always my own car I’m driving or riding in, but, nevertheless, this has happened more times than I can count.
My friends, family and colleagues and I have all learned to trust my intuition when it comes to cars. If it feels wrong to me, something in that car IS broken. Some mechanics have been slow to get comfortable with my expertise, but I find those who believe me and stay with them.
I could write a book about all the engine, mechanical, electrical, structural and (ir)regular maintenance problems I/we have encountered and (co-)managed over the last 43 years, but I will not. How boring would that be?
Suffice it to say: I KNOW ABOUT CARS. I have had: Fords, Chevys, Toyotas, Dodge Ramblers, Volvos, VWs, Subarus, Renaults, Mitsubishis, Pontiacs, and Jeeps; manual and automatic transmissions; two-, four- and five-doors; small, compact, full-size and compact station wagons, hatchbacks, SUVs, vans and buses; butterfly/pull manual chokes and fuel injection; only AM radios to CD players; crank-lever seats and power seats, and on and on. Some cars I had to jump start or roll start; some cars had almost no heat (in NEW ENGLAND).
I am not a mechanic, and I don’t know all the lingo. BUT, I know when something is in need of repair, when I’m being lied to or “managed” condescendingly, and when to give up on a car and get a replacement.
Recent Car Search Experiences in and around St. Louis, Missouri, and Online
Finding and buying a used car is not something I’ve done a lot with actual dealers, though, and this time around, I am (so far), and IT SUCKS. All that is wrong with our terrible, selfish, dishonest, capitalist culture, replete with misogyny, classism, ageism, and the rest, THRIVES in car dealerships among sales people. So sad.
Online or in person, doesn’t matter: deliberately or “accidentally,” websites and conversations reveal incorrect features, inaccurate mileage, and other problems. Truth-in-advertising flaws and sales agents’ ignorance abound.
Worse, when I catch these “mistakes,” inevitably the person I’m talking with tries to pass it off as a problem caused by someone else, or not an actual problem at all. A few have bullied, lied to, argued with, and patronized me to point of my hanging up on/refusing to deal further with them.
I give the dealers and agents a very detailed list of my criteria, tell them these are non-negotiable and inflexible, even provide reasons for each feature. They STILL send me other cars and try to convince me that these are “just as good” or that I “don’t need” the car to be the way I’ve stated. STOP WASTING MY TIME!
Here are pictures of the cars I want to buy and NEED to get.
Both are Volkswagens with SEL “trim,” and these are almost identical: Sportwagen and Alltrack.
The car I get must have:
— all-ways powered driver’s seat (12-ways);
—at least 30 cubic feet cargo space with all seats UP;
—back-up/rear camera;
—cruise control;
—ground clearance lower than 6.9″;
—automatic transmission;
—low mileage (50K maximum);
—pricing below $28K;
—clean CarFax/title;
—no unrepaired recalls;
—space on the floor for my left-foot accelerator pedal and mechanism to fit (smallish left foot driver’s foot rest, e.g.) and room for my right foot to rest OFF the regular accelerator.
If you know of any, please contact me imnmediately!
Money, Money, Money
Then, let’s talk about the bullshit of trade-in values, shall we? I’ve had offers (online and in person) ranging from $500 to $2,147 for the same car, same day or week. WTF?
My car is almost 24 years old and has over 155K miles. They’re just going to junk it, right? Why can’t they be generous about it, then?
What about financing, e.g., required downpayment and interest rates? Same BS: APRs are bouncing from 4.99% – 9.99% (48 months) to 5.99% – 11.99% (60 months) to 5.99% -14.99% (72 months). Downpayment demands go from ZERO to $15K+!!
Really? Same buyer, here. Same or similar potential car.
Finally, what is up with the “certification” and “warranty” offers? I understand that only a dealer can certify that model car (Subaru dealers must be the ones to certify Subarus, etc.). But, when a dealer gets a used car into its service bay and tells the potential buyer it’s been “gone over,” why isn’t there more than a powertrain warranty to go with that car? What nasty upcoming maintenance surprises are they planning to be loading onto the unsuspecting buyer?
I had one sales agent tell me that a car with 98K miles was “just as good or better” than one with under 50K miles (my criterion) because “the owner took good care of it and our service people gave it a green light. It passed emissions and other inspections.”
“Oh?” I replied, “Then why do I not see a replaced timing belt? Brand new exhaust system? Entirely new braking system? New battery? New spark plugs and other tune-up components? Where are the new valve cover and head gaskets listed? Did I miss seeing that someone checked the O2 sensor and replaced the catalytic converter recently? What about the tie rod ends, wheel bearings, shock absorbers and struts? These AND MORE are the things cars with 75 – 100K miles usually get done, and if this car hasn’t gotten them done, it’s about to need them. That’s thousands of dollars in maintenance and repairs coming due in the next 20K miles, I predict. Are you going to reduce the sales price accordingly?”
Agent: {Blustering, lies, bullying, more lies.}
I hung up.
To Keep or Not to Keep?
Below is an image of a car similar to mine. I actually LOVE my car. A dear friend helped me buy it and still hasn’t demanded I pay him back entirely (knowing I can’t). That’s one.
Another, it fits me and all my needs (see above criteria) except for the mileage and back-up camera.
It needs about $1200 repairs right away and about $3000 in the next year or so. Ongoingly, about $2000 a year, maybe.
I can’t buy a car for that!
If I can’t get an appropriate used car before 8/25/23, I’m getting the first repairs done.
Then, we’ll see.
Wish me luck?
