Can I get some used car buying advice?

[LeftyMom]

My mom has just about the worst luck in the universe with cars. She's foever getting a lemon, getting screwed over, etc. Anyhow she's about to get some of her retirement money from work and needs to get something reliable that will last a while, used and not any more money than needed. I have no real trouble with my car (I have a Saturn SW1) and have encouraged her to look into that or the more ubuquitous sedan equivalent, but if anybody else can suggest something to keep our eyes out for, I'd appreciate it. She's looking for reliablity, it needs so be something with a real backseat rather than a pickup or coupe, she'd prefer it be somewhat economical in terms of repairs and gas and since she's got significant health issues already and she transports my kid sometimes, I want to be sure it's something safe.

Any thoughts?

[LSK]

1. honda civic or accord or toyota camry

As with any car, less mileage is the key.

www.autotrader.com

[AlCzervik]

2. hertz and avis usally sell their rentals, she may want to check into that

i know the Hertz near you and i on Sunrise always has Camrys and the like.

http://www2.hertzcarsales.com/index_home.html

[LSK]

4. no no no no no

You should see the crazy stuff people do to rental cars.

[AlCzervik]

5. my friend bought a camry from Hertz and had it for 6 years

not everyone "Drives it like it's stolen".

[LSK]

6. your friend got lucky, but the odds are against you

http://www.youtube.com/results?search=rental+car&search_type=search_videos&search=Search

[RebelOne]

3. She needs a man to go with her when she goes

car shopping, otherwise those slime car salesmen will rip her off. When I bought my last car, I took my son and a male neighbor. Believe me, my son made sure that I got the best deal possible. The dealership only wanted to give me $500 for my old car, but somehow, my son managed to get me $1,500 trade-in. Car sales people will definitely take advantage of women.

[BlueCollar]

7. toyota corolla

reliable and safe. Also,the car should be checked out by a reliable mechanic. If the dealer won't allow it...move on.

Also, check out CarMax for pricing averages.

[LeftyMom]

9. I already told her to get it inspected

I had mine done at AAA and it was the best $70 I ever spent. They told me about developing maintainance needs (brakes a year later, an alternator a year after that) that didn't show up for a year or more, which allowed me to negotiate the price down by more than the inspection cost me for things I'd have to do anyhow.

[zonkers]

8. Here goes. First,- you can always look on Ebay "Completed Sales" & really

get an accurate sense of what a car is worth -- you punch in the make, model, miles, extra, condition, etc. That way you really can't get too screwed whether buying or selling. For that matter, you can also see what people are selling a car for and what their reserve price is.

#2. Be aware, as indicated upthread, there are always two sides to every story - some folks like buying an old car from Hertz, some don't, some folks like suzuki's, some don't. It really can drive you nuts.

#3. For the most part, I'd like my mom in a safe, big ass car, gas guzzler or not for the simple reason that when you get in a car accident and you're a senior or approaching seniorhood -- you are superscrewed and never quite the same.

4. For ther reasons mentioned in #3, I reccomend a used Lincoln Town car -- wait before you laugh, they are dependable as hell, my friend is on his 2nd one and it gets about 20 city/25 highway, and because they are not considered a cool car, you can often find one with super low miles, that's been pampered (typically by a fellow senior). I know I'd sleep better at night knowing my mom was driving something big.

Thats it.

[LeftyMom]

10. I know TownCars are crazy safe

My Dad has one. He got rear-ended last year. The trunk wound up in the back seat, all four tires were flat and Mr I Don't Need To Wear My Seatbelt was at the dealer buying another just like it a few hours later, with no pain an asprin couldn't handle.

I don't know if Mom (who isn't quite 50) would want one though. She has that old hippie who hasn't grown up yet thing going on.

[blue neen]

11. I understand that "old hippie" feeling!

I drive a 2002 Chevy Monte Carlo SS. It's handles beautifully, is sporty, gets good gas mileage, rated well in crash ratings (the engine compartment is designed so that in an accident the engine drops down, instead of going into the interior of the car), and looks GREAT!

It also has the OnStar Service, which is a really convenient feature. Lock your keys in your car? Call OnStar. OnStar also locates you and notifies emergency personnel if you're ever in a crash. It also functions as a phone service (you purchase minutes). I think these are nice things are extra nice to have if you're a woman and happen to be travelling alone.

It's four years old, and we have had nothing go wrong with it. :knock wood:

Good luck. :)

On edit: It has a huge trunk, and the back seat is very roomy. The seats in the back also fold down for extra trunk space.

[zonkers]

14. Wow, your mom is pretty young. Is she cute? Wait, she's still married,

right?

[LeftyMom]

15. Uh, you don't want to get involved with my mom.

Issues. Really.

She's cute though. :)

[tuvor]

12. PT Cruiser?

Very versatile, pretty good on gas, and popular with a lot of old folks 'cause you sit up nice and high.

[LeftyMom]

13. Good thought!

Mom's got neck issues, so sitting high would be a bonus and she'd like the cargo space and cute factor.