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Random Car questions
I have a few random questions about buying a used car...I'm 17/f...and I'm trying to find a car to buy for under $5,000.
1. How many miles is too many? I've always heard that cars pretty much die after 100,000 miles...but the higher the mileage the cheaper the car is.
2. What should I ask/know about the car before I buy it from a dealer or from a private party?
3. Do you have any suggestions as to what make and models would be good for a first car?
Thank you!
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Want to answer more questions in the Technology category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Cars?
100,000 miles is sometimes a halflife for a car, sometimes a deathwish. it depends on the engine and transmission. a chevrolet 350 V8 with a 700R4 transmission will run well into 300,000 miles or more. the volvo 2.9 liter inline six will do the same. the old mercedes diesel engines as well. it all depends on the engine and transmission combination that really defines a car's longevity. you'll find that cars get cheaper the higher the miles, and this is true. because most people don't want to take a chance on something that could potentially have been driven into the ground. so a higher mileage car will be cheaper, but it will be more of a risk when it comes to purchasing it because you wont know what to expect out of the engine and transmission it has.
what you should ask or know. simple stuff is what should be asked and known. there's not much to ask or learn until you see the car in person and have a professional check it out top to bottom. but you should always ask the following stuff: does it run? this usually isn't a problem from dealers, but from private party sellers it can be. how many miles are on it? it all depends like i said. but some cars can take tons of miles and keep going, some cant. do all of the electronics work properly?you can't drive a car at night without lights, you can't have a car without working gagues and brakelights. if the electrics don't work, don't buy it. and finally what condition is the interior, and paint in? find out what you're gonna be sitting on. are there even seats in the car? or do you have to sit on old milkcrates? is the paint still on the car? is it rusted out? you wanna know these things.
and finally cars to buy. well first off avoide mitsubishi like the plague. they make terrible cars and anyone who says otherwise simply just got lucky. i've seen mitsubishis first hand and seen how from day one they're just slowly falling apart and dying. i would never own one. secondly avoid jaguar like the plague. i owned one for almost a year and it was the worst car i've ever owned or driven. just big, bulky, always in the shop, and always in need of something else to work right.
ford(models from 2002 and before) :
crown victoria
taurus
focus
explorer
ranger
F150
mustang (GT only)
chevrolet(2001 or before):
silverado
camaro (Z28 or SS only)
impala
malibu
trailblazer/blazer
toyota(2002 or earlier) :
corolla
camryt
rav4
4 runner
honda (i hate them they offer nothing i like, but 2002 or earlier) :
accord
civic
prelude
CR-V
subaru (2001 or earlier) :
impreza (make sure you get the AWD)
legacy (make sure you get the AWD)
SVX (make sure you get the AWD)
volvo (2002 or before) :
960
S70
850
740
nissan (2002 or before) :
sentra
altima
maxima
frontier
X-terra
volkswagen (2002 or before):
new beetle
jetta
passat
vanagon
and those are about it for the cars for beginners. good luck and lemme know how it turns out.
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