PERB In Need of Banner

Buying a used car

Claire Monet

Active member
Apr 28, 2014
1,103
0
36
Vancouver
www.clairemonet.com
I'm looking for a reliable, easy to maintain, automatic, 4 door car. Used is perfectly fine for me. Any tips on good lots to check out in/around Vancouver? I think I'll stay away from Craigslist and go with a dealer. I've only ever owned a Toyota before and she was a good car, so something similar would be great.

Suggestions? Things/places to avoid? Since I literally know nothing about cars or the questions to ask I plan on bringing a friend more in the know in that department with me to help, but I'm doing the initial searching.

Of course cost is something to consider but I won't go into that here.... let's just say I have some to put down and then reasonable monthly payments would work.
 

take8easy

Well-known member
Jul 27, 2014
4,528
721
113
Oh yes, ... buying a used car !!!!!!

Two things I have concluded.

Try to buy a new or at least a newer car. Go to dealers, they always have lease returns. I have had good experience with them.
Buy only Honda and Toyota.
 

Gardener

Active member
May 9, 2017
327
66
28
Agreed on all points. Honda is my favourite brand for quality, reliable, well priced vehicles.



Oh yes, ... buying a used car !!!!!!

Two things I have concluded.

Try to buy a new or at least a newer car. Go to dealers, they always have lease returns. I have had good experience with them.
Buy only Honda and Toyota.
 

uncleg

Well-known member
Jul 25, 2006
5,461
591
113
No matter what you buy it will have to be maintained....and one thing I have found is that it costs a damn sight more to maintain an import car as opposed to a North American model. Just a thought...
 

Uncled

Swollen member
Aug 9, 2014
876
959
93
Republic of Asshat
Go to your local library and ask for a book called "Lemon-Aid Used Car Guide" by Phil Edmonston. The book is published every year and rates cars on their reliability and repair history. It will help you avoid buying a lemon.
 

Woodyone

Member
Dec 6, 2002
160
0
16
Nanaimo
Try to buy a Honda, Lexus, Acura,or Toyota. They go for ever. Don’t worry about parts. You seldom need to buy any. Try to buy them off of a lot that doesn’t carry that line. Eg. buy a Honda on a Chrysler lot.

I got an excellent deal on a Lexus from a bmw dealer.
 

Oldfart

Long Standing Member
Mar 31, 2003
4,247
1,910
113
State of confusion
I am so old that my first car was a '56 Nash.
I have bought lots of cars over the decades.
The one I'm driving now is a Toyota, and it's the best vehicle I have ever owned.
Toyota makes effin' great cars.
 

golferjohn

Well-known member
Dec 25, 2015
1,281
325
83
...boring

buy a shop-whore like an Audi, you'll get to know your mechanic intimately, be well-versed in public transportation and possibly get a good work-out walking everywhere
 

storm rider

Banned
Dec 6, 2008
2,545
6
0
Calgary
Do not buy any Chrysler product.....be it Jeep/Dodge as the build quality is absolute SHIT......they are made to wear out.....if buying VW make absolutely sure the engine is "non interference" as in specifically if the timing belt goes the pistons lash the cylinder head and the engine is FUCKED.....pretty stupid that the germans in WW2 could build a tank that would reliably drive a million miles but VW today builds cars with a shitty timing belt that wont last 100,000 kilometers.

NEVER let a salesman take your keys of your trade in....you are held prisoner and under duress.

SR
 

whistlerboi

Stay frisky my friends.
Mar 25, 2017
56
7
8
Whatever car you are checking out, do yourself a favour and check it out for the unbiased researched score on Consumer Reports. You can log in for free online using your library card. http://www.vpl.ca/extDB/login.remoteDB?ConsumerReportsOrg. Look for the highest rating in both reliability and owner satisfaction. Realistically, the boring Hondas and Toyotas often do rate quite highly.
 

badbadboy

Well-known member
Nov 2, 2006
9,576
277
83
In Lust Mostly
...boring

buy a shop-whore like an Audi, you'll get to know your mechanic intimately, be well-versed in public transportation and possibly get a good work-out walking everywhere
Haha some European cars are renowned for lots of maintenance. Like a Saab with windows that suddenly rolled down in a rainstorm and wouldn't go back up again.

Thinking about it, I've had some crap cars from three continents. Some great ones too.

Best advice is not to buy the first year of a new design. Wait at least 3 years so the manufacture can figure out what problems the car has and make changes.
 

golferjohn

Well-known member
Dec 25, 2015
1,281
325
83
Haha some European cars are renowned for lots of maintenance. Like a Saab with windows that suddenly rolled down in a rainstorm and wouldn't go back up again.

Thinking about it, I've had some crap cars from three continents. Some great ones too.

Best advice is not to buy the first year of a new design. Wait at least 3 years so the manufacture can figure out what problems the car has and make changes.
nothing compares to the feeling of a well-sorted BMW/Audi/Benz...but there's a premium to be paid for that experience. Driving isn't an 'A to B' chore for me...I truly enjoy it (but I'm also not stuck in Vancouver traffic on a daily basis).

Identifying what your needs are will generally point you in the proper direction, then all you have to do is choose the color (lol)
 

ramblingboy

Member
Oct 10, 2003
184
3
18
Vancouver
I sold Toyota new and used for many years. I love and drive the product. They are very low maintenance vehicles. You can't go wrong with Toyota or Honda, many people including me feel that you are ahead with a Toyota in the 5-15 year period of ownership. If I can assist in any way let me know.
 

licks2nite

Active member
Nov 30, 2006
658
79
28
If you're shopping for prices, you might try a couple of small lots at 12th Street, New Westminster. One at Third Avenue on the north-east corner. The #112 bus from New Westminster Station Skytrain stops right in front. If you walk a block back from there you'll find the other one. Mostly Hondas and Toyotas and a few Chevs. Last year I was regularly seeing prices below $3000. That said, today I saw a clean luxury Jaguar for $3800 sitting in the front lot of the tire store at Kingsway, south side, a block east of the traffic light at Waltham.
 
Last edited:

tedsweettangv

Active member
May 5, 2006
732
78
28
Vancouver
No matter what you buy it will have to be maintained....and one thing I have found is that it costs a damn sight more to maintain an import car as opposed to a North American model. Just a thought...
This isn't really true anymore, and hasn't been for a long time. Give auto supply chains most the manufacturing for cars happen in the same place. Toyota, Honda, BMW etc. all manufacture cars in the US and Canada and the "American" brands all import parts form Mexico, China etc. Overall Japanese/Korean designed cars will cost less over all to own and be very reliable. German cars will last you longer and have better performance if they were maintained, and if they weren't, they will be a money pit. American cars are ok, but while everybody builds good cars these days, around the 6 year mark American cars interiors, window seals, electronics etc. start to degrade.
 

lilmikey_ab

New member
Feb 22, 2009
5
0
0
No matter what you buy it will have to be maintained....and one thing I have found is that it costs a damn sight more to maintain an import car as opposed to a North American model. Just a thought...
That is no longer true... I work for Toyota & they have adjusted pricing to compete with the domestic market. Cost of ownership is usually less now with the imports (toyota anyway), in the fact that they break down less often than the domestics.. and they have drastically reduced maintenance costs now.
 
Vancouver Escorts