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[outunderthestars]

Until this year, I have always bike commuted to work and rarely drove. As such I was able to keep two cars that we given to me through the years after relatives died. Sadly, my 2004 Ford Taurus appears to be dying.

I currently have a long commute and am hoping for a baby in the next year so I wanted something safe, comfortable, and roomy enough for a car seat. I know next to nothing about cars, and even less about buying one.

I was looking at this 2014 Honda Accord.

I don't care about the color or styling.

Thoughts on this as an option? I would have preferred a certified preowned CRV but those are about $5,000 more than I would want to spend. I looked into leasing but the mileage penalty would cripple me after the three year lease ended.

Any thoughts on how much I should offer? Is there much wiggle room on a used car like this? Should I finance through Honda?

Basically...... HELP!

 

[the-pi-guy]

https://www.kbb.com

Blue book to compare prices of cars.

https://www.edmunds.com/tco.html

Find out what to expect for owning the car.

 

[maxcriden]

Just at a glance as someone not too educated about car prices, that seems like a decent deal, especially if you can get it a little cheaper, and provided the vehicle is within your budget. I'm glad you are doing certified preowned as that's the way we went with our last main vehicle purchase and I think it's a smart way to balance some warranty with used.

Personally I think leases are a bad value.

We have a Honda Civic and have found it to be a reliable and good vehicle. I do think you may as well try to offer a lower price. KBB should help indicate a price to offer and I would at least try to negotiate from $1500-2000 lower than asking price (that's a random ballpark #, maybe others would say start at $1000 higher or lower than I'm sayng) and then see if you can meet in the middle (so you'd then save maybe $750-1000 if they're amenable to negotiation).

As to financing, see what rates they can offer you vs. what your bank or credit union can offer.

Hope you get your car and your baby as soon as you want both! Good luck man.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Make sure you get the car checked by a certified dealer or mechanic. Pay that extra $100 for full diagnosis but make sure everything works. You usually have 30 days to report any issues that the seller (dealer, not private) will fix.

 

[Skellig Gra]

First thing you do is call up the other 20 honda dealerships in the area and get a quote on the same car. Use the pricing you get as leverage on negotiating down the price at the dealership you like the best. You don't need to finance through Honda, just get a car loan with the best rate you can find.

 

[maxcriden]

Make sure you get the car checked by a certified dealer or mechanic. Pay that extra $100 for full diagnosis but make sure everything works. You usually have 30 days to report any issues that the seller (dealer, not private) will fix.

First thing you do is call up the other 20 honda dealerships in the area and get a quote on the same car. Use the pricing you get as leverage on negotiating down the price at the dealership you like the best. You don't need to finance through Honda, just get a car loan with the best rate you can find.

These are great tips. Incidentally, I think for certified preowned vehicles the dealer has to do an inspection and will give you the results.

 

[AntoneM]

Can't comment on whether that's enough room for stroller and other baby stuff, it probably is. But I can say that Honda's are rock solid cars, especially if you are a low mileage driver. Still driving my 2005 Civic with 92000 miles on it. Only things that have needed replacing have been tires, battery, and brakes (other than fluids).

 

[ProtomanNeo]

First, most car dealers are scum of the earth, and do not have your best interests in mind. If you are good a haggling then you'll be fine. If not just be mindful. If you've been with the same bank or credit union for a number of years I'd try to get my loan through them. Had the same car for some time while I was a new dad and it served me well.

 

[Kill3r7]

Try truecar.com or Costco, Costco is fairly limited but it works well because it gives you a starting point in price negotiations with other dealers. Also, ifyou like the original quote you can buy the car from the Costco dealer without having to negotiate. As others have said, getting dealers to compete over you is the best way to go.

 

[IISANDERII]

Until this year, I have always bike commuted to work and rarely drove. As such I was able to keep two cars that we given to me through the years after relatives died. Sadly, my 2004 Ford Taurus appears to be dying.

I currently have a long commute and am hoping for a baby in the next year so I wanted something safe, comfortable, and roomy enough for a car seat. I know next to nothing about cars, and even less about buying one.

I was looking at this 2014 Honda Accord.

I don't care about the color or styling.

Thoughts on this as an option? I would have preferred a certified preowned CRV but those are about $5,000 more than I would want to spend. I looked into leasing but the mileage penalty would cripple me after the three year lease ended.

Any thoughts on how much I should offer? Is there much wiggle room on a used car like this? Should I finance through Honda?

Basically...... HELP!

Can't go wrong with an Accord really. It's made Car & Driver's 10 Best list 30yrs running or something ridiculous like that.

 

[Devilgunman]

I just bought a new Honda HRV and it’s really great. Better mileage than CRV and it has bet spacious trunk space for a small SUV.

One suggestion though, don’t buy any service plan from a dealer. They will try hard to sell an overpriced plan mostly covered by your car insurance.

 

[Heroman]

Never buy new
Always know when to walk away.

 

[Lambtron]

I bought a 2013 Accord last fall. It's a great car. Easy on gas, lots of creature comforts even in the lower trim levels, and it's relatively fun to drive.

 

[Zaphod]

Good choice, I bought a 3 year old Accord 10 years ago. It's now got 160,000 miles on it and still runs and drives great.

 

[Auto_aim1]

Good choice, I bought a 3 year old Accord 10 years ago. It's now got 160,000 miles on it and still runs and drives great.

Man, it's kinda hard to imagine 10 years ago was 2007. Shit feels like yesterday to me.

Accord or Civic, your pick. Both great cars.

 

[Zaphod]

Man, it's kinda hard to imagine 10 years ago was 2007. Shit feels like yesterday to me.

Me too, I often forget its been that long since I've bought the car.

 

[Risible]

Never buy new
Always know when to walk away.

This exactly.

I just bought a used Honda Odyssey. Went in prepared to walk out if I didn't get the advertised price. They tried every trick in the book and I was there for 5 hours total. If you're not the haggling type and don't let them know you will walk away at any stage of the deal, you can easily pay $3K more than the advertised price. Stick to your guns, do your research before going in, and question EVERYTHING they try to add onto the price.

 

[SwiftDeath]

If you're getting a car loan for it, definitely go through a bank or if at all possible a credit union.

Dealer financing is where they make their most money I'm quite sure and I definitely recommend looking elsewhere first. Generally much better rates, services, fees etc.

Usual Rule of Thumb for Car Financing: Credit Union > Bank > Car Dealer

 

[black_13]

Good choice for a car. But if you can afford it, it's always best to buy a used car out right as interest is usually very high for a used car.

 

[AstroNut325]

OP, we're approaching the end of 2017. Car dealers are offering very significant discounts on 2017 models.

Example: I got a new 2017 Toyota Corolla for $15,300. Zero miles, full warranty, 2 years of maintenance included.

I used Truecar.com. A bunch of dealers called me and offered their best price. The dealers were trying to earn my business. I recommend this route if you're looking to spend 12-14K on a car anyways.

Edit:
My new Corolla has a great back seat. It fits my son's large convertible car seat with plenty of room to spare.

Also, finance through your bank or credit union. The process is simple, go to bank/credit union. Tell them you want a car loan. They'll run your credit, and give you a pre-approval letter. Take it to the dealer, give them the pre-approval letter, fill out the dealer paperwork. They'll give you something called an "Option Contract." Then go back to the Bank/Credit Union, give them the option contract that the dealer gave you. And you're done.

 

[Marvie_3]

Picking a Honda was a good choice. They make great cars.

 

[TheWrathOfSean]

Picking a Honda was a good choice. They make great cars.

This. My last car was an 05 Accord that I bought at the end of 06, and it lasted me 11 years. Recently switched to a civic hatch and am pretty happy with it.

 

[outunderthestars]

OP, we're approaching the end of 2017. Car dealers are offering very significant discounts on 2017 models.

Example: I got a new 2017 Toyota Corolla for $15,300. Zero miles, full warranty, 2 years of maintenance included.

I used Truecar.com. A bunch of dealers called me and offered their best price. The dealers were trying to earn my business. I recommend this route if you're looking to spend 12-14K on a car anyways.

Edit:
My new Corolla has a great back seat. It fits my son's large convertible car seat with plenty of room to spare.

Also, finance through your bank or credit union. The process is simple, go to bank/credit union. Tell them you want a car loan. They'll run your credit, and give you a pre-approval letter. Take it to the dealer, give them the pre-approval letter, fill out the dealer paperwork. They'll give you something called an "Option Contract." Then go back to the Bank/Credit Union, give them the option contract that the dealer gave you. And you're done.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I was shocked at the number of BS fees they try to force on you. One dealer wanted $1800 in fees on a $14,000 car: pinstripe, glatch etching, dealer prep fees etc.

This process sucks

This exactly.

I just bought a used Honda Odyssey. Went in prepared to walk out if I didn't get the advertised price. They tried every trick in the book and I was there for 5 hours total. If you're not the haggling type and don't let them know you will walk away at any stage of the deal, you can easily pay $3K more than the advertised price. Stick to your guns, do your research before going in, and question EVERYTHING they try to add onto the price.

Today i got overwhelmed so I just left. I hate this.

 

[DJwest]

I bought a 2014 Honda Accord Sport in January, OP, and I absolutely love it. It's a spacious vehicle, go for it.

Never buy new.

I always see this argument in car purchase threads. Is it because the value of 1-2 year old cars are significantly lower and yet these vehicles tend to still be very reliable?

 

[parrotbeak]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I was shocked at the number of BS fees they try to force on you. One dealer wanted $1800 in fees on a $14,000 car: pinstripe, glatch etching, dealer prep fees etc.

This process sucks



Today i got overwhelmed so I just left. I hate this.

Some fees are inevitable but don't take any upgrades at the dealer. If it's something you really need you can get it later and probably cheaper but chances are once you're driving you won't care about add ons. Especially if you biked till now and are becoming a parent; it will just be about getting around.

I'd probably look at safety tests more than anything.

Fine to get overwhelmed and walk. I do all my research online before going to talk in person, and write out all my options and likely decisions.

Also check out car forums for the specific car you're looking at. Many cars have very specific boards down to the model and year.

 

[zero_suit]

I always see this argument in car purchase threads. Is it because the value of 1-2 year old cars are significantly lower and yet these vehicles tend to still be very reliable?

You're spot on. Maybe not significantly lower in price, but definitely a fair amount.

 

[QualityPixel]

I owned a 2001 Accord from about 2006 to Jan 2017. Car was awesome, had no major mechanical issues with it ever. My next car will likely be another Honda.

I always see this argument in car purchase threads. Is it because the value of 1-2 year old cars are significantly lower and yet these vehicles tend to still be very reliable?

Yes, never buy new unless money isn't an issue.

 

[Clockwork5]

That looks like a fairly standard price, maybe a kinda good price considering the lowish mileage. If you could talk down to $12,000 that would be in the bargain realm and would be a realistic number to shoot for during negotiations/haggling.

 

[Kill3r7]

I bought a 2014 Honda Accord Sport in January, OP, and I absolutely love it. It's a spacious vehicle, go for it.


I always see this argument in car purchase threads. Is it because the value of 1-2 year old cars are significantly lower and yet these vehicles tend to still be very reliable?

The moment you drive the car off the lot you lose roughly 20% of car value during that first year. CPOs typically offer a lot of bang for your buck with many of the same warranties and additional benefits as buying new.

 

[soundscream]

Ahhh planet Honda, I swear they are half my YouTube ads!

But anyway the car is below 10,000 miles a year and its less then 40,000 miles. Id say say this is a decent deal. Just make sure it has the owners manual and spare tire, if its missing either talk them down another $1,000.

 

[Risible]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I was shocked at the number of BS fees they try to force on you. One dealer wanted $1800 in fees on a $14,000 car: pinstripe, glatch etching, dealer prep fees etc.

This process sucks



Today i got overwhelmed so I just left. I hate this.

Bring your phone. Google every single thing they try to charge you for. If the internet says it's bullshit, tell them it's bullshit. They want to sell you the car. They also just want to see how much they can tack on. It's a game. Just be polite yet firm, and if you hit an impasse be like "Later" and mean it. Like truly walk. You'll be amazed at how they can come around if they know you will truly walk out of the store.

Glass etching? Bullshit. Nitrogen in the tires? Fuck off. Guy told me it's already in there and the glass is already etched we can't do anything about it. Ok, bye. Oh wait, fees waived. That shit costs them like $20 max, they don't really care.

Oh, and the best was the $800 fee for certification. I was like "Bitch, I went on the Honda Certified site FOR A FUCKING REASON. What do you mean it's not certified, that's some straight up bait and switch shit." Lo and behold that fee got waived too. Total horseshit.