Hola. Please help me buy a car.

[user removed]

My brother settled for 25k on his big diesel truck and kept it for 7k (total 32k). It had salt water up to the bottom of the cab, but not a drop inside and it had no damage or fluid contamination.

He later sold the truck for close to 27k.

Been buying at salvage auctions for 42 years, first was a 66 Chevy G10 van. Paid $400, junk yard played games with paying for the title while holding my money, bought it from the ins company for $200 and got my $400 back.

regards
mech

[synergy]

If your now leaning towards sub 3k and want to put alot of miles on it (leased cars) I think a 01 jetta TDI would be the only candidate. Obviously looks are important to you the newer body style jettas dont look dated.

a 1st gen insight can be had for around that if its a bit rough. Would lose absolutely 0 value driving it. Same goes for the jetta.

Besides that your looking at late model civics and the type. Not as nice looking but much more reliable.

I still think based on what youve said a 2nd Gen honda insight makes the most sense. It may cost 7-8k but you will get great gas mileage it fits 4 adults easy looks like a pretty normal sedan and Its depreciation in the next few years I think can easily be offset by dramatically lower repair bills.

[brett701]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

My brother settled for 25k on his big diesel truck and kept it for 7k (total 32k). It had salt water up to the bottom of the cab, but not a drop inside and it had no damage or fluid contamination.

He later sold the truck for close to 27k.

Been buying at salvage auctions for 42 years, first was a 66 Chevy G10 van. Paid $400, junk yard played games with paying for the title while holding my money, bought it from the ins company for $200 and got my $400 back.

regards
mech

Ok. I'm definitely going to go to a salvage auction if I can hold out. Right now I'm paying something like 20 cents per mile and im driving the very minimum 70 miles a day.

Is there a trick to these salvage auctions? a best time to go?

[synergy]

Brett don't buy a car from a salvage auction. In most states you have to go get it inspected as a salvaged car and who knows what they find. The frame could be bent and they may fail you and your left with a piece of scrap that can never be put on the road.

Makes no sense to me. Your paying 35$ a day right now to drive the altima and another $6-10 in gas. If you work close to 20 days a week plus other driving that's close to 1,000 a month.

Your big issue is not gas mileage or depreciation its that lease and the miles. If you drove a car with even 35mpg that you owned it would save you close to $800 a month. No car out there will depreciate at this rate. Getting any car quick is better than waiting UNLESS you just buy the car at the end of the lease and finance it.

That would be a much better option.

[brett701]

Originally Posted by synergy

Brett don't buy a car from a salvage auction. In most states you have to go get it inspected as a salvaged car and who knows what they find. The frame could be bent and they may fail you and your left with a piece of scrap that can never be put on the road.

Makes no sense to me. Your paying 35$ a day right now to drive the altima and another $6-10 in gas. If you work close to 20 days a week plus other driving that's close to 1,000 a month.

Your big issue is not gas mileage or depreciation its that lease and the miles. If you drove a car with even 35mpg that you owned it would save you close to $800 a month. No car out there will depreciate at this rate. Getting any car quick is better than waiting UNLESS you just buy the car at the end of the lease and finance it.

That would be a much better option.

This is the first week that I've driven and been over my 45,000 miles. I am trying to expedite this and get it done by Sunday. I won't continue on driving this car; even if I have to buy a temporary car before I get my next real car.

[synergy]

Whats your buyout? Is your credit solid enough to finance it at the end of your lease? That way you avoid all mile overages?

[brett701]

Originally Posted by synergy

Whats your buyout? Is your credit solid enough to finance it at the end of your lease? That way you avoid all mile overages?

The market has waaay too many Altima's available. The Supply is much higher than the demand so buy out is not a solution. At the end of my 3 year lease it will be like 14,000 to buy out a car that will have a market value of 10,000 & that is the value when the car has 45,000 miles.

[user removed]

Originally Posted by brett701

This is the first week that I've driven and been over my 45,000 miles. I am trying to expedite this and get it done by Sunday. I won't continue on driving this car; even if I have to buy a temporary car before I get my next real car.

Salvage auctions are like casinos, even for those with decades of experience repairing cars. You can get burned badly with no recourse.
You've got yourself in quite a pickle with 14 months left on a lease and 45 k miles in 22 months?
2k miles a month=$400, plus the lease $325, plus fuel, insurance and taxes. Sounds like a grand a month.
My advice would be to get the lease paid off and the Yaris financed, probably with a dedicated credit card ($10-12k total), assuming you're not in credit card trouble as well.
If you have the fortitude to really get yourself straightened out, pay the grand a month on the credit card and get out of short term debt.
I would negotiate turning the car in ASAP, or you just pay taxes and insurance plus other fees for a car you will not drive.

I don't expect this advice to be appreciated.

regards
mech

[mikeyjd]

Buy a 92 Nissan Sentra for <1k. It will save you 11k per year. You're welcome

[brett701]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

Salvage auctions are like casinos, even for those with decades of experience repairing cars. You can get burned badly with no recourse.
You've got yourself in quite a pickle with 14 months left on a lease and 45 k miles in 22 months?
2k miles a month=$400, plus the lease $325, plus fuel, insurance and taxes. Sounds like a grand a month.
My advice would be to get the lease paid off and the Yaris financed, probably with a dedicated credit card ($10-12k total), assuming you're not in credit card trouble as well.
If you have the fortitude to really get yourself straightened out, pay the grand a month on the credit card and get out of short term debt.
I would negotiate turning the car in ASAP, or you just pay taxes and insurance plus other fees for a car you will not drive.

I don't expect this advice to be appreciated.

regards
mech

I have checked my options with the Altima. The best option is to let it sit.

I now need to find a car. My immediate thought is to get a junker for 2k or less and drive this while I try to find the car that will be my car for the next 2-8 yrs.

Here are a couple that I'm looking at .

$1500 is where I would like them to be with this car
Ford Focus 2003! Leaving the country!

I would pay 2084 and it makes me suspicious that they JUST recently got an inspection before they are selling it. Also, a picture of the plastidipped tire is interesting.
accord lx 2005 Low miles Fully loaded

Yes, this is 6 cylinder, but it's decent and I can maybe get them down to sub $1400 range.

Maybe this civic 2001, but I thought I remember 2001 being a troublesome year for the civic. Also, the words seem about salesy.
2001 Honda Civic Ex


I can try to jab this 98 corolla for $1200. They might reject, but it wont hurt anything.
98 Corolla with inspections

Maybe this POS in the country with triple sticker on the car door.
1996 Toyota Corolla

This car is like 10 minutes or less from me and doesnt have too many miles. I know it's salvage and maybe that will help me knock some money off the cost of the car. Maybe i buy it for $1350?
2002 toyota corolla

Anything I need to be looking out for when a car is 105,000?

2005 honda civic $1400, but no title in hand? Doesnt make sense to me.
2005 Honda civic

I was also looking at this which VW, but I'm scared of VW's apparently they need some super unique oil that you have to have imported and even the VW mechanics put the incorrect oil in the car. Also it's Turbo and I don't want that.
2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLS 1.8T