iLander
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- May 23, 2010
- Messages
- 6,731
The easiest way to find used cars in your area is kbb.com or edmunds.com or autotrader.com. Check ebay, and put in your zip code to get cars close to you. The smaller car lots use ebay. There are tons of cars on all those sites. You can figure out the fair value of your trade through kbb or edmunds, the dealers use those for value.
Have you considered a RAV4? They look small outside, but they are surprisingly roomy and comfortable inside. They get about 24 mpg, and they are very zippy. The only repair notation in Consumer Reports for the LAST 5 YEARS is the a slightly "below average" radio. The back seat has the most room in it's class, try it, you'll be amazed how comfy that is.
Are you a Costco member? We bought our last new car through them. It was stickered at $25K, and we paid $21,500, about $700 over dealer's invoice (they have to show you the invoice), with lots of options. It was easy as pie, too. If you time it right, you can combine the Costco discount with factory rebates and offers, too. We were considering a Nissan Altima, and with the Costco and the rebates, the $24K car was down to $17K!! It was a bit sluggish for my taste, and the interior looked a little cheap, so we passed.
We had a Prius for many years, and it had speed if you needed it, but it wasn't quick to accelerate. The 48 mpg was awesome, though. The new ones have really cool interiors.
We also had the Lexus IS320 and it is very cushy. Beautiful interior, very polite car. It will accelerate, but you just don't feel connected to the road. Easy to drive, smooth ride. If you don't care about zooming, it's a lovely car. The leather is standard and the standard options for the base car are excellent.
My rule of thumb for a used car is $3K off the list price, that's the standard dealer markup. If you were buying in December or August, you'd do even better.
Have you considered a RAV4? They look small outside, but they are surprisingly roomy and comfortable inside. They get about 24 mpg, and they are very zippy. The only repair notation in Consumer Reports for the LAST 5 YEARS is the a slightly "below average" radio. The back seat has the most room in it's class, try it, you'll be amazed how comfy that is.
Are you a Costco member? We bought our last new car through them. It was stickered at $25K, and we paid $21,500, about $700 over dealer's invoice (they have to show you the invoice), with lots of options. It was easy as pie, too. If you time it right, you can combine the Costco discount with factory rebates and offers, too. We were considering a Nissan Altima, and with the Costco and the rebates, the $24K car was down to $17K!! It was a bit sluggish for my taste, and the interior looked a little cheap, so we passed.
We had a Prius for many years, and it had speed if you needed it, but it wasn't quick to accelerate. The 48 mpg was awesome, though. The new ones have really cool interiors.
We also had the Lexus IS320 and it is very cushy. Beautiful interior, very polite car. It will accelerate, but you just don't feel connected to the road. Easy to drive, smooth ride. If you don't care about zooming, it's a lovely car. The leather is standard and the standard options for the base car are excellent.
My rule of thumb for a used car is $3K off the list price, that's the standard dealer markup. If you were buying in December or August, you'd do even better.
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