Used Car Prices? What?

I am looking for a used car in the $10,000 range. The stealerships are picked clean and asking crazy prices for old rental cars that have been through another owner and kicked around pretty heavily too.

The price of gas has made these little cars jewels. A guy showed me a 2007 Honda Civic 4 door 79,000 mile automatic for $16,999.00 today. Isn't that what the 2011 Civic base model kinda starts at?

So I started looking at used Impala's; all which were past rental cars. I had a dealer advertise a 2008 with high mileage for $10,895. He says "we can take $300 off the car". No more; take it or leave it. Bye!

I have had two private party people hold their price and not budge a dollor off their asking. 2008 Sentra $13,500. "I will not take a dollar less" she said.

What to do?

getting title on a 2004 corolla 70 k 5 k on kbb thinking 4 k cash

If you find a good answer, let me know. I'm trying to find a decent car in the $5k range that's sporty enough to occasionally track and I'm having a hard time finding cars that are worth the money IMHO. Looks like they've gone up by a few grand over the winter.

Yep, used smallish cars that are good on gas will continue to go up in price as gas rises.

Perfectly fine with me.

I'm already seeing Escalades in my area under $15k. I'm hoping by this fall/next spring, it will be high enough or people will finally figure out that $1.25 87oct is never coming back.

I'm hoping I'll be able to pick up a NICE truck in the $10k range.

I think(presuming this is for your Runzheimer/work car), this might be a rare instance where you're better off financially to fine last year's new car still on the dealer lot & see if they have a low-interest/0% deal going on.

I got 24.5K for my used prius last weekend. new cost was less then that, only 10K miles as well. Some of the dealers around here are aking 27K for a base model Prius and they are selling.

z31maniac wrote: Yep, used smallish cars that are good on gas will continue to go up in price as gas rises. Perfectly fine with me. I'm already seeing Escalades in my area under $15k. I'm hoping by this fall/next spring, it will be high enough or people will finally figure out that $1.25 87oct is never coming back. I'm hoping I'll be able to pick up a NICE truck in the $10k range.

This. Paying less than $5k for a very nice Suburban? Yes, please.

petegossett wrote: I think(presuming this is for your Runzheimer/work car), this might be a rare instance where you're better off financially to fine last year's new car still on the dealer lot & see if they have a low-interest/0% deal going on.

no, one of my kids is looking for a car and since I am the car guy; I get to help find the "smoking deal".

Mistake #1: Shopping at stealerships. Craigslist/newspaper/autotrader are the answer.

Edit: 30 seconds of searching finds you a Civic for $10,000 less than the stealership quoted:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/cto/2356313989.html

Or if a slushbox V6 is your thing:

http://www.centralautochicago.com/newandusedcars/1218/967766/b300ab0e-6a05-44b6-88c9-66a9e609eaa5/Craigslist/2005-Honda-Accord.aspx

poopshovel wrote: Mistake #1: Shopping at stealerships. Craigslist/newspaper/autotrader are the answer.

Obituaries also

You'll do better shopping in Bloomington/Chambana than you will in Chicago, FYI.

KBB on my wife's 2010 Santa Fe with 16k on it is $500 higher than what I paid for it brand new out the door. Used prices are just crazy right now. Back when I bought it a used 2009 Santa Fe with 12k on it was only a grand cheaper than new.

I started asking everyone I know if they had a car for sale. Turns out my pastor has a 2002 Camry for sale, so I'll probably be cutting him a check for it this week.

z31maniac wrote: Yep, used smallish cars that are good on gas will continue to go up in price as gas rises. Perfectly fine with me. I'm already seeing Escalades in my area under $15k. I'm hoping by this fall/next spring, it will be high enough or people will finally figure out that $1.25 87oct is never coming back. I'm hoping I'll be able to pick up a NICE truck in the $10k range.

That's what I did. Bought a 2002 Silverado 2500HD crew cab long bed with the 8.1, Alison trans, and a 4.10 locker rear end for $7500. Book was $13K.

Apparently I need to fix the couple of things wrong with the Saturn I inherited (with a brand-new motor) and sell it at a stupid profit.

Talking to a couple guys that do dealer auctions, the Cash-4-Clunkers program is one of the main reasons for the high prices.

poopshovel wrote: Mistake #1: Shopping at stealerships. Craigslist/newspaper/autotrader are the answer.

I am also looking on craigslist. For example....

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/2346980598.html

The owner doesn't know which version the Sentra is. Base, S, SR. Or even if it has aluminum wheels. Great Pictures too.

She does know that the KBB is $15xxx. She is firm at $13,500 - no negotiating on price.

Maybe I should get this WRX STi for $2800 and cover many family "wants". STi, cheap car, good in snow, local, fun car.....

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/2360653053.html

DILYSI Dave wrote:

z31maniac wrote: Yep, used smallish cars that are good on gas will continue to go up in price as gas rises. Perfectly fine with me. I'm already seeing Escalades in my area under $15k. I'm hoping by this fall/next spring, it will be high enough or people will finally figure out that $1.25 87oct is never coming back. I'm hoping I'll be able to pick up a NICE truck in the $10k range.

That's what I did. Bought a 2002 Silverado 2500HD crew cab long bed with the 8.1, Alison trans, and a 4.10 locker rear end for $7500. Book was $13K.

Nice pickup!

I don't need anything quite that heavy duty, so I'll be looking toward more luxury than brute force.

There's a bugeye WRX sedan on my local Subie dealer's used lot with a big WAS $14995 NOW $14295 sticker on the windshield. I want to go ask them what they charge for 5 grams of the crack they must be smoking.

Two summers ago the stealerships were hurting as nobody was buying cars. I think the salesmen are now laughing at the customers.......

Keep in mind two very ill-timed events have folks holding onto fuel-efficient cars:

Gas prices are at the highest, for this time of year, than they have ever been

And production at japanese auto plants is being severely "crimped" due to the earthquake.

And with those tornados we had these past few weeks, the number of buyers in desperate need of a fuel-efficient car or truck is at an all time high, too.

Brand new Mazda 2 at the Mitty owned by a GRM staffer for less than $13K.

These used car prices have me looking at selling my XJ (up in value) and purchasing a YJ or TJ (both down in value). I picked up a welder so I can fix the floors. I should just about double my money on the deal.

integraguy wrote: Keep in mind two very ill-timed events have folks holding onto fuel-efficient cars: Gas prices are at the highest, for this time of year, than they have ever been And production at japanese auto plants is being severely "crimped" due to the earthquake. And with those tornados we had these past few weeks, the number of buyers in desperate need of a fuel-efficient car or truck is at an all time high, too.

You're also looking at the tail-end of the tax-rebate-checks-burning-holes-in-pockets season.

Lots of the less-intellectually-gifted-folks in my area are hitting the panic button and dumping full-size trucks and SUV's for econoboxes, I'd enjoy the irrationality if I hadn't just pulled the trigger on my tow vehicle last summer. I could buy a truck that could pull a combine this year for what I paid for mine last year. Damn.

Anyway, if you want to amuse yourself some time, sit down with an acquaintance that has just done the truck-to-compact swap and work out the payback period on their trade. I love calculators on cell phones.