How do you find/search for a daily driver? (Warning, long rambling post)

Wife and I currently have one vehicle between us.  She started a new job a few months ago and would like to go into the office once or twice a week.  I WFH.  We don't need another car, but the truck is old and has issues.  Having a second car would help quite a bit.  I could dig into the truck and have a second car to get parts, I could run to the store if she's at work, we could actually take a weekend trip to get out of the house, etc.  We've been a one car family for about 18 months, but it's time to buy a second.  As we all know, the market sucks.

Budget is $6k at the high end, but $5k or less would be better.  I need a comfortable daily.  The requirements are A/C, automatic, 4 doors.  Wife does not like minivans, but if that's the only option, she's fine with it.  This will be a car to get us through the next year as we get our finances back on track.  I've been watching CL and FB, probably to the point it's made me nutty.

I know the easy button cars (Honda, Toyota), but they come with a premium.  GRM has a fantastic backlog of "Learn Me" posts to look anything up. 

However, where I struggle is the actual process.  Do I limit my search to small dealers or individuals or both?  Each have their issues.  Dealers can hide issues.  Individuals just won't respond, are dealers hiding as individuals or English is not their first language.  Quick note, I have no issue with the language part, it's just trying to read the seller on what the real condition of the car is or trying to negotiate a price can make it difficult.

Add that I'm "quasi" lazy in that I don't want to spend a weekend or several driving all over central Texas to look at cars that may or may not be real and may or may not have the seller actually show up. 

So, my question is, how do you find a car?  Do you narrow it down to a specific make or make/model and just look at those?  Do you decide a price point and keep things open for anything?  If you have a price point, do you try to understand something about the different problems with a make/model before looking or do you base it solely on condition?  What about criteria?  Is a '97 CRV with 117K miles at a little dealer better or worse than a '10 Chrysler Sebring with 120k miles or the '02 Suburban that has 200k miles, but seems to be well taken care of and is dead simple/cheap to fix?  In theory, you look at all three, but when it's a two hour drive between them, I probably couldn't look at them all in a day.  Don't get me started on the 12 different ways people want to communicate (only calls, no text; only text, no calls; only email; only messenger, etc).  TBH, I find I'm leaning more towards the little dealers because they at least have a couple of options I can look at in a short time frame. 

I guess I'm just really just ranting because all the current options seem to suck, I don't really have anything specific I'm looking for but I don't want to end up with a problem car.  I know I'm probably overthinking it all and locking myself up, but at the same time, I'm a car guy and just can't buy "whatever" without some research.  The FOMO is wreaking havoc on my brain.

Sigh.......  Sorry, I just know that y'all are the only people that can understand my frustration.

-Rob

the 3800 powered GM old peoples cars tend to be solid. Olds, buick, etc.

MrChaos said:

the 3800 powered GM old peoples cars tend to be solid. Olds, buick, etc.

AAACCCKKK!!! I don't need more options!!!  (Just kidding)

I will say as I go through this, I wonder if a "Learn Me" specific sub-forum would be helpful?

-Rob

I generally narrow my search down to 4-5 specific vehicles and a price range. Then I start looking on Craigslist, FB, Cars.com, and Autotrader. Dealer, private seller, don't really care anymore.

I save/bookmark every single potential candidate and then order them based on which options I think are most promising. Then, when I know I have the time to go look, I start working my way down the list.

Unless it's REALLY special, if ANYTHING seems sketchy or like it will be a pain in the ass, I scratch it off the list and move on. My time is too valuable to play games these days.

Don't get too emotionally committed to any one car or idea. Keep your options open, have a couple lined up, and don't be afraid to walk away.

I generally search a price range on cargurus and see what appeals to me.

Here's the easy button:

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?zip=78613&inventorySearchWidgetType=PRICE&maxPrice=6000&sortDir=ASC&engines=I4&sourceContext=carGurusHomePagePrice&distance=50&minPrice=4000&sortType=DEAL_SCORE&startYear=2010#listing=314154665/NONE

I feel like a broken record but I am a big fan of the Gen2 Prius ('04-'09.)  Sure, the 42 mpg without trying is very nice but my real attraction to these cars is that they just don't break.  When they do, the internet support is deep and the problems are common with documented solutions.  

Your profile says you are just north of Austin, TX.  The Austin market is probably pretty deep with Prius.  I'll bet your market is also deep with mechanics with Prius knowledge if its something you don't want to fix yourself.  

The world of "non-car-people" tend to see the Prius as complex.  Because of this, it s very common that these people take the Prius back to the dealership for everything.  That means there are many well maintained Prius out there.  But, the dealership charges a fortune for anything.  For me, I just bought a Prius for $500 because at 200k miles the owner didn't want to spend the $2k the dealership was telling her to replace the LED that is the dashboard.  I fixed it myself for less than $10 (and the time/skills)

Also, know this tip for any Toyota/Scion/Lexus.  If you go to the Toyota website you will find a section for "owners".  There you set up a user name and password (you don't actually have to own a Toyota.)  Form there you can then enter the vin of a potential purchase and the site will kick back to you the car's entire dealer service history. Potentially even down to part numbers used for the repair.     

In your market:

Hail damage don't scare me.  I'd look at this '05 w/116k asking $4.2K as well as another at the same dealer asking $4.7k. 

That same used car lot has 2 or 3 more.  I'd start there for a test drive if nothing else.  

I still have 5 of the 6 Prius I have bought as detailed in this thread.  

Check your RocketMail.  I forwarded you my Prius Buyers guide.  

You want a 2002 escalade? 173k miles but 6.0L and HD transmission are bullet proof. Plenty capable of hauling duties if needed although not fantastic gas mileage if that's a requirement. Let me know as it's getting formally listed in the next week or so.

I set the parameters: type (4 door etc), then price range,then I look at reliability ratings and weed out the dogs.

I then look at which ones are most fun to drive and I give those models preference but the end of the day condition may trump preference.

Finally I search every car site ever every day.

In reply to John Welsh :

Don't worry about being the "broken record."

I follow a lot of these discussions myself, and I think it's good that you share your knowledge and experience about the Prius. 

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to John Welsh :

Don't worry about being the "broken record."

I follow a lot of these discussions myself, and I think it's good that you share your knowledge and experience about the Prius. 

Agreed.  I would have never considered one until you started posting about them.  They're on my list of potentials if I can just convince SWMBO that's it's not a penalty to drive one.

It's interesting.  I've been chatting with her about a car and she gave me the original criteria (A/C, 4 doors, etc).  Then I had her pull up the cargurus website.....  Man, her definition of an appliance and my definition of one are waaaay different.  So, that's now another factor I'm going to have to consider.  Thank goodness I love her. 

-Rob

Also, I really appreciate all the specific vehicle suggestions.  I never intended this to be a "what car" post as there's lots of those, so I didn't want to waste people's time searching for me.  I was honestly more curious about the process because I'm finding myself going crossed eyed looking at different cars, searching for a "learn me" on GRM for one's I'm not familiar with, etc.

Then again, we're car guys.  I'm pretty sure 99% of us are on some type of car search side every couple of days, even if we're not in the market. 

Olemiss540 said:

You want a 2002 escalade? 173k miles but 6.0L and HD transmission are bullet proof. Plenty capable of hauling duties if needed although not fantastic gas mileage if that's a requirement. Let me know as it's getting formally listed in the next week or so.

Thanks.  I'm not sure I want another GM and one that gets gallons to miles, but it's tempting.  I shouldn't ask, but where's it located?

-Rob

I've been in a similar boat for the past month and also back in June when I spent $10,500 on a minivan. In my current search have a few select cars I want but they're hard to come by in my price range. Unlike you, cars local to me are verboten because of rust so I cannot ever just jump on a good deal in one day. Here's what I would do were I in your situation, as I have sometimes been:

I would find a specific model or five and regularly look for them in your search area, your preference of age vs miles. Then take your time and wait. If you're not looking for unicorns, it will just work out.

Secondly, while still doing the above, occasionally just do a search by price range as others have suggested, see what comes up. That's the FUN part of car shopping!

To specifics:

I don't do dealerships, esp not in your price range. Them are the shady shady ones. The ones who bought the car at auction for $800 because no one else would touch it and will top off the AC with a can right before the test drive.

Depending on how risk-averse you are, only consider cars from ppl who have owned it for years. The older the better. not some Facebook "private seller" who has listed 6 cars in the past 2 month, they don't count.

I know people can get good deals from flippers and dealers but I don't take that risk.

As far as searching goes, put in $1,000 more than your top price. People ask more than they expect to get. 
 

Very specific:

 For an appliance car that won't steal your money get a Toyota, of course. I'd get an Avalon or Camry if I wasn't looking for AWD. Some years of Fusions were fairly reliable, too, and they are cheap. As far as minivans go, Honda minivans aren't actually all that reliable, according to ConsumerReports (get a $30 digital subscription) so if you land on a minivan either go all the way and get a Toyota, or get a Dodge and set aside the remainder of your budget for another one. 
 

EDIT: OHHHH YEEEAHH I would give this advice to ANYONE--- go into Google and in the search bar put:

site:grassrootsmotorsports.com _insertCarYoureConsidering_ 

Google will search the domain for only results with that keyword in it. There's priceless information on here from over the years 

We were in the same boat @6 months ago. I found a 04 TSX that skipped time in the PO's driveway which is common at 200k+. Got it for $1400. Got a jdm K24A & jdm auto for $1000. New timing parts, fluids, brakes & wheel bearings. We have a fantastic car for @$3,000. Also when we hauled it home we thought it sat a little low & saw it had a full Mugen suspension. These were @ $1500 in the day. 

In reply to mdshaw :

You bring up a good point about non-running cars. I've been burned too badly by cars I couldn't drive and probably wouldn't risk it again, but if someone has an engine going bad -so you can still test that it moves and shifts fine- and you can find a used engine (car-part.com) + install price (typically around $1500, unless you do it yourself) for less than your budget limit then you are SET!

Even with a bad motor people think they have gold, but usually those cars wither on the Craigslist vine, so by week 12 they're gonna be ready to deal

In reply to P3PPY :

That's why I've had so many Honda's & Acura's over the years. Need a new motor?..get a jdm low mileage, pop it in, drive for a few years & sell it for what you have in it or usually more. 

A friend of mine has been fixing and flipping cars since the pandemic started with decent results - it seems like the early 00s cars are what you can find cheapest now, not old enough to be classic, not new enough to be exciting to most people.. For 5k or less I see a lot of running driving Volvos on Craigslist, as well as some panther cars like the Grand Marquis or Town Car. In that price range I'd also look at the less popular Japanese brands (Mazda and Mitsubishi) or a Saturn if you don't need lots of interior room..

Would a Nissan Leaf have enough range to do what you're trying to do? They're basically the perfect second car and dirt cheap. 

pointofdeparture said:

I generally narrow my search down to 4-5 specific vehicles and a price range. Then I start looking on Craigslist, FB, Cars.com, and Autotrader. Dealer, private seller, don't really care anymore.

I save/bookmark every single potential candidate and then order them based on which options I think are most promising. Then, when I know I have the time to go look, I start working my way down the list.

Unless it's REALLY special, if ANYTHING seems sketchy or like it will be a pain in the ass, I scratch it off the list and move on. My time is too valuable to play games these days.

Don't get too emotionally committed to any one car or idea. Keep your options open, have a couple lined up, and don't be afraid to walk away.

That about sums up my approach too. Figure out a couple models that look like they're the best fit for my needs in the price range, then look for everyone who's selling them. What sort of seller to look for depends on the car - getting a Dieselgate VW that's been fixed up and sold with a warranty would mean a dealership might be a good bet, while something like a good example GM 3800 powered sedan is probably going to be in the hands of a private seller who's taken care of it - but there might be exceptions in any case, so don't cross a seller off because of general type. Crossing a specific seller off for general untrustworthiness is fine.

In reply to rob_lewis :

I know you stated auto trans.  Is that a firm requirement?  

I ask because the one place that I still think there are great deals to be has are Non-Sporty Cars w/ manual trans.  The boomers are done with driving stick and the millennials have never known anyone to own a stick shift.  This means that the pool of buyers for manual trans cars is very low.  These cars sell slow and slow sales can often mean low price.  The slow also means that these cars don't sell the same day they are listed.  

So, if possible, both FB and CL allow for searching limited to just manual trans cars.  Do that and then just brush through what's available.

Something like a Chevy HHR  with a manual trans is near impossible to sell.  The car's retro look is very polarizing, eliminating many shoppers, while the manual trans eliminates the few that accept the look.  

John Welsh said:

In reply to rob_lewis :

I know you stated auto trans.  Is that a firm requirement? 

Sadly, yes.  Wife and I both would prefer a manual transmission car, but her back and ankle issues prevent us from getting one as a daily.  BTW, I appreciate the note about checking Toyota service because Lexus has the same thing.  While I thought a Lexus would be way out of my price range, there have been a couple that aren't and one had an almost full service history.  So, it may be on the "look at" list this weekend. 

FWIW, there's also a 1997 CRV at a tiny dealer just up the street.  117k miles and under $4k.  I swung by on Sunday just to take a look and, other than the common fading paint on the hood and top, it still looks new.  While my wife is concerned about a 24 year old car (which I understand), it looks like a good deal for a car that's practically unkillable. 

BTW, I know CarFax exists to get history on cars, but there seem to be a few others that are cheaper.  Anyone have a recommendation for a CarFax alternate that might be cheaper?  Happy to pay for it, just looking for the most economical options...... Sadly, Honda is not as saavy as Toyota in their previous service records.

-Rob

I seldom search for a specific vehicle. 

My searches are going to look more like: Truck, $123 to $7000. Or: sedan, $123-$5000. Or all vehicles, $123 to $7000. From there, find one that catches your eye and buy based on condition. About the only vehicles I exclude are European and those because the ones I've owned were a PITA to work on and expensive. 

Don't count out the dealers. There is a little dealer down the street from me that sells a lot of cars in the $5000-$15000 range. I've bought several from him in the last 15 years and have been happy with all of them except the Silverado. I've also sold several to him. 

If you want a cheapish truck that can be had in your price range, consider a Ridgeline. It's honestly a car that works very well as a truck, giving you the best of both worlds. 

I do months of extensive research to narrow down a year/make/model. Then I do extensive research on repair costs, parts availability, service accessibility. Then I figure out a realistic budget...

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...then I throw it all out the window because something invariably drops in my lap that is a bargain and owned by someone I know that wants to get a different vehicle. It's been YEARS since I actually PICKED a daily driver. Most have just fallen in my lap. I guess the key is to not be picky.

In reply to slefain :

True. The Dodge minivan we just got was the very first car that I went for with intentionality. 1:21

Rondo!

I generally narrow my search based on cars I like and cars that have a good enthusiast following.  The enthusiast following helps with maintainability, as there's usually good writeups, documentation on common problems, etc.  So it's easier to know exactly what you're in for. 

That process led to me buying an E38 7 series as a daily.  So far, it's been the best stupid decision I've ever made.  A short wheelbase / sport package car like mine is over $5k, but other variants of it often aren't, even in good condition.  So far, other than basic maintenance, it's been dead reliable save for 1 coil pack failure.  And as comfy and fun as the car is, I'd say it's honestly a better Camry than an actual Camry.  It swallows massive volumes of stuff effortlessly and is just all around good at being "just a car" when needed. And as much as it's a bit more needy maintenance wise (and won't forgive lazy maintenance), it's far more solidly built and more durable than most appliance grade cars like a Camry. 

In my mind, if this is a car that won't be driven a ton of miles, I'd prioritize things like "I like it", long term durability, usefulness, etc. over being super low maintenance.