sup people.. i'm buying a car and i got 3 weeks to find one before my dad gets home.. he only gets a week off work.

i'm not looking to buy a brand new car, but used.. i've narrowed it down to two cars.. either the Altima (1st choice) or the Camry (if i can't find any altimas). hondas are too expensive.

i was thinking of going to a Nissan dealer and buying a certified Altima, if i decide to swing that way, what are things i should look for and things i should ask?

the other option i have is to look for a private seller, something like Autotrader.com
how do you handle things between private sellers? some good communication skills?

thanks.

this should help


http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navc...ar+buying+guide

IF you're buying from dealerships, make sure you shop around. Go to EVERY dealership around. Consider all options, don't limit yourself to two choices. After I bought my car I realized there was several options that I didn't look into that I'm kicking myself for now. You'd also be surprised how cheap you can find a Honda if you shop around, especially if buy through a private sale.
Don't limit yourself to just imports or just domestics either. My car may be a Pontiac, but half the components were made by Toyota, the other half were made by GM's european division. There really isn't such thing as a domestic or an import in these days. GM & Toyota have a partnership so do Dodge & Mitsubishi as well as Ford & Hyundai. In fact, Chrysler Sebrings are made completely by Mitsubishi.
Make sure you do a lot of research into the product you're buying, especially if you plan to modify the car in anyway (that includes everything from installing an aftermarket sound system, to complete engine replacement)
Also make sure you look up any recalls on the vehicle you want, and make sure you get them done if the previous owner hadn't already done so.

This should be a starting point, although if I think of any more, I'll post them.

Well if you are going for a used car along those lines, the Toyota Avalon is another choice you should consider!! Quite a comfortable car, reliable, handels like a dream. A few years ago, my father was provided with a rental car every 2 weeks because he was traveling quite a bit, and there were only two cars he would ever drive, Toyota Avalon, and a Lincoln Town Car.

If you choose to go to a dealership, bring someone along who has dealt with dealers before, let them do the negotiatons for you. If you go in by yourself, it would be very easy for the sales rep to see that you are a "rookie" and they will use every chance they get to exploit that fact.

Private dealers arent too bad either. There are car lots that are specifically for private sellers to put their cars on the market, and so sometimes those are the best route, because the car lot deals with the paperwork, and you will handle the price with the private seller. It seems that you are in So Cali, so it shouldnt be too hard to find one of these types of lots. Again, bring someone who has experience with you.

Be confident, dont be afraid to ask questions, you should be just fine! Good luck, and i hope this info helps ya out!

always ask them why they are selling the car, now usually they will lie about this, so ask them something about their lie to stump them...

for example..."why are you selling the car", "oh, I'm going back to school, can't afford it any more", "oh ya, what are you taking","um...computer...stuff".

usually you can gauge from their answer if they are telling the truth or not, if they are, there is something obviously wrong with the car...and its prolly big. if its small they prolly wouldn't mind telling you about it.

i think thats one of the best questions you could ask.

also take it on a test drive, obvisouly. and if possible on a highway...sometimes problems don't show up till you get up to some decent speed. ie, if something is bent its prolly gonna pull to one side. or there could be some vibrations you wouldn't feel normally.

thanks for replies

i'm driving a stratus right now which is also a mitsubishi.. i love the grand am, but you know how moms can be.. she's the one buying it so i'm not going to argue or try to lecture her.

and i've driven and been driven in the camry and altima a lot.. and they're great cars. i'm not into the modding stuff. all i need a good sound system because i do a lot of driving.

If you do go to a dealer, look at the price, and set a nice price below that and don't settle for anything else.

You will be suprised how much you can talk a sales men down. Also, if you have found a car you know you want, spend a LOT of time with the sales rep, but avoid talking about the price. Then, when i comes time to do the paper work, when you suggest a super low price, he will just take it because of the amount of time spent with you.

Make sure he knows if you do not get your price, you will walk away. Nothing hurts more than a commissioned sales rep spending two hours with you, then coming up with no sale.


(I payed $17,900 for a 2003 Honda S2000 with a sticker price of $27,000)

Also, sales people are prone to show you "what else they have on the lot" these tend to be more expensive than what you originally had in mind. He will try to fancy it up with the fact that it has cruise control, or heat warmers, but make sure to tell him you will only pay the said amount you decided on. (He will surely fall into YOUR trap if you play it correctly.)

I think Toyota Camry would be a good choice. My father bought a used Toyota Camry and runs like new.

damn, my mom is awesome.

we're going to the dealer... mom says, she'd rather pay for a new car, than to go cheap and spend 500 every other month like she did with my current car.. craptubishi stratus. mmmm Altima

i just got a brand new camry and it rides like a dream.

here's a good site with info: http://carbuyingtips.com/ it's the ultimate guide to buying a car.

for anyone else that might be about to buy a used car...

get the VIN # of the car and you can subscribe to services online for like 10 bucks where you can look up info on the car. for example, the last owner, wrecks it has been in and other stuff like that.

I did this with my last used car I bought. Actually called the previous owner up and he told me all about the car.

Hope this helps somebody out.

Try www.dmv.org for free
But www.carfax.com will give previous owners most of the time.

i test drove an 05 camry the other day.. one of my many aunts bought one.. and i hated it, i've always had something against toyota's.. i can't seem to find my sweet spot in them.

since my choices for a car are wider.. i'm almost certain i want the altima, but what about the Mazda 6, in my opinion, i thinks its better looking and faster.. BUT

any mazda6 owners that can tell me about its quality and durability?

that altima actually looks pretty nice... i'm surprised...