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Quote: AZDuffman

When you sell that many vehicles, some will be bad no matter how hard you try not to do so. The open recall thing is no big deal. I bought my car off a used lot, drove 1,000 miles home, then after some sleep took it to the dealer and asked them to run the VIN for open recalls. I think it had one, some kind of software thing. I had it checked out both because I was buying out of state and it had 2 carfax accident hits. Neither serious. I saved thousands.

I just buy new, overpay, and have a lot less problems. I did have a BMW that I was threatening Lemon Laws on them for. It had a convertible hardtop and that thing was constantly acting up. It would get stuck up or down and sometimes in between. Took it to the shop about eight times and they could never find the problem. I had one of my attornies write them a letter and all of a sudden they sent a specialist here from California to work on it. He found the problem on the first try. All of my BMW's after that one didn't have any problems with the hardtop.

Quote: DRich

I just buy new, overpay, and have a lot less problems. I did have a BMW that I was threatening Lemon Laws on them for. It had a convertible hardtop and that thing was constantly acting up. It would get stuck up or down and sometimes in between. Took it to the shop about eight times and they could never find the problem. I had one of my attornies write them a letter and all of a sudden they sent a specialist here from California to work on it. He found the problem on the first try. All of my BMW's after that one didn't have any problems with the hardtop.

New is a lot of overpay. Even if you keep your car long you are talking 8 cars in a lifetime. Without calculating for inflation just keeping things simple that will be more than $100,000 saved buying used. Half a house to a house in many markets. More than two years income for most people.

Those retractable hardtops may look slick, but are complex. They were complex in 1958 when first made.

Quote: AZDuffman

Those retractable hardtops may look slick, but are complex. They were complex in 1958 when first made.

I agree, I was overpaying. My cars and my house are the only things that I "splurge" on. I am a frugal coupon clipper in my everyday life.

Every time I would put that top up or down I would watch it. It was fascinating engineering. I bought two more of those cars after the first one and didn'thave any other problems.

I doubt most people would ever give the reason for buying new is to save money. But There’s still things you could do to save money.

For instance in 2021 there will still be some 2019 new models on some lots somewhere. Although that might be a bad sign, but bif the car was basically thought of as too ugly, it may be mechanically as sound as any other new car. A dealer will give up faster on the hard sell on these. He might even accept a ridiculous low ball offer in cash.

Quote: rxwine

He might even accept a ridiculous low ball offer in cash.

That is a misnomer for new cars. You will always be able to get a better price if you finance it because the dealer gets a couple hundred dollars for writing the loan.

Quote: DRich

That is a misnomer for new cars. You will always be able to get a better price if you finance it because the dealer gets a couple hundred dollars for writing the loan.

Will I guess I will update and say, if you finance and can pay it off without any penalty, then same result.

Quote: rxwine

Will I guess I will update and say, if you finance and can pay it off without any penalty, then same result.

I would say if you finance and pay it off you get the best deal because the dealer get a couple hundred extra bucks from the finance company and not from you.

I go into every new car deal with a profit amount that I am willing to give the dealer. If I can't get that deal I won't buy the car. I will go elsewhere or get a different vehicle.

Quote: AZDuffman

Even if you keep your car long you are talking 8 cars in a lifetime.

Between my wife and I we get two new cars every three years. We each only put about 8,000 miles a year on our cars. I don't believe in buying tires, batteries, or windsheild wiper blades. When they are done I get rid of the car and just get a new one.

I would guess that I have already bought 12 new cars since I was 22 and out of college.

Quote: DRich

I don't believe in buying tires

On the flip side my understanding new cars have some of the worst tires on the market

Quote: DRich

Between my wife and I we get two new cars every three years. We each only put about 8,000 miles a year on our cars. I don't believe in buying tires, batteries, or windsheild wiper blades. When they are done I get rid of the car and just get a new one.

I would guess that I have already bought 12 new cars since I was 22 and out of college.

I’d pay someone to yawn at your disposable lifestyle but I’m too cheap and lazy.

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