Did I Get a Good Deal?? (2000 Chevy Prizm with just 99k miles)

[toasterburn]

My daily driver gave up the ghost recently and I didn't want to go into debt buying a new car, so I decided to try to find an older fuel-efficient Japanese car with low miles instead.

It took awhile (in my price range, they tend to have 200k-300k miles on them) but I just found a 2000 Chevy Prizm with just 99k miles on it with a good body and paint.

I negotiated the dealership down a bit, and had them throw in a number of repairs and updates (new struts, alignment, new front and rear brakes, new head liner, fix a broken door handle, and a detail cleaning). I'm waiting now for them to finish all that work so I haven't had a chance to really test it out yet. The total price: $4000.

So did I get a good deal? $4000 seems like a lot for an older car, but I've read a lot of good things about Prizms/Corollas, and I want something that I can keep going with just regular maintenance. And are there any sort of mods or improvements I should be considering?

[Smurf]

Main question is, did you get the manual that allows for good MPG, or the slushy automatic?

[Insight for life]

Sounds like you will have a good car for 4k, that to me is a good deal.

[toasterburn]

It's the automatic.

[user removed]

99 Corollas have 3 speed or 4 speed autos with the 4 speed at 33 highway. The manual is 34 with the 3 speed at 30.

regards
Mech

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

99 Corollas have 3 speed or 4 speed autos with the 4 speed at 33 highway. The manual is 34 with the 3 speed at 30.

regards
Mech

This. Be hopeful you got the 4-speed OP. If you did, that's not a bad deal. I would recommend getting a Corolla LE cluster so you can have a Tach.

[toasterburn]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

This. Be hopeful you got the 4-speed OP. If you did, that's not a bad deal. I would recommend getting a Corolla LE cluster so you can have a Tach.

Would that fit easily or is it more of a mod thing?

I don't know if it's the 3 or 4 speed. They should be done with the repairs this afternoon or more likely tomorrow and I'll find out then. Fingers crossed.

[redpoint5]

I wouldn't have paid that much. What did they go for new? I wouldn't imagine much more than $10k.

The fact that you bought at a dealership, and they were willing to do a ton of work on the old car suggests that they got a good deal.

All of those repairs are easy to do, and would be cheaper at any other shop. I'd have purchased private party, and failing that, talked down the price of the car at the stealership as-is. They don't want the car, and they probably only paid $500 for it. I would repair the struts, if the thing wallows over bumps. The door handle can be picked up at a junk yard, the headliner can be glued back, and I can vacuum a car out and wipe down surfaces. The thing is a hammer, so no need for it to be polished.

Before I bought the TSX, the Prizm was my first choice to replace my Legacy. I took one for a test drive and found the seat wouldn't go back far enough for a 6'2" driver. Close, but I don't think it's comfortable for anyone over 6 feet.

That said, it'll probably be a good car for a long time, and you avoided the biggest mistake most people make, which is buying a very expensive car (I spent $17k on a 4yr old car with 32k miles).

[toasterburn]

Unfortunately, I didn't have the cash to buy one outright, so I had to finance through a dealership. But after a month of hard searching and struggling not having a car, this was the best deal I've come across yet in my state, including private sellers.

Most of the 95-00 corolla/hondas/mazdas on craigslist have had 200k-300k miles and were priced anywhere from $2500 -$4500. Usually they were also pretty badly beaten up cosmetically too. The dealerships didn't have many, but when I found them they had 150k-250k miles for around $4500-$5500. Every time I went to look at one they sold it right before I got there.

This particular one was a trade in. It had a clean car fax, no damage to the body, and under 100k miles. I originally wanted to pay around $2500 or so, but I couldn't find a decent one at that price and I need some wheels. Hopefully I didn't overspend by too much.

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by toasterburn

Would that fit easily or is it more of a mod thing?

I don't know if it's the 3 or 4 speed. They should be done with the repairs this afternoon or more likely tomorrow and I'll find out then. Fingers crossed.

It just slips right in and works, no re-pinning or modding required.

Also, if it's the 4-speed, it will have a overdrive button on the shifter. If it doesn't, it's the 3-speed.