I'm never going to finance a car again...

[CliffnMesquite]

The lease is up on my vehicle soon and I have decided to return it, then buy a used car for cash. Then I'll put that payment in the bank each month. Then after 36-48 months (depending on what I decide I want) I'll pay cash for a new car.

I don't drive alot and average about 7500 miles a year. So Three years later with the same process the trade in should pay for half of another new one. Rince and repeat...

Right now I'm having fun with research and am liking the Volkswagon Jetta TDi clean diesel. And the VW Eos hard top convertable. We'll see what happens. Hey! I'll be middle aged crazy by then.

[Jon88]

The lease is up on my vehicle soon and I have decided to return it, then buy a used car for cash. Then I'll put that payment in the bank each month. Then after 36-48 months (depending on what I decide I want) I'll pay cash for a new car.

I don't drive alot and average about 7500 miles a year. So Three years later with the same process the trade in should pay for half of another new one. Rince and repeat...

Right now I'm having fun with research and am liking the Volkswagon Jetta TDi clean diesel. And the VW Eos hard top convertable. We'll see what happens. Hey! I'll be middle aged crazy by then.

I'll be in the market for a car after I graduate at the end of this month. I should get a good graduation present from my dad and I'll be getting something used with it. Right now I drive a Tacoma and get about 21 mpg. I might get a car, but I like the view of the road you get from a truck or SUV. I just don't like the gas mileage. I'll be looking at Hondas and Toyotas probably.

I would never lease a vehicle. That's like renting an apartment IMO.

[Sam I Am]

The cheapest way to buy a car is to buy one two years old. Leasing is for the birds, though I've been doing it lately. Not because I want too, but because my wife likes luxury European cars and only likes them for about 2-2 1/2 years. After that she hates the car and demands a new one. :bang2: :laugh2:

[ethiostar]

The lease is up on my vehicle soon and I have decided to return it, then buy a used car for cash. Then I'll put that payment in the bank each month. Then after 36-48 months (depending on what I decide I want) I'll pay cash for a new car.

I don't drive alot and average about 7500 miles a year. So Three years later with the same process the trade in should pay for half of another new one. Rince and repeat...

Right now I'm having fun with research and am liking the Volkswagon Jetta TDi clean diesel. And the VW Eos hard top convertable. We'll see what happens. Hey! I'll be middle aged crazy by then.

I test drove one of these and man it is a sweet car. I believe it gets close to 50 mpg, if i'm not mistaken. It has a lot of power and sounds great.

[Jon88]

The cheapest way to buy a car is to buy one two years old. Leasing is for the birds, though I've been doing it lately. Not because I want too, but because my wife likes luxury European cars and only likes them for about 2-2 1/2 years. After that she hates the car and demands a new one. :bang2: :laugh2:

Why 2 years old?

[Jon88]

I test drove one of these and man it is a sweet car. I believe it gets close to 50 mpg, if i'm not mistaken. It has a lot of power and sounds great.

I would love to get one of those, but I bet a used one would be hard to find.

I might get tired of it though. I would only be buying a car for the gas mileage. I'm more of a truck person.

[Yeagermeister]

I test drove one of these and man it is a sweet car. I believe it gets close to 50 mpg, if i'm not mistaken. It has a lot of power and sounds great.

JXK63kvUi6U

[ethiostar]

I would love to get one of those, but I bet a used one would be hard to find.

I might get tired of it though. I would only be buying a car for the gas mileage. I'm more of a truck person.

Yeah, a used TDI might be hard to find. The problem with VWs is that they are great cars and most people don't have much problems with them. But if/when you do need to take them to garage after a few years (and after the warranty has expired) it's going to cost you a lot of money. Price of maintainance is what get you. Plus, not a lot of mechanics know how to work on them, especially these TDIs.

[ethiostar]

JXK63kvUi6U

Funny commercial

:laugh2:

[Bob Sacamano]

Why 2 years old?

it's fairly new, and any car troubles in new cars will most likely be discovered within the 1st year or so, and fixed

[Jon88]

Yeah, a used TDI might be hard to find. The problem with VWs is that they are great cars and most people don't have much problems with them. But if/when you do need to take them to garage after a few years (and after the warranty has expired) it's going to cost you a lot of money. Price of maintainance is what get you. Plus, not a lot of mechanics know how to work on them, especially these TDIs.

I might settle for another Tacoma. The one I have is a 2001 and has never given me any problems. It's got about 130,000 miles and the gas mileage hasn't dropped much at all. It's also been offroad and taken some abuse. I'd like to have something that gets 30 mpg, but I'm not a big car person. I don't like getting in and out of them and you get a limited view of things.

[CliffnMesquite]

Yeah, a used TDI might be hard to find. The problem with VWs is that they are great cars and most people don't have much problems with them. But if/when you do need to take them to garage after a few years (and after the warranty has expired) it's going to cost you a lot of money. Price of maintainance is what get you. Plus, not a lot of mechanics know how to work on them, especially these TDIs.

The first main thing on a Volkswagon TDi is replacing the belt. That is at One Hundred Thousand miles. I should be on the 3rd new one by then. :eek:

[Jon88]

The first main thing on a Volkswagon TDi is replacing the belt. That is at One Hundred Thousand miles. I should be on the 3rd new one by then. :eek:

Well that's not good. I don't want anything breaking down at 100,000 miles.

[ethiostar]

I might settle for another Tacoma. The one I have is a 2001 and has never given me any problems. It's got about 130,000 miles and the gas mileage hasn't dropped much at all. It's also been offroad and taken some abuse. I'd like to have something that gets 30 mpg, but I'm not a big car person. I don't like getting in and out of them and you get a limited view of things.

My brother drives a Tacoma, i think 2001 also and he loves it.

I would love to have a truck but it's not very practical for us right now. We're expecting our first baby in about 8-10 weeks and we were looking for a four door vehicle with lots of cargo space and great mpg. The VW we were looking at was actually the VW Jetta Sportswagen TDI.

http://www.dieselautoblog.com/Images/vw/vw%20jetta%20sportwagen%20front.jpg

with a huge sunroof

http://www.shawnrenner.com/pictures/jsw/resized/DSCN1683_1024.JPG

In the end we decided to buy a used car, cash, so we didn't have to worry about car payments in this economy. We ended up buying a 2005 Toyota Corrola LE. Very dependable and averages somewhere to 38-40mpg.

[CliffnMesquite]

My brother drives a Tacoma, i think 2001 also and he loves it.

I would love to have a truck but it's not very practical for us right now. We're expecting our first baby in about 8-10 weeks and we were looking for a four door vehicle with lots of cargo space and great mpg. The VW we were looking at was actually the VW Jetta Sportswagen TDI.

http://www.dieselautoblog.com/Images/vw/vw%20jetta%20sportwagen%20front.jpg

with a huge sunroof

http://www.shawnrenner.com/pictures/jsw/resized/DSCN1683_1024.JPG

In the end we decided to buy a used car, cash, so we didn't have to worry about car payments in this economy. We ended up buying a 2005 Toyota Corrola LE. Very dependable and averages somewhere to 38-40mpg.

The Sportswagen TDI is a great wagon. I might choose that over the sedan just for the versitilty. Can anyone say...Road trip? :D

[Bob Sacamano]

The Sportswagen TDI is a great wagon. I might choose that over the sedan just for the versitilty. Can anyone say...Road trip? :D

take out the back seat and turn it into the shag wagon

[ethiostar]

The Sportswagen TDI is a great wagon. I might choose that over the sedan just for the versitilty. Can anyone say...Road trip? :D

Yeah, we do a lot of camping and that was one of the biggest reason we were considering it.

[dcdallaschick]

The Sportswagen TDI is a great wagon. I might choose that over the sedan just for the versitilty. Can anyone say...Road trip? :D

Funny you all should bring up this car... I'm totally looking at buying one of these once the cash for clunkers deal kicks in. If they're crazy enough to pony up $4500 for my craptacular 1995 Cherokee w/110K miles on it, I so want one of these. There's not a ton of them out there, though. Most of the dealers around here only have a couple in stock--and I've only seen one on the roads in the last couple of weeks.

[Jon88]

Funny you all should bring up this car... I'm totally looking at buying one of these once the cash for clunkers deal kicks in. If they're crazy enough to pony up $4500 for my craptacular 1995 Cherokee w/110K miles on it, I so want one of these. There's not a ton of them out there, though. Most of the dealers around here only have a couple in stock--and I've only seen one on the roads in the last couple of weeks.

It's amazing you only have 110K miles on that thing. You must not do much driving. I've put that much on my truck in 7 years.

[CliffnMesquite]

Funny you all should bring up this car... I'm totally looking at buying one of these once the cash for clunkers deal kicks in. If they're crazy enough to pony up $4500 for my craptacular 1995 Cherokee w/110K miles on it, I so want one of these. There's not a ton of them out there, though. Most of the dealers around here only have a couple in stock--and I've only seen one on the roads in the last couple of weeks.

I saw One just yesterday on Live Oak. Started to follow it, then thought no I'll not stalk a Volkswagon. LOL.:D

[Jon88]

take out the back seat and turn it into the shag wagon

So when do you leave for basic training?

[Bob Sacamano]

So when do you leave for basic training?

idk, when I went to processing, they found out my hearing was bad (it was never good, and it's just gotten worse since I listen to alot of music), so I had to get a waiver, they were to send it out on Monday, now they're waiting for that to come back, and then I go pick out my school, so sometime this week I should find out when everything goes down, hopefully

[dcdallaschick]

It's amazing you only have 110K miles on that thing. You must not do much driving. I've put that much on my truck in 7 years.

My dad bought it a few years ago from a grandpa type (which I guess my dad is now, too), used it as a second car (and occasional snow plow) for a few years, and then traded it to me for some design work I did for his company when we needed a second car. I've only had it for two years, and I work freelance out of my home, so it doesn't see a lot of use if it's not snowing. My husband drives our other car to work since it has the better mpg. The Jeep is really showing its age this year, though, and we were thinking we'd have to replace it by the end of the year anyway, rather than spend much more money on it to keep it happy and driveable.

I don't know how I ended up with the "sensible" vehicle with 4 doors anyway--I used to have a Mustang (until my husband totaled it on some black ice...Damn, I loved that car). The Jetta wagon seems like a nice compromise and something I wouldn't mind driving.

[Jon88]

idk, when I went to processing, they found out my hearing was bad (it was never good, and it's just gotten worse since I listen to alot of music), so I had to get a waiver, they were to send it out on Monday, now they're waiting for that to come back, and then I go pick out my school, so sometime this week I should find out when everything goes down, hopefully

I read somewhere that loud music doesn't really do much damage. It's common things like lawnmowers and yard equipment. Is your bad hearing just genetic?

[Bob Sacamano]

I read somewhere that loud music doesn't really do much damage. It's common things like lawnmowers and yard equipment. Is your bad hearing just genetic?

actually any type of loud music does damage to your hearing because it kills the little hairs in your ears

my hearing's never been good, I mean, it's not like I'm deaf or partially deaf, I can hear and stuff, I just don't have ears like a hawk

but if you talk low, I'll tell you to speak up :)

[dcdallaschick]

I saw One just yesterday on Live Oak. Started to follow it, then thought no I'll not stalk a Volkswagon. LOL.:D

Stalker! The one I saw was parked at a shopping center, but I almost missed it. I had to stop at a light to do a U-turn and go back and try not to look too creepy getting out of my car and looking in the windows. It was parked right next to a Passat wagon.

[Jon88]

actually any type of loud music does damage to your hearing because it kills the little hairs in your ears
my hearing's never been good, I mean, it's not like bad, I can hear and stuff, I just don't have ears like a hawk


Yeah that is right. I remember watching a show about the effects going out to clubs has on your body, from the loud music to the alcohol. It said something about that. I have good hearing I think because I have very poor eyesight when I'm not wearing contacts or glasses. I heard one sense will make up for the other.

[big dog cowboy]

The cheapest way to buy a car is to buy one two years old.

Why 2 years old?
The depreciation. You can normally save a lot of money and still get a fairly new car.

We just bought a new car last month. We really wanted to buy used for that reason but we got such a good deal, it only cost us about $1000 for a brand new car.

I've found it's easier to get a good deal when the next model year cars are already on the lot. For example we bought a 2009 with 2010's all over the lot. The dealership wanted to really get rid of the 2009 so we started talking.

[Jon88]

The depreciation. You can normally save a lot of money and still get a fairly new car.

We just bought a new car last month. We really wanted to buy used for that reason but we got such a good deal, it only cost us about $1000 for a brand new car.

I've found it's easier to get a good deal when the next model year cars are already on the lot. For example we bought a 2009 with 2010's all over the lot. The dealership wanted to really get rid of the 2009 so we started talking.

So what are some good tactics to get them to lower their price?

[CliffnMesquite]

So what are some good tactics to get them to lower their price?

Just remember every thing a car salesman tells you. Everything he does is to seperate you from your money. Do not trust any of them. Only deal with the internet sales/Fleet manager. Or use an internet car broker like carsdirect.com.

[Jon88]

Just remember every thing a car salesman tells you. Everything he does is to seperate you from your money. Do not trust any of them. Only deal with the internet sales/Fleet manager. Or use an internet car broker like carsdirect.com.

That's a good idea. Most car salesman are sleazeballs.

[Joe Rod]

I always buy cash and normally keep my vehicle for ten years. My wife is the same way. I currently have a Ford Explorer Sport Trac that is eight years old and I love it. It has never once had a single problem. It seats the family very comfortably, can tow 5,000 pounds and can hold about a thousand in the bed. I am due to get a new vehicle in two years, but I haven't decided if I will buy a new Sport Trac or if I just want to run the current one into the ground.

[Sam I Am]

Why 2 years old?

Depreciation. The car loses a huge amount of it's value the second you drive off the lot. It also loses value the quickest over the first two years. You also don't really want an older car as after between 5-6 years is when cars usually start to have problems.

In general a car that is 2 years old has the highest value / per dollar ratio. (ie, it's he best deal!)

[big dog cowboy]

So what are some good tactics to get them to lower their price?
Tell them you drove onto the lot because you need to buy a new car today.

Sending out buying signals like that will get the salesperson attention.

The Mrs. and I simply said that and were immediately told "Oh I can do this and this and this and ignore that sticker price" and so on.

I straight up told the dude if we couldn't get the deal we were looking for we were going down the street because they were not the only dealer in town.

At that point there was no way we were going to drive off that lot without a new car. In fact, after that, I believe I met just about every big shot working there except the general manager.

[Jon88]

Depreciation. The car loses a huge amount of it's value the second you drive off the lot. It also loses value the quickest over the first two years. You also don't really want an older car as after between 5-6 years is when cars usually start to have problems.

In general a car that is 2 years old has the highest value / per dollar ratio. (ie, it's he best deal!)

I know all about depreciation just not about the "2 year rule." Sounds like a good plan to have. New cars depreciate so much the second you drive them off the lot so unless you have a lot of money it hits you kind of hard.

[DIAF]

my last car payment was in 1998. As long as you don't have some retarded need to have the latest and greatest, you should pay for cars with cash. Why the hell would you want to finance a depreciating asset?