Thread: Used Car help
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Old 06-01-2016, 10:17 AM   #79
Cecil Terwilliger
That Crazy Guy at the Bus Stop
 
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Springfield Penitentiary
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Man, worth you've been getting so much hassle about your choices in this thread lol. Everything you and your g/f pick seems to have a new group of people telling you the choice sucks.

My 2 cents is that you get what you pay for. I recently bought a car and I almost bought a 2009 Corolla with about 45k kms on it. Sounds very similar to the one you're shopping for. I ended up not buying it because I didn't want a corolla but I did have some of the concerns people have pointed out. Even if it is in pristine condition, it is still 7 years old and lacks some modern amenities. The one I almost bought I was less concerned with the condition since it had been well maintained, I knew why it was barely driven (older lady), and parked underground.

At the end of the day I'm sure you're not stupid. You know that if you buy a 7 year old car with low kms it may be in good condition overall and have low wear on specific parts but also have wear associated with a car of that age. It may require some work, sooner than later. If you buy a new car with more kms then it may also require some work since the higher kms will have put wear and tear on different areas of the car.

I think the important part is having it inspected by a mechanic you trust and planning for the eventuality of maintenance being required. A good inspection should give you a decent idea of the required replacement schedule for some easy stuff like tires and brakes. They can probably also give you a reasonable idea of other things that may need replacement going forward and how much it might cost.

There is always a risk to buying a used car. I personally spent more to get something that was newer and had lower kms knowing that the cars in my original budget may have more maintenance costs sooner. Maybe I end up getting screwed because this one has issues sooner than later. You never really will know.

What I do know is that I am so happy I don't have to stress about this anymore.

Sounds like you're doing your research and not making a rash decision which is important. Take your time to find something that works for you and is good value.
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