Considering this integra....

[i97supratti]

summer is approaching, and all the dealerships are busting out their nice summer cars. There is one not too far from me, offering this.

2001 Acura Integra GSR
50,xxx miles
one owner
leather, a/c, blah blah al the GSR features

$15,000

no pics, and i ran a carfax, its had no accidents.

Should i buy it? I only have $4,000. How much more would i be paying if i took out a loan on the car?

[Sulsa]

Car loans are the devil, and car dealers are his demons. The dealer probably paid less than low bluebook for that car. I just bought a transmission and block from a private autobroker. He bought a mint condition 95 GSR w/ 114k for $5750, I saw the reciept. Better yet, he bought a near mint(has 2 small dents on the top where theives pried the door open) 98 GSR for $6,000. Save up your cash and buy one outright from a broker or private party. The purchase is soooo much more satisfying, knowing that you didn't have to cohort with demons to get the car you want.

[flyingtoaster]

If all you have is 4 grand, get a 94 or 95 from a private party. I got my 94 with 70k mils for 7 grand, and even that was too much.

[lean]

Originally Posted by Sulsa

Car loans are the devil, and car dealers are his demons.

Now now. We're not all that bad.

i97supratti, there are plenty of advantages to buy from a dealership, so base your decision on your experience with that store, not someone else’s bad experience years ago somewhere else. Figure paying $20 a month for every 1k you finance on a 60 month loan. An auto loan will also do very good things for your credit, as long as you make your payments on time, of course.

[94GeeSR]

Originally Posted by Sulsa

He bought a mint condition 95 GSR w/ 114k for $5750, I saw the reciept.

Damn son... If you think thats a good deal then I got a GSR for ya.

[Sulsa]

Does it have only 114k and is in mint condition? No mods, everything is stock? I'm doubting it. That's hard to find these days. 94-95 GSR's are nice cause they are easier to mod than the 96+ versions.

People make credit sound like it's hard to get. Pfft I say. Make a payment on time every time for 5 years (rent, credit card, personal loan, student loan, business loan, whatever), and put a sizable downpayment on whatever it is you want to buy, rarely will you be turned down. All most lenders really want, is proof that you can stick to a payment plan, and that you have a vested interest. Car loans can do this, but in my opinion, they are a poor method for doing it. Car loans require you to carry full coverage insurance, and the % rates are usually high for used cars. Not worth it.

I've yet to find an honest car dealership. Every car salesman I've ever met was willing to lie to sell me a car. Even ppl who were my friends before they became car salesmen. There is something evil about that profession that can turn honest ppl into virtual theives.

I will never, ever buy a used car from a lot or dealership again. You will never be able to get as good a deal from a dealership/lot as you can going thru a broker or buying from a private party.

[vietshorThi]

dude thats hella expensive

[i97supratti]

Where exactly do i find these "car brokers"?

[Sirfallsalot243]

My buddy is looking at a 98 GSR for 5 grand. And it is CLEAN.

The deals are out there- be patient and they will come to you.

[Sulsa]

You can try www.yellow.com or any yellow pages type of website. You could also try your yellow pages in your local phone book.

Search for "auto broker" or "auto brokers" in your city.

However, I would definitely ask your friends/family/coworkers if they know a good honest one. A car broker is much less likely to screw you, because his/her personal reputation is what gets him business. But that doesn't mean they're all honest, and if you contact a random one, he might just suck. If no one you know has a good one, I'd call around a bit and go with the one that offers a good deal (sometimes you can dicker on their markup or fee), and seems honest.

[RexFanatic]

seems like a lot to me

[lean]

There are plenty of shady dealerships out there, but not all of us fall in that pit. Just like your brokers -- there are good ones and there are bad ones.

I don't suggest using a broker. They're also known as wholesalers. Wholesalers love buying dealership junk cars. In your case, they probably picked a car up off the auction and then sold/transferred it to you for a fee. If you're not familiar with purchasing a vehicle at auction, there are many variables that can screw you as the customer of the broker down the line. Buyers aren't usually allowed to take a test drive, sometimes can’t even start the car up and only see it running while the auctioneer is moving it through the block, during which it's so loud in there you couldn't hear a rod knockin to save your life. Cars are usually sold under various color codes indicating their general "known" condition. Be sure you know the selling status of the vehicle being purchased for you. Now as a dealer, these vehicles are inspected before being put out on the lot. If a serious problem is found, the car goes into arbitration and the seller can either fix the problem, buy it back or pay for a portion of the repairs. But, if a broker flips the car to you as soon as it rolls off the auction grounds and there's a problem, you're screwed mate.

For the car enthusiast, finding a car in auction that you'll be happy with is extremely hard, especially since you can't even be there, and can take a LONG time for just the right car to even be at the auction. Usually cars are at the auction for a reason.. it’s the only place the seller could get rid of it. Dealer auctions are closed to the public. Public auctions are a joke and a great place to buy crap. Since you can't actually be at the auction to physically inspect the vehicle you're looking at, would you really want to buy a car over the phone that you haven't smelled, driven or even seen in person? Usually the car is rolled through in a matter of seconds.

I have purchased personal vehicles at the auction before though, but only because I was able to physically be there to inspect the vehicle before buying AND because I had the piece of mind knowing that if a problem was found right away, I have recourse through the dealership. And yes, I got some killer deals, but they were cars I wasn't super picky about. Sometimes it's not worth the risk. I saw a 97 Prelude base, 100k miles, 5 speed, NICE car, roll through the block for $2300. I was there for another reason that day and didn't have the chance to nab it. So yes, deals can be found, but it takes patience, flexibility and a ton of luck.

Face it, 99% of the time vehicles sold at the dealership are not written at the "asking" price. So it's hardly fair to say a dealership is screwing you because they're selling it for "$xx over blue/green/pink/turquoise book." Dealerships generally offer a warranty, give you the ability to pick up an extended service contract (only paying a $100 deductible on a $5000 engine replacement is a very nice thing..), they put money into reconditioning and cleaning the vehicle, do all your state paperwork for you and can take that car in you've been trying to sell for the past four months on the spot, no problem. And when you consider the amount of money it takes to run a dealership on a day to day basis, the initial several hundred thousand dollars start up costs the owner is risking out of his pocket, the average gross profit per used car of ~$1300 is quite fair. Then consider that the average owner actually only makes 1% of that as net profit, and that's if he's good. For all the services a GOOD (note I said GOOD, IE. a place that values their customers) dealership does for you at and after the time of sale, it's worth payin a little extra premium.

Private party sales don't come with a warranty, either. In fact, when I purchased the Integra, the car wasn't in my driveway for 45 minutes before I came back outside to take a cruise and found half gallon of coolant under the car. The next day, my rotor destroyed the dizzy. Few days later, my t belt tensioner was shot and fried the belt. During that replacement my rear left brake hard line split open for a random reason. All the while the previous owner is chuckling away.

Just throwin in my $0.02. Peace.

[Sulsa]

I guess I've just yet to find a good dealership. Even with the waranty, getting a dealership to actually fix a problem with your car is often much easier said than done. I'd sooner buy a car from a private seller, save the $1300, and do any necessary troubleshooting or repairs myself. I could tell dozens of stories supporting my point, but I'll spare you the boredom.

You seem to give auto brokers the same shake that I give car dealers . I've only met 2 auto brokers, to be honest, and both of there were good at what they did, and honest sellers. I know the one I spoke to last week says he rarely buys anything from an auction, mostly from private parties, and deals almost exclusively in Hondas/Acuras.

In light of the info you've given, the yellow pages are probably a bad place to find a broker. I'd still check with your family and friends to see if they know a good broker, if you are looking for a very specific type of car (certain year with certain options or specific condition).

[94GeeSR]

Originally Posted by lean

I am well versed! (OK so I paraphrased....

Very well said! REP for you!
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to lean again.
sorry

[lean]

Originally Posted by 94GeeSR

Very well said! REP for you!
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to lean again.
sorry

huh? I'm confused.

Not sure where that quote by "me" came from either.