Shopping for cars... can use some input

[CowboyMcCoy]

Around here there is no difference in price. You are better off buying new and getting the entire length of the warranty.

Around where? Last I checked you could buy them anywhere and save money by doing so. It doesn't have to be from the dealer.

I normally buy a Chevy and finance with GM with 0% or maybe 1.9% at most.

That's a great rate, obviously.

 

[ethiostar]

You can buy the radiator at a junk yard. I had a friend put mine in for about 250. Good going. That quote is insulting and you should run from that mechanic shop.

I bought a new radiator for $90 at Advanced auto parts. I spent $186 total to get all the parts I needed. I worked on the car yesterday and today. I have replaced the radiator, water pump, upper and lower hoses, and all new gaskets. The only thing left is installing the thermostat and adding coolant and water. I had to special order the thermostat I needed and won't have it until Tuesday. Putting it in won't be nearly as hard as the water pump though.

If I don't blow myself up on the road, I have saved us $800. :laugh2:

 

[ethiostar]

I put the thermostat in today after work and took the car on the hwy for about 20 miles. So far so good. Temperature gauge is holding steady and I haven't seen any leaks, fingers crossed.

We still plan to purchase a new or newer car but at least we are no longer in a hurray to do it.

Thank you all for your suggestions and advice.

This is why I love this forum.

 

[ethiostar]

So, I got a call on Thursday from 'Sammy', the friendly sells person from the Mazda dealership in town, informing me the 6-speed manual CX-5 somebody had ordered a long time ago just arrived. We had expressed a preference to get a manual vs an automatic last time we were at the dealership but they had none at the time. He had told my wife and I that they haven't heard from the guy who ordered it for a long time and he would let us know if the car ever came in.

We went and test-drove the car today. I absolutely love that car, so does my wife. It is very fun to drive and very responsive. The reviews we read had said it was 'sluggish' but they must have driven an automatic. The manual we drove today had more than adequate power in city driving as well as on the 10 mile stretch HWY we drove it on.

Now, it is the very base trim so it doesn't come with Bluetooth and backup camera, which we want to have. We are currently trying to find out if the automotive store in town, Barracks, can replace the simple radio/CD unit with one that has Bluetooth, backup camera, and perhaps navigation in addition to radio/CD player. If they can do it and it isn't too expensive, then we have our replacement car.

The more conservative route to take would be to get the Honda CR-V but, man, was the Mazda fun to drive.

The price tag will be around 21k with a fuel efficiency of 26/35 mpg.

 

[ethiostar]

Sorry to keep reviving this thread but I just want to give an update and say again thank you to everyone for all the great input.

We just bought the Mazda CX-5, 6-speed manual. I paid $100 over the invoice price listed on edmunds.com and traded-in our 1995 Nissan 200sx with over 200,000 miles on it for $700. I probably would have gotten a thousand for it if I was to sell it myself but it is worth not having to deal with advertizing it and having to schedule times for people to come see the car and test-drive it.

We'll get Bluetooth and backup camera installed very soon.

We are very happy with the purchase but was also very sad to let go of the Nissan, my wife and I both loved that car.

Once again, thank you everyone for your input!!!

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

Sorry to keep reviving this thread but I just want to give an update and say again thank you to everyone for all the great input.

We just bought the Mazda CX-5, 6-speed manual. I paid $100 over the invoice price listed on edmunds.com and traded-in our 1995 Nissan 200sx with over 200,000 miles on it for $700. I probably would have gotten a thousand for it if I was to sell it myself but it is worth not having to deal with advertizing it and having to schedule times for people to come see the car and test-drive it.

We'll get Bluetooth and backup camera installed very soon.

We are very happy with the purchase but was also very sad to let go of the Nissan, my wife and I both loved that car.

Once again, thank you everyone for your input!!!

100 over invoice is fair. Generally the salesman makes a hundred bucks and the dealership almost a grand. Nice going. I hate seeing consumers making bad decisions when they don't have to.