Car buying advice?

DH and I need to replace my vehicle before the baby gets here. Why? Because it's a Ford Escort and we really need a vehicle with a lot more cargo room (the car he drives is a Mazda 6). We're thinking small SUV or Crossover.

Now, the thing is this. I have my heart set on a Ford Edge (omg, they are cute but not too big!!). We're just not 100% sure if we should buy new, or used.

The financing deals on a 2010 are sooo much better than we'd be able to get on a used vehicle. And unfortunately, we'll have to finance because we don't want to blow our entire savings on a car (if we wanted to, we could blow all our savings on a $15k used car).

But, we're both getting pretty gun-shy about just how much the Edge costs. I mean, my parents bought me my Escort in 2002, and they paid $8k for it (three years old, 16k miles). I could probably get $2500-3k in a private sale for it now (just made it to 56k miles. Yes, that's only 56,000 miles).

However, a new Edge (with the features DH swears we should get), will probably run us around $30k (without a down payment or trade in).

Any advice? DH has his thoughts in his head and it's going to be a challenge for us to meet in the middle on this (took us a while to settle on a house too).

I personally prefer to buy used but thats only because Ive got the vehicle deal hunter in the house and he always finds the used junk cars that will last forever and are super cheap. But you need to factor in the things you are looking for in a car what expectations you have for the car etc.

Compare warrentys from both new and used dealers? Its very possible while obviously a new car has a warrenty but you may get a good one thru a dealer on a used car too.

If you already know what kind of car you want or style you are looking for shop around different dealerships. Just because one is local does not mean that you will get the best deal from them. Travel around and call different places and explain what you want, some places will even compete to give you the lowest price compared to their competitor.

Be open to different 'brands'. I personally am a Ford person but if I came across a Nissan Extera or Dodge Durango that had a better deal than my Explorer I wouldnt hesistate to look twice or buy one of those instead.

If you have a car knowledgable friend take them along when you look at used cars. Theres a reason that used car salesmen are known for being sneaky and underhanded. Also get the ok from the used dealer to take the vehicle to your own mechanic and have it looked over that way in case there is something wrong that you cant see you can get the price lowered OR get the problem fixed pronto. Sometimes its something as simple as an pin hole in an exhaust pipe that could cause problems down the road or a loose hose.


Also remember buying a car is like buying a wedding dress...You dont want to settle on the first one just because its pretty. You want something thats going to last a long time, is knowingly reputable and you will have lasting relationship with that dealer (especially if you buy new) so make sure you are happy not only with the car but the people you are buying from.

Ohhh and check reviews and carcomplaints.com (I think thats the website) that will have most of the stuff you need to look for regarding known problems with cars. Just google problems with _____ and car complaints should pop up right away.


Good luck car shopping and sorry for the novel, I unfortunately have learned entirely too much about car shopping and cars in general. Ill soon have to start changing my own oil....lol

reviews are great! But remember when you are reading online consumer reviews to take everything with a grain of salt!

You can email dealerships and they will be in touch with you too! But you may want to create an email account just for that because they are a little hard to get rid of!

A car is a big decision and dont be afraid to tell them this one isnt what you want!

I think whoever will be driving the car the most, should have a lot of input!

I personally LOVE the Kia Soul and the Mazda CX-7! Good luck finding something you love!

I would start by visiting the Ford website, and checking what the MSRP is on an Edge with the features you absolutely want. Then, I would visit your local Ford dealer's website, and request an internet price quote. The internet price is usually a lot lower than the MSRP.

If you like the price, print out your quote and take it with you. I recommend putting a down payment on a car. You can have it paid off in less time, or you can have lower payments. On the other hand, the dealerships probably like if you finance because they make money that way.

I think Edmunds is a good place to look at reviews, and find out what people are actually paying for the car you want.

I had to look for a new car almost 3 years ago now, I didn't have the time to be really picky and get exactly what I wanted because the transmission and radiator went out on my 2002 Dodge Neon, I didn't have a back up car and need one to get to work so I was borrowing one of my parents vehicles.

At the time I had my heart set on getting a used car, a few years newer than my Neon, however I quickly found out that the financing on a new car was MUCH cheaper than a used car, to the point that over the period of payments that I could afford the new car would actually be cheaper.

In addition to looking at the features you want, also look at the maintenance schedule. My mom has a Hyundai, it has really weird oil changes. It's every 6 months but it's a different thing each time; one time it will be 26$, another it will be 100$, another time it will be nearly 300$. Just the way their schedule works with maintenance and oil changes. I'm sure you could just go to JiffyLube and get it done there, but I believe that actually voids the warranty.

Look at the dealerships in smaller towns from you and compare the prices - when I bought my Neon new I saved a few thousand by buying it in a smaller town about 45 mins from where I live.

This is also the perfect time to buy last year's model (2010) because they want them gone to replace with the 2011 model. You'll get the same warranty and usually the same features at a cheaper price - often there aren't many differences between the model years. Also, different dealerships will have different promotions going on so call and ask them what they have now and what they are going to be having in the next little while.

Decide on the style of vehicle you want and don't let the dealer talk you out of it. I wanted a hatchback because at the time I was doing a lot of dog rescue and needed to fit a ton of crates in my car. In a sedan I could only fit 2-3 max in the back seat, with my hatchback I can fit 2 large ones and 8 small ones if they're all wire crates - 2 large with 4 small on top, 4 small stacked in front of the large ones. The dealer really tired to sell me on a sedan because they had a bunch on the lot but didn't have any of the hatchbacks.

As for the extras, think of what you get can added on after the fact. If you want a different stereo does it really make sense to get the $600 extra package when you can get that stereo installed somewhere else for $200? With mine, I wanted the steel rims but I also wanted the upgraded stereo. I couldn't get the stereo without switching to aluminum rims, so I opted out of it. In my case, I have only ever had problems with aluminum rims because when it gets cold out the rims would shrink just enough to let air seep out causing me to have to put air in my tires every few weeks to a month.

If you're not dead-set against a wagon, used '07-'08 Dodge Magnums are solid and can be had on the cheap with the V6. It took them a few years to work the kinks out, so avoid the '05-'06 models.

Originally Posted by Keycube

If you're not dead-set against a wagon, used '07-'08 Dodge Magnums are solid and can be had on the cheap with the V6. It took them a few years to work the kinks out, so avoid the '05-'06 models.

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I just had to comment...I've seen those and I shudder each time one drives by. I have some car aversions, and one of them is that particular car. I just can't stand the look of them. No offense to anyone that loves them, it's just not for me. lol

Thanks to everyone else for the advice.

I know what features I really want, and I had found a 2010 model that had everything I wanted, but DH really thinks we need leather seats. Well, you can't get too many non-Limited Edition Edges that come with leather seats, so all those extras I don't really need will need to be included. I'm trying to convince him that cloth just might be better, but he swears it'll be easier to clean, etc. I will be the primary driver of that vehicle, especially since we're replacing my car. He'll still have the Mazda to drive.

Anyway, DH and I really need to sit down, figure out what we can put as a down payment (hopefully we can sell my car soon to add to that amount) and go from there.

He's just kind of dragging his feet and won't listen to me when I say I don't want to test drive cars when I'm 7+ months pregnant. I'm in my 4th month now. :/

we have a few cars with leather and a few cars without. Mine has cloth and I love that I can just grab some carpet cleaner and scrub them. The truck, MG, and S2K have leather and while I love the look, nothing is worse than sitting down in them on a summer day!! We actually keep tshirts in the car to put over the S2K seats!

But just an idea, why not look into just getting the seats redone with leather at another point in time? My stepmom got leather seats put in her prius and it was much cheaper than if they got them from the dealer.

The after market business is booming and you can find almost any upgrade to do to you car at a much better price!

Originally Posted by capt_jordi

we have a few cars with leather and a few cars without. Mine has cloth and I love that I can just grab some carpet cleaner and scrub them. The truck, MG, and S2K have leather and while I love the look, nothing is worse than sitting down in them on a summer day!! We actually keep tshirts in the car to put over the S2K seats!

But just an idea, why not look into just getting the seats redone with leather at another point in time? My stepmom got leather seats put in her prius and it was much cheaper than if they got them from the dealer.

The after market business is booming and you can find almost any upgrade to do to you car at a much better price!

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That's an idea I can run by DH. I just really really don't care for leather seats that much. *shrug* My car has cloth and when people are in the backseat, they don't slide everywhere. And I have a feeling if we got leather, he'd want to put something under the car seat to protect it. Just not seeing the point in it.

Buy what you can afford, and that is not only the price of the car, but the ongoing insurance, gas prices and upkeep.

I got rid of a Volvo because once it hit about 75K miles, a lot of little things started breaking on it. Because there aren't a lot of mechanics around here that work on that car, I was stuck with dealer repairs. The magical price for a Volvo repair seemed to hover around $1500. I dumped the car the 3rd repair. It was incredibly cushy, and I really loved the heated seats in the winter, but it cost me too much money.

I bought a car that was practical even though it was not one that I particularly liked. With most options, it was well under $20K and the only expense I've had for it in the last 5 years were oil changes and new tires. I also went from about 18 mpg to 33 mpg.

I vote for practicality over cush.

Originally Posted by emrldsky

That's an idea I can run by DH. I just really really don't care for leather seats that much. *shrug* My car has cloth and when people are in the backseat, they don't slide everywhere. And I have a feeling if we got leather, he'd want to put something under the car seat to protect it.

Just not seeing the point in it.

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LoL Im the same way. I looked at a Mazda 3 and the only way I could get the options i wanted were leather seats! LOL! But I ended up waiting on the car!
Check ebay for stuff like that! A lot of people go for leather and then get cloth later

Don't forget to factor in the depreciation of buying a brand new car. Personally, I would never buy a *brand* new car. I'd rather buy, say a used 2009, then buy a brand new 2010 or 2011 from a dealership. I have a 2008 Ford Escape that I bought in February 2009. It was only a year old, still new to me, but I got to save a lot of money. As for the leather, some people love them, others don't. My Escape has leather, but I kind of have a love/hate relationship with them. They're easy to keep clean, wipe away any pet hair, especially since I frequently travel with two large dogs. However, on that same note, if you have a dog or anything that can easily scratch the leather (car seat, etc), it makes it more difficult. My dogs are only allowed to travel behind the barrier in the back. Another thing is that the leather gets extremely hot and uncomfortable in the summer time! Ugh, it's terrible, especially since my exterior is black. I suggest keeping a blanket, shirt or something to protect the tush. LOL.

Originally Posted by Adriana

Don't forget to factor in the depreciation of buying a brand new car. Personally, I would never buy a *brand* new car. I'd rather buy, say a used 2009, then buy a brand new 2010 or 2011 from a dealership. I have a 2008 Ford Escape that I bought in February 2009.

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You can probably get a good deal on say, a 2010, by buying whatever is left in stock in December or early 2011. Sometimes, whatever they have left has more features than you're willing to pay for and they don't charge you for them.

Sounds like a question for:
http://www.suzeorman.com/

Well some advice from a 20 yr Ford Credit retiree and a owner of a brand new car...

Does the edge either the 2010 or 2011 have low apr financing or rebates? Not usually on a 2011 though. If you are not putting down much of a down payment the low apr financing is usually the way to go. Finance it for the shortest term possible. A 5 yr finance with a limited down payment one does not have equity in the vehicle for 37 months. A 6 yr finance (which I would never recommend) one would not have equity in the vehicle for 48 months!!

I still get a deal on the purchase price so I don't have to mess with that thankfully.
The MSRP of the edge is probably $2000 more than dealer invoice. If a dealer has to trade for the vehicle with the options you want make sure they don't charge a fee to you for doing this.

We have leather seats (black) in one of our vehicles-eeek terrible in the summer. We have the heated seats but the they are cold in the winter before the heat kicks in!

My new car I didn't want leather so I have cloth (but heated!)

Hope I didn't babble too much, pm me for questions!

Originally Posted by GailC

Well some advice from a 20 yr Ford Credit retiree and a owner of a brand new car...

Does the edge either the 2010 or 2011 have low apr financing or rebates? Not usually on a 2011 though. If you are not putting down much of a down payment the low apr financing is usually the way to go. Finance it for the shortest term possible. A 5 yr finance with a limited down payment one does not have equity in the vehicle for 37 months. A 6 yr finance (which I would never recommend) one would not have equity in the vehicle for 48 months!!

I still get a deal on the purchase price so I don't have to mess with that thankfully.
The MSRP of the edge is probably $2000 more than dealer invoice. If a dealer has to trade for the vehicle with the options you want make sure they don't charge a fee to you for doing this.

We have leather seats (black) in one of our vehicles-eeek terrible in the summer. We have the heated seats but the they are cold in the winter before the heat kicks in!

My new car I didn't want leather so I have cloth (but heated!)

Hope I didn't babble too much, pm me for questions!

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We actually get a discount on new Ford vehicles (as well as GM, but bleh) from work. Anywhere from $1k to $2k off, and if we can get that, plus the cash bonus they're offering right now ($1k) AND 0% APR from 24-60 months, we'll get a great deal. I'm hoping we qualify for that interest rate. I also don't anticipate paying the sticker price (no matter how shocked DH seemed to be when I told him not to).

We'll have a decent down payment, around $7k+, I imagine.

My other thought is my current car is a Ford, but if I sell it privately, I probably won't qualify for any Ford loyalty program (if it still exists). But I'm not sure if the loss of selling outright vs. trade-in is worth it.

SOoooooo many things to consider. I know we're going to make a good financial decision...we're just built that way, but it's still scary. And DH seems to be dragging his feet. *sigh*

The only thing you need to consider on selling a current vehicle outright vs trade in is the tax implications on a trade in one your price. I'm not sure if your state reduces the tax due on a vehicle if there is a trade or not. If your company is "X" plan sometimes dealers will not give you as much for trade as they are not making much on the vehicle as well.

If your credit is good you should qualify for the low apr programs.

I don't have much advice, but we're going through Dave Ramsey classes right now so that's where I turn to naturally for advice. Something to think about:

http://www.daveramsey.com/article/ca...y_automobiles/

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/20...e-retire-rich/

If you want the best deal ... Buy on new years eve as all cars on lot new years day have tax paid on them... Obviously you need to be decided on which one you want before then for test drives and checking on financing.

I just saw a Ford Edge last night while driving to Michaels...They are neat little crossovers, I personally wouldnt get one just because Ive been converted from a small car driver to a monster truck driver LOL but they are nice looking cars Id look twice at one.

Oh and BF brought this up last night when we were talking about car shopping. He said that a lot of people would go from Selinsgrove Ford to Sunbury Motors with price quote to see which dealership would offer them the better deal on exactly what they want. Those are the 2 big Ford dealerships in our area and they both will try and out do the other when it comes to sales and stuff. If you hear a Selinsgrove Ford commercial on the radio Ill betcha anything the next day youll hear one from Sunbury Motors with a better deal and visaversa. LOL