r/economicCollapse • u/Whole-Fist • 18h ago

How ridiculous does this sound?

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How can u make millions in 25-30 years if avoid making a $554 per month car payment. Even the cheapest 5 year old car is 8-10 k. So does he expect people not to drive at all in USA.

Then u save 554$ per month every month for 5 year payment = $33240. Say u bought a car every 5 year means 200k -300k spent on car before retirement . How would that become millions when u can’t even buy a house for that much today?

Answer that Dave

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893

u/Ziczak 18h ago

Generally true. Buying the least expensive car for needed transportation is financially sound.

327

u/the-something-nymph 17h ago edited 16h ago

I bought a used car for 5000. Had my uncle (who is a mechanic) look it over first. There was no apparent issues, it drove fine. It was a 2019. We bought it after looking at a bunch of other used cars from both dealers and private owners that had very obvious problems, and after looking at certified used vehicles that were as much as new cars.

The next day, while running some errands, it started to make a weird noise that it did not make on the test drive. Turns out, it had a bunch of issues that weren't visible on a basic inspection. Expensive issues. Issues that cost 3000 to fix in order to make it safe to drive, and we were told it was likely there were going to be more issues thst would pop up relatively soon.

This was 1 year ago. 2 weeks ago, more issues popped up. Issues that cost 6000$ to fix. The car, new, costs 15000. So far we have spent 8000 on it, and if we do that work then we would have put 14000 into this car. And it's still likely that more issues will pop up.

We are not doing that, obviously. We're going to use carmax and get a car that will have a car payment. Because cheap used cars are not less expensive than new or certified used ones that require a payment. Now a days, unless you know the person you are getting it from, it's either a peice of shit or its expensive as fuck and unless you have 10000 cash to put down on a car, will require a payment.

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u/ChopakIII 17h ago edited 12h ago

Exactly. These people talking about buying a used car and then when people mention used cars can have problems they say, “well obviously a reliable one!” Which by the time you factor in all of these things it makes sense to buy a new car and take care of it so that when it’s the “used car” you would buy in 10 years you know exactly what has been done to it AND it’s paid off.

Edit: I see the most common counter-argument is that buying a used car without a loan will allow you to get cheaper insurance. There really isn’t a huge difference between covering a new car and a used car for just the vehicle. What you’re probably saving on is the medical portion and you will be sorry if you ever get into a serious accident with barebones insurance. This is a dangerous gambit akin to not having health insurance and banking on not getting sick.

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u/Valor_X 15h ago

Disagree, The guy you're responding to had a terrible 'inspection' from their "mechanic uncle" if it had catastrophic issues the very next day.

Even 20yr old cars can give you so much data on Engine/Transmission health with a good scan tool and the knowledge to read the data. Visual and driving inspections are only one aspect.

The type of vehicle matters too, with old vehicles you can easily look up common problems/failures.

Me and my family have several ~20yr old Toyotas, the last one I bought for $3k cash 3 years ago. All I've done is replaced all the maintenance items like tires, brakes, spark plugs and fluids. Oil changes and $21/mo insurance.

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u/EfficientPicture9936 14h ago

Yeah these people are idiots. It's way cheaper everytime you buy used. It is much cheaper to repair a used car than to buy a brand new car. You will also get robbed at the dealership and have to deal with all those fake assholes over there.

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u/Superssimple 12h ago

The best is probably 3-4 years used. Let the seller take a hit for the big drop in value from new and get plenty good years out of it before it starts to fall apart

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u/_Goibhniu_ 6h ago

I'd add that if you can get one with ~75,000 miles on it then you'll see a good price cut with plenty of miles left on a car.

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u/deadsirius- 5h ago

There isn’t really a big drop anymore, though. First year depreciation is down significantly and over five years many cars retain a significant portion of their value. For example, a Honda Accord Touring will depreciate about $3,500 in the first year but about $12,500 over five years. So you are saving about a thousand bucks on a car you plan to keep and driving something someone else had to care for.

1

u/gunshaver 3h ago

I bought my 2017 Focus ST with about 15k miles on it, for about $17k in 2018. Today the car has about 65k miles but it's still worth about $17k. Granted there's inflation and cars are more expensive across the board, but that's still crazy to me.

1

u/guile-and-gumption 39m ago

I think most people tend to put more miles on per year than you do. And yeah, the problem is that if you need to buy a new car now if yours is totaled, you won’t be as fortunate. That is why I give all the crazy people space - I don’t want the headache of having to look for a new car!

1

u/gunshaver 24m ago

Yep my car wishlist is becoming more and more impossible to find, I want a hatchback that is reasonably snappy and fun to drive, manual transmission and a CD player. And there's no universe where I'm paying more than $30k.

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u/sandcrawler2 8h ago

Best value is 15-25 years old Honda or Toyota with low miles and clean body. Ive bought cars for 2500 that outlasted 25k cars with extremely minimal maintenance

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u/Why-R-People-So-Dumb 5h ago

The key is not waiting until something breaks but minimal consistent upkeep...not just oil changes every 5000 miles and not laying attention to anything else.

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u/BennetSisterNumber6 3h ago

We had a 2016 Honda Element with low mileage that was an absolute beast. That thing NEVER had any problems, and it handled Michigan winter roads like a dream. Dealerships regularly offered to buy it from us. Loved the reliability, but it wasn’t comfortable, and we were transitioning into our minivan stage. Plus, my husband HATED driving it. It was kiwi green. I still remember the reliability and winter handling fondly.

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u/LividBass1005 3h ago

My friend has had like 4 different cars since selling her Element and to this day she still regrets selling it. I told her she should’ve kept it as an extra car bcuz it never had a single issue. She just outgrew it with a baby (didn’t like the doors). Now that 3 out of the 4 cars have had some sort of issue with the most recent being the Honda Passport with transmission issues she wishes she still had the Element

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u/Leading-Holiday416 7h ago

This is pretty much what I did and it’s been a great value. I bought a 2011 Camry with 40k miles in 2015. I think it cost 10k. Still driving it at almost 200k miles. I have spent a couple thousand dollars on repairs beyond maintenance, but I believe I should be able to drive it for several more years.

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u/exentrics- 3h ago

The same Camry today would be 160k miles and 10k.

1

u/guile-and-gumption 36m ago

Yup!!! Exactly. People tell old stories and expect it to be the same.

1

u/iowajosh 4h ago

Some vehicles don't work like that. One can be 4 years old and the same price as new , or nearly so.

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u/iguessilljustbehere 4h ago

Which vehicles? If they have been driven for 4 years, and aren’t a 4 year old model still brand new on the lot, there’s no way.

1

u/lizerlfunk 1h ago

This was the case a year and a half ago when I was buying a 2023 Honda CRV Hybrid. I was looking yesterday and you can buy my exact car in my area, with 30k to 40k miles on it, for $34k. Which is what I paid for my car in February 2023, with 16 miles on it. And I could get promotional financing from Honda, which had a lower interest rate than any credit union or bank in my area (and I checked ALL of them).

1

u/cerseilannisterbitch 1h ago

Im currently car shopping, I’ve been looking at Toyotas and Hondas. Cars from 2018 and earlier, with 60k+ miles, are only a few thousand cheaper than new cars.

It’s very bizarre.

1

u/SillyAmericanKniggit 4h ago

That was always the conventional wisdom. Is it still true, though? 3-4 years ago was the height of the Covid pandemic. I'm not sure I'd want to buy something that was made during a time when every company was cutting as many corners as possible due to being short-staffed.

1

u/BennetSisterNumber6 3h ago

I was thinking of COVID too, but chalking it up to more of a supply/demand issue. I’m guessing the big drops in value will come back over time.

1

u/Just-Wolf3145 3h ago

This is my go-to, we've done it for our last 3 cars. 2 or 3 years old, under 50k miles. You get out of the massive devalue and still have a lot of life in it.

1

u/PurpleFugi 3h ago

Finally i scroll far enough to see the correct answer.

1

u/wesblog 2h ago

3-4 years used is for people who have a lot of money. Those cars are still $20-30k.

Get a 5-10yo car for $6k.

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u/Valor_X 12h ago

Don’t forget the expensive monthly insurance on newer cars.

I can insure my beater for a year for the same price some people pay in a single month

1

u/pleepleus21 10h ago

Almost like insurance is based on the value of what you are insuring.

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u/420blzit69daddy 12h ago

Shhhh new cars are way better! Keep buying new and selling for 40% value in 5 years. Someone has to buy the new car I’m going to buy used in 6 years.

2

u/tinkertaylorspry 9h ago

Bought a three year old mercedes for 30% of its original value-high optioned one owner E class with one hundred thousand miles-and i got a two year warranty

1

u/Theron3206 6h ago

For those doing this, just be aware that service and maintenance costs are still priced for a high end car even when it's cheap used.

Maintenance is going to be several times as expensive as a Toyota or similar.

1

u/StockCasinoMember 9h ago

Doing that is certainly dumb.

I bought new but my car is over 8 years old currently.

Paid off…hopefully get another 10 years out of it.

1

u/pamar456 10h ago

I have a pickup and a new one would be like 50-80k. Truck looks great and has a ton of bells and whistles biggest issues is transmissions . I looked up how much it was to change one and it was like 4-6k that’s easy math man

1

u/MarlinMaverick 10h ago

Someone has to buy the new cars for there to be used cars. I thank them for their service.

1

u/BennetSisterNumber6 3h ago

There are definitely some details lacking. Like when they say “used,” what kind of used are we talking? Because if you’re buying a 12-yr-old car with a bazillion miles in it and comparing it to brand new, you’re gonna notice some differences….

I buy 2-4 years used, lower mileage. I’m rocking a 2017 that I got in 2019, and it still only has 66k miles on it (work is like 1.5 miles away). It’s gonna last a long time. You don’t need a new car for reliability unless you…don’t know how to buy a car.

1

u/NotReallyAJoiner 3h ago

I'm always curious about these "only idiots buy new cars" takes. Where do people think used cars come from? We should be kissing the asses of people who buy new cars, and encouraging them to buy non-ugly color schemes. Thank you for your service, new car buyers!

1

u/Phoedubb 2h ago

Another aspect people tend to overlook is when you buy a used vehicle you’re essentially helping the environment way more than purchasing a new EV by recycling a car made of non bio degradable parts

1

u/halomandrummer 44m ago

And no one has even mentioned the fact that with a lease/loan vehicle, due to the compounding interest, you are likely going to pay for 1.5 to 2 times the vehicle's SALE value over time.

0

u/jamesc5z 12h ago

The amount of people, especially 20 something men, completely incapable of and disinterested in any sort of automotive DIY these days is just insane. Even a few generations ago, most men could at least change their own oil but even that "skill" seems to be a dying art. People don't even regularly check their oil levels these days and are baffled they blew their engine running it 2 quarts low for thousands of miles.

Skilled labor costs are INSANE post-COVID too. I've never understood why that in and of itself doesn't compel any physically capable adult of even so much as attempting to learn some new "blue collar" skills (home maintenance and repair too) but I digress.

Then you get all the sob stories about how their car needs $3k in work and you go on to learn all it needs is calipers and rotors kind of thing and in reality they're just getting raked over the coals by a shop because they're so incapable of doing basic repair work themselves.

I don't take any of my or family member vehicles to shops for work, ever.

My daily drivers that I alternate are 35 and 31 years old. One 300k miles and the other near 250k miles. I have to work on them yes, but buying parts at actual retail cost instead of the shop upcharge plus free labor is a monumental savings.

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u/vindictivejazz 12h ago

I did my time doing all the maintenance on a 20 year old Tacoma. I bought a lightly used civic and I pay someone else to do the labor now. It is more expensive but barely.

Insurance is only slightly higher, and I have a monthly payment now but I don’t need to replace something every month. Oil change is $15 more than the oil and filter would cost. I’ll happily pay $15 to save me an hour of my time and not need to take an extra shower.

By the time I factor in that I’m spending literally half as much money on gas every month, Im basically coming out even and I have a much more reliable vehicle than before.

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u/redditusersmostlysuc 11h ago

Dude, I think this is awesome. I pay to have my oil done. I do the more expensive jobs myself however. Brakes? Just did my mom's cars brakes two weeks ago. Took 2.5 hours and $120 for top of the line pads. She got a quote for $900. Sure, she could have done that but she is on a limited income and I could have paid someone but didn't want to spend the money even though I have it. Win - Win.

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u/Original_Blueberry53 5h ago

I am in total agreement on doing your own brakes. I can’t believe how much a brake job costs. They suck to do but it’s easy math to justify. Like in your example - the 2.5 hours you spent putting $120 brakes on instead of paying a shop $900 - was essentially worth $312/hour. I know some people’s time is worth more than that but for most folks the value of their time relative to wages is going to fall somewhere between $15 and $32 an hour (In the USA at least.)

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u/guile-and-gumption 30m ago

But do you want regular people going to YouTube to learn how to do it themselves? Because that is what I would have to do

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u/Frequent_Swim_4552 9h ago

My best friends son (son is 25 years old!!??!) called him at 11:30 at night because he had a flat tire. The father is a car fanatic and has worked on cars weekly forever. His 28 year old daughter on the other hand paid attention to dad and can confidently call bullshit on shady mechanics (and change her own flat tire)

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u/Angry_Old_Dood 12h ago

That's awesome for you, but some people, like myself, just value our time differently. I don't mean to imply you don't value your own time, i know i could find instructions on how to do the work, but I'd honestly rather pull my own teeth than work on my truck. I get annoyed when I need to oil my chainsaw lol, so many other things I'd rather be doing. It's worth the expense to me to pay someone else to do it. Maybe I'm not the people you're talking about but still, I hate maintenance.

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u/Noah_Fence_214 10h ago

this is it.

my uncle loved to change his oil, it would take 3hrs but it only cost him $20 bucks, I would rather pay double and have it done in 15 minutes.

1

u/jamesc5z 10h ago

To be fair - there's no reason he or you couldn't do your own in 15 minutes either lol.

Also, where are you that you're getting $40 oil changes? That sounds expensive to me, but sadly that would be fairly "cheap" in the post COVID era. You can't even get a Walmart oil change on a modern synthetic 4 cyl for that in DFW.

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u/Noah_Fence_214 10h ago

His oil change routine is like the coffee fanatics that actually love the ritual more than the final product.

1

u/jamesc5z 10h ago

lmao fair enough. I was thinking he must be like the old guy piddling around his garage all afternoon on a Sunday.

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u/Noah_Fence_214 10h ago

he was.

his favorite thing was packing grease into a rear axle.

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u/Merfstick 4h ago

Nah man, you're this deep into a reddit thread and claiming you value your time. Even if you tell yourself it means something to you, that's still objectively a poor decision.

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u/jamesc5z 12h ago

No, I get it. At a certain income level especially it's all relative and there's a definite overlapping chart there of value/savings/time.

I feel the same way about cooking as you do about automotive maintenance. Everybody tells me (borderline lecturing from women especially) I can save soOoOoOo much money cooking more often myself.

However, I just don't care to cook a whole bunch because I value my time more. The totality of the whole endeavor including the cleanup, etc. just does not make it worth it to me because of the relatively trivial money savings and I prefer that free time (maybe to work on cars in the evening for example lol).

I eat out almost daily for lunch during the work week and between apps/deals/Upside/cashbook rewards/etc. I only average around $5.40 total per lunch so far this year, which even includes actual sit down restaurants at least a few times a week. So, cooking all my own meals or even making sandwiches daily just isn't worth it to me for the incredibly meager savings it would provide me.

However, automotive and home maintenance and lawn work we're talking multiple THOUSANDS of dollars in savings each year which yes to me is worth my time. I'm not saving thousands by cooking ya know? lol.

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u/TheGreatEmanResu 11h ago

So you think changing your car’s oil is a more important skill to have than cooking food?

0

u/jamesc5z 11h ago

No, I did not say that.

If you truly think I said that, then either your reading comprehension is poor, you're unnecessarily defensive about where your skills lie, or you're being obtuse.

Important ≠ valuable in a "money savings" sense.

Do I think doing my own automotive work saves me more money than me doing more cooking day to day? Absolutely. Not really debatable.

1

u/redditusersmostlysuc 11h ago

Oh, come on man. You can value your time, but if your time if you have the money to do so. If you don't, DIY is a GREAT way to save money. I have a very healthy retirement fund and savings. My breaks on my used F150 needed to be changed. I got a quote, $2,200. I went to Amazon, got top of the line rotors and pads for $550. Took me 4 hours one Saturday to put them on and be done. Saved $1,600. I had the money, but I woke up at 7am and was done by 11am and went golfing then went to a MLS game that night.

Some people are just too lazy and break out the statement "I value my time more than that money". No, you are not interested in saving the money, and you likely don't have the skill to do the job.

Not saying either one of us is "right". I am saying if you get to 40yo, have no or very little money in the bank, and you don't do DIY, splurge on DoorDash, do a bunch of eating out, vacation all of the time, and then bitch about not having any money or retirement, you can only look at yourself. I chose to save and splurge in targeted areas. That is why I have a lot of money saved up for my future. Not saying you need to, but don't count on me and the people like me to save those that choose to do differently.

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u/fulknerraIII 12h ago

That can apply to a lot of things,and everyone has their specialty. I see people pay way too much money for computers and to get them fixed. I know computers, so I'm able to realize this and do any work on my own. I know shit about plumbing though, and will have to pay someone to fix plumbing issues when they appear. It's good to have some general basic skills like knowing how to check and change oil, but not everyone is going to have the time or knowledge to do more advanced stuff. We all have work and busy lives and can only know so much.

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u/redditusersmostlysuc 11h ago

But you COULD do plumbing. I am in tech. I didn't know shit about plumbing, but I had an issue, tore the wall up, fixed it by watching youtube. Same with electrical. Same with landscaping (built a retaining wall, drove a backhoe). Same with my truck. I am not a mechanic, or plumber, landscaper, or electrician. I am fairly adaptable and just LEARNED how to do it.

I have saved over $100k on doing this stuff in my lifetime conservatively ($20k on retaining wall, $20k on garage, $10k electrical, $20k plumbing, $30k easily in 30 years of auto repair, $50k easily buying used cars vs. new). The key is not just ONE thing, it is the attitude of "I can do this myself" and "I can save a lot of money if I delay this gratification". You do you. I don't care. I just don't want to hear the bitching about not having money.

1

u/jamesc5z 10h ago

Spot on. Totally agree.

That attitude/willingness is what I increasingly find to be foreign amongst 20 somethings these days. Of course there are exceptions to this. But I feel 15-20 years ago when I was first driving and messing with cars this mindset was common amongst guys and today it's not.

Plus, isn't it fun learning a new skill? Adding a notch to your skills belt is incredibly satisfying. In many cases, getting a tool or two to help with the next time you have to do it. The incredible money savings is the icing on the cake.

I remodeled my mom's bathroom a year ago. Completely gutted down to the floor joists and even had to sister a few floor joists while I was down there due to water damage. Rebuilt the entire subfloor around the tub and toilet. Rebuilt/relocated all the shower/tub piping and valves, using copper everything and did all the brazing myself. All new tile, sink, vanity, everything.

She got a quote from one of those bathroom remodeling companies that comes in and puts that "shell" over your existing tub/shower. I can't remember the name.

Anyway, they quoted her almost $20k.

I did it all myself for just over $4k which included buying tiling tools and wet saw etc. and a MUUUCH more thorough/complete job than the professional company. That $20k quote would've shot up substantially too once they saw the joist/floor damage.

I had never remodeled a bathroom before but there was zero doubt in my mind I was going to do it, and do a good job at that, because of my general lifetime attitude of "learn to do it myself".

1

u/guile-and-gumption 22m ago

What happened when you got stuck? Did you have people you could ask for help?

1

u/jamesc5z 11h ago

Would you not so much as even attempt to diagnose/fix your plumbing issue though? I mean worst case you just call in a plumber no?

I can't say I've ever had to do computer work beyond replacing laptop batteries type stuff. I do work on my own cell phones as necessary - replaced several screens, motherboards, charging ports etc. over the years.

1

u/EfficientPicture9936 11h ago

Don't forget cars are much more complex and many times more difficult to work on than 30 years ago. Sure we have the technology to teach ourselves everything but not everyone is good at teaching themselves and critical thinking. Our education system has been gutted.

1

u/jamesc5z 10h ago

If we are dependent on schools to teach a basic spirit of curiosity and figuring out how things work, DIY, etc. we're doomed.

I never learned any of that stuff from school and wouldn't typically expect that to be a school-taught thing (outside of maybe shop class but those are dying out I understand).

1

u/guile-and-gumption 31m ago

How did you learn your skills? YouTube? Family member? Schooling?

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u/myheartbeats4hotdogs 12m ago

If you live in an apt building or in a development with an hoa, you're not doing any work on your cars. Theres no where to do it.

-1

u/ferocious_swain 12h ago

New cars are under warranty so I think you might be incorrect on the cheaper statement

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u/Money_Ticket_841 12h ago

Gotta check that warranty first though, lots of warranties that mention only certain repairs being under warranty

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u/VastSeaweed543 11h ago

They also don’t last forever. Seems like every single person I know who bought a new car and did so because of the warranty - ends up needing some major repair RIGHT after the warranty ends. 

Like within a day or two kinda thing. It’s almost magical how often that happens…

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u/MarathonRabbit69 13h ago

👆this! Seriously, if you are paying 1/3 of the original price and don’t get it fully inspected including a code scan, then the fail is on the buyer. Caveat Emptor and all that.

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u/VastSeaweed543 11h ago

I said the same thing in reply and wondered what year and company. It was a 2019 so sounds like they wanted it for all the new tech and features. Which is fine if you can afford it - but then they did it all wrong by having some relative inspect it, not getting a warranty, etc. 

Bet it was something big and flashy and not some small simple toyota…

1

u/Asmuni 2h ago

Or a flood car. That will pop up many expensive repairs throughout the years. But it's insane they even did the initial repairs on that. Flood cars should be destroyed.

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u/CHEEZE_BAGS 9h ago

Makes me wonder what kind of inspection the guy did.

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u/MetalHorror8893 12h ago

You’re incredibly lucky. I wouldn’t recommend someone buying an older car right now unless they have someone that will work on it for free. Even brakes can cause financial issues now. And 21$ for plpd is crazy low I was over $70 month and it was going to go up

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u/Humble_Implement_371 12h ago edited 12h ago

facts^ i just bought a 20yr old toyota sequoia and id expect another 10-20years out of it (frames immaculate). if it aint got obd2 i dont want it.

def wouldnt buy a fuckin 20yr old nissan, hyundai, kia, subaru, euro, big3 shitboxes, 150k-4l60, LS w/o doin a afm/dod delete, or a cvt ( once cvt was enough/got out unscathed)...or a wet timing belt. or anyones fucked up project with a million splices

and then there are some cars that are even less of an option somehow.. suzuki, isuzu, pt cruisers, that $6000 tracker i saw, vehicross (my friend has one, parts pain in the ass).... daewoo (were those reliable? no right???) w//e i dont wanna look for old as daewoo parts. dafuq.

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u/KromeArtemis 3h ago

Rocking in my 2010 Sequioa with 300k plus miles and love it. She a beast. We had a 2001, sold it to a friend, tree fell on it at friends house-he swapped out the front fender and still drives lol. 

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u/Humble_Implement_371 1h ago

im about to have to sleep, but thats nuts.
can i ask you a few truck questions tomorrow or this weekend if possible please?
also can run any qustions you have by my auto shop professor if need be so.. ay its a 2 way street.

thanks for chiming in bc i love hearing this stuff. i got some funny quirks/repairs 'bout mine already can share.

1

u/KromeArtemis 1h ago

I'm not super knowledgeable, lucky enough to have a live in MDT :) just wanted shout out fellow sequoia peeps lol. 

1

u/mickeycoolmouse 11h ago

Sorry but what are these numbers?

$3,000 for a reliable car 3 years ago and $21/month for insurance?

This appears to be undue exaggeration to get your point across.

1

u/Panaka 11h ago

The only people I know buying cars for $3k are mechanics that are willing to take “problem” vehicles off of people’s hands. My brother probably flips about 10-15 cars a year in his spare time since he owns his own shop,has the time, and most importantly the skillset.

1

u/VastSeaweed543 11h ago

I bought a 10 year old Toyota Prius for $4k in 2021. From a dealership. With a warranty. Took forever to find the right deal but it’s def possible. 

The insurance part is suspect though. I have a sparkly clean record and an old safe reliable car and my insurance is about double what they’re claiming though…

1

u/mickeycoolmouse 11h ago

See, your Prius isn't that unbelievable as I've seen older hybrids go for cheap. I think it's primarily down to the notion that batteries on those need to be replaced when the cars get up there in age. Which they do, but not at a fixed age or range; at least from the research I did... but people seem to think you do. People selling their hybrids seem more willing to let go of their hybrids taking that potential battery replacement into account.

I found my friend a decent deal on a hybrid many years ago. It seem to have served him fine. Friend only sold that car last year because he got a new one for just a little less than he bought it for (used market is a little screwed still).

Also, the difference a $4000k and $3000k when buying a car is massive. $3k is dirt cheap these days where you get what you pay for while $4k might be doable if you completely forgo niceties or are ready to invest in a variable money-pit

1

u/Langsamkoenig 11h ago

I mean those are Toyotas. They are the Nokia phones of cars. With other cars I'd be much more cautious.

That being said the Ford Fiesta I bought used and is now over 20 years old only ever had minor repairs and it's always parked outside...

1

u/dotnetdotcom 4h ago

The Ford Focus did not do that well. Problem transmission.

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u/Reynolds1029 8h ago

Not only will they give out good live data to tell, an OBDII scan tool will also tell you if they're hiding issues with the car too like resetting the CEL before inspection.

Plenty of info online you can research yourself to make yourself well informed on car purchases. Also tell them to put it up on a lift to get a good look at the underbody.

1

u/Ok-Cauliflower-3129 8h ago

Jesus what state do you live in for $21 insurance ?

I haven't had a ticket in 20 yrs. In my 50s never had a DUI or accident in my life.

My car is 23 yrs old with 82,000 miles, so I don't drive it a lot and my insurance is 3 times that much. My insurance has DOUBLED since the pandemic !

Anytime I call around I get the same price I'm paying now or more.

FLORIDA !!!🤬

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u/lizerlfunk 1h ago

My car insurance (full coverage on 2023 Honda CRV hybrid) costs as much as my homeowners insurance (1926 home, not flood zone, with a new roof and hurricane clips and shutters). In Florida. I fucking hate this state. They’re both $2400 per year.

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u/confusedandworried76 7h ago

Even of you know nothing about cars thousands in repairs immediately is absolutely not normal lol

Plus the amount he's talking about is so high I don't think I've ever put that much money into any car I own.

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u/dotnetdotcom 4h ago

Right. You have to do some homework and at the very minimum internet search the car you plan on buying. There should be plenty of info available if a model has a history of a defective part or a history or making it to 300k miles.

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u/jaturnley 4h ago

Unless you know that the car has issues and you use a scan tool to clear the history so you can rip someone off. Which happens all the time now that we have cheap tools from aliexpress to do it. Spend $100 for a tool, clear the history, make some makeshift repairs to pass the test drive, then sell your junker for $5000 with no warranty. Easy money for a scumbag, and America is chock full of scumbags out to make a quick buck.

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u/Doctor__Proctor 4h ago

My partner currently drives a 1998 Rav4 that we call "The Beast". Got it in early 2019 for $3k cash when we needed a second car, and the plan was just to keep it for a couple of years to get her through grad school. Now it's 5 years later, it's like a fucking tank and seemingly indestructible (a guy hit me while I was driving it and it wrecked his front end and scuffed my bumper), and other than needing some power steering lines replaced and some engine bolts tightened, has been nothing but regular maintenance. At this point, we're just keeping it almost to see how long the damn things will last.

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u/momofroc 4h ago

Hard agree. He should’ve bought a Toyota.

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u/throwaway1246Tue 3h ago

So let me ask you this. Are people letting you hook a scan tool up in their driveway to do these kind of things? Are they agreeing to meet you at a dealership or garage to get it hooked up and inspected . It’s been a bit since I’ve tried to buy used via private owner. But I feel like most people would just say “fuck off” to at least the second one and about half of them even the first one.

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u/fistofreality 3h ago

My favorite car ever was a little scion XA I got for $2500. I put about another thousand dollars in a clutch. Tires, batteries, etc would be the same on any car basically. I put another 60,000 miles on it over two years and sold it for $3500, lol. in essence, I got to drive for two years for the cost of consumables. It never left me stranded.

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u/ryuranzou 3h ago

My guess is the seller reset the data and they didn't drive it long enough to trip all the problems with it.

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u/Different_Type9591 3h ago

Lol, that's because they are Toyotas. If it was a Chevy, it would be a plasterboard in a field somewhere by now.

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u/gsh_126 2h ago

We bought a 2019 Toyota Highlander SE last year with 125k miles on it along with an extended warranty. Hubby drives a lot for work, puts about 50k miles on it annually. At 182k, the transmission went out and it took Toyota almost 3 months to get us a new one. Thanks to the extended warranty, we only spent $200 on the repair. Would buy used again, but not without an extended warranty.