Why and how do you buy cars?

After all of the cars I have bought over the years I find I have typical patterns. The first thought to buy a car comes in two ways, 1 – I see a car and my heart skips a beat and I must have so I can be fulfilled as a car guy, or 2 – I come up with a reason why the current car, truck or SUV just isn’t the exactly the right thing for the family. (Note I inserted “family” to make me feel better and full of honor about what I wanted) Then I research for months while I tell myself why I should do this and come up with a plausible reason for my wife to buy into this scam. Once I have worn her down er...I mean gotten her blessing I then move to the even longer searching phase. Once I have the car/truck/SUV or my dreams the high lasts for a while and then I realize that I made the wrong choice so now I can start the process all over again!

Now please understand that my purchases are smart and wise investments and not emotionally driven! I am a man after all…….

Why? I'm addicted.

How? Endless searching on craigslist.

1) Exhaustive research.

2) Pounce on killer deals.

Why? What ever strikes my fancy.

How? Lots of ebaying.

Why - there are so many cars, trucks, and motorcycles I want

How - do a little research, ask questions, check craigslist... alot...

Why? Cause I can.

How? Luck, intraweb, knocking on doors, asking, forums, Craigslist, being THAT car guy in town, eBay, auctions and about any other way I can find something that tickles me in the right way.

Oh and i don't look for what every other car guy looks for.

aussiesmg wrote: Why? Cause I can. How? Luck, intraweb, knocking on doors, asking, forums, Craigslist, being THAT car guy in town, eBay, auctions and about any other way I can find something that tickles me in the right way. Oh and i don't look for what every other car guy looks for.

Have you thought about getting a Bronco 2? I can promise you very very few people want them..

I used to be obsessed with Sprint Turbos and Firefly's. It just made sense to posses all of them. But I also have a weakness (as do we all) for anything "cool" that would be fun to drive (especially at auto-x, rally-x, or drag racing). And if it was cheap enough, I could always justify it because with my mechanical skillz, it meant there was profit to be had.

As I've said before, the cure for auto add is to start racing. You'll just sink your money into one vehicle then.

Why? I need a new car.

How? What is the best thing I can afford.

why? because I can't stop

How? with my wife's permission.

If you have to ask why, you wouldn't belong here.

How? By any means necessary.

Buy low sell high , and remember "a quick nickle beats a slow dime" . . I set a bait car out in front of my shop and wait for passerbys to become insnared . I also check obituaries to see if poppy has died and hit up the widow/or estate when she/they might be on the ropes . mgacoupe1960 photobucket link

I buy cars for people so here is my answer

a very detailed process and wide range of locations for the best deal

I once bought a car because I was depressed (I was between jobs) and I thought the car in question was a "killer deal" for the price / condition...that's how I FINALLY came to own a 1st gen. Mercury Capri.

But usually, it's a case of constantly combing ads, both in any and all print sources I can get ahold of, and also the 'net. And besides, don't we all tell ourselves at some point, I need another/ new car or truck because the one I have right now just doesn't "get the job done"?

Why? Because for the price I pay, I can afford to. It's been nearly 25 years since I've owned a brand new, "fresh from the factory" car or truck.

Why? Because racecar. (You knew it was coming). Or because ADD. OOOOOOOH SHINY HERES MONEY.

How? I always have money set aside for bouts of said ADD. Or like the last one, I traded car A for Jeep B.

Why? No good reason. I just do. (See: Miata)

How? By doing it.

Why? Because I decide I "need" a certain car... sort of look around for one... get frustrated and then pay too much for the first decent one I come across. My GT6 was somewhat different. Wasn't really looking at all and it showed up at the 2011 Carlisle car corral with a price that was too good to pass up.

How? By usually doing what I keep telling myself NOT to do (debt).

Why? Because I'm cheap, pay cash, and like to buy low and sell high. Nice supplemental cash flow. Further, there's countless (realistic) vehicles I'd like to own, and can't own them all at once, so I tend to always be on the hunt and well researched on whatever particular make/model I am interested in and as such able to recognize a deal when one does jump up.

How? Craigslist primarily, though this has gotten significantly harder in the last 2 years as used car prices are high, and lots of other people are hip to the game. I've had more luck with local cross postings of interest to car forums that I participate in. I've also had a few leads come to me from friends of friends/family as I'm a "car guy" or "VW guy"... which has led to some deals on cars that needed work and weren't worth fixing at storefront dealer/shop rates, but that I could bang back on the road with junkyard parts, drive for awhile, then sell.

I have yet to buy a "new" car, and have never paid more than ~$5K for any of my own cars (with the exception of my wife's car... whatever, though I despise the payment... happy wife, happy life or something).