I need some help in the car buying department. (kinda long)

kaleyandjason · March 2010

We are looking to buy a new car, and have it narrowed down to two things. But, it gets really tricky. We planned on buying a smaller type SUV, similar to the Kia Sorento (which is one of our final choices). We test drove a few things, and I decided I wanted a Sorento. The max of our budget was $23,000. And we can get a pretty nice one for that price. It wouldn't have all the bells and whistles, but it would be nice. It would be brand new (2011), have a 10-year 100,000 mile warranty.

Here is the hard part. Yesterday we went to the local Dodge lot with J's parents. They wanted us to see the Chrysler 300 they were thinking about buying. Plus, we wanted to check out the Jeep Patriot, and they had one used one. We quickly crossed that off the list. We hated it. But, they had a 2007 Dodge Durango that I fell in love with. It was completely loaded. Big spacious interior, navigation system, DVD system. Only 36,000 miles. And right at $23,000.

Now we had planned on going brand new, but I have no idea what to do. Can you all help me out? Know anything bad about either vehicle I should know? Of course there is a lot to take into consideration. The gas mileage is bad in the Durango because it has a Hemi. Do you perfer brand new or slightly used cars?

Savy _05 · March 2010

Since the used is coming from a dealership does it come with some sort of warranty?

We bought a brand new Altima Coupe in 2008, we loved it when we first got it, couldnt have asked for a better car, etc... (we traded in an xterra to get it) well no more than 5 months after buying the car david was sick of having a car and wanted an SUV back... it took him almost a year to find exactly what he wanted.. so in total we had the car less than 1.5 years and less than 20k miles put on in, we sold it for nearly 11,000 less than what we paid for it... Never will we ever buy a new car again.. the value of them decreases so quickly, its not worth it. On the other hand the used truck your looking at has lost any value its going to lose compared to a new car, it's a better make, and has all of the goodies, from our experience I would definitely go with the used truck.

gmk1784 · March 2010

I used to work at a car dealership. If you're really interested in the used Durango you should definitely ask for a Carfax. I know the commercials are corny and annoying, but the dealership can run it for free, and it will tell you all the service history and any repair work. You should also ask if the car was sold new there, and if all the service was preformed at the dealership. If it was they'll be able to give you a more detailed history of the car. 36,000 miles is pretty normal for a 3 year old car, and you may want to find out if the previous owners leased it, which would be a good expliation as to why it was traded/turned in after only a few years. Also ask about the warrenty. A lot of times the cars will still have the remainder of their factory warrenty as well as an additional warrenty, especially if it's certified pre-owned. And if your in-laws are buying a car from the same dealership you should use the same salesperson. They will be motivated to cut you a deal if they know they're selling 2 cars to the same family.

You may also want to call your insurance company and see if there is a difference on premiums between the cars. Sometimes there can be a big price difference, and that's not something that people realize.

I personally like the idea of a new car, just because no one has owned it before, and there would be less miles and wear and tear, but pre-owned cars are great. I saw hundreds of people buy pre-owned cars at my old job, and they were all very happy.

kaleyandjason · March 2010

It was a lease car. We talked to the dealer, but I never thought to ask if it was actually leased from that particular lot.

I made a list of things I need to check out, and calling our insurance was definitely on it. As was reading reviews and checking gas mileage and all that stuff. We are taking that into account a lot because my car gets about 33 MPG now (that is what we are getting rid of) and the Durango only gets about 15.

They already bought the 300, but we spoke to him when they were getting ready to buy it. My ILs always use him when they are buying cars, and my DH knows him, too. So, he was pretty upfront about the Durango, and the price and stuff. He told us the lowest he could go was 23k, but do you think he would work with us a little more? I think if he knows we are really serious about it, he will come down a bit more.

Junebug060609 · March 2010

My H's father has a Durango. We don't like the way it handles. Its like its trying to be a car...but it handles like a truck.

gmk1784 · March 2010

kaleyandjason:
He told us the lowest he could go was 23k, but do you think he would work with us a little more? I think if he knows we are really serious about it, he will come down a bit more.

They can almost always do more on the price. I'd tell them that you're seriously considering another car also and he'll probably come down some. And you should ask them how long the car has been on the lot. If it's been there for a while they'll be really motivated to sell it

vhcoleman09 · March 2010

If it were me, I'd be most concerned with the gas mileage and the warranty, if they both have the same handling. For that reason alone, I'd probably lean towards the new car. A 10 year warranty is really good and it sounds like you'd save a good deal of money on gas going that route too.

kaleyandjason · March 2010

I drove the Durango and actually liked the way it handled even though it was so much larger than my little G5. But, I think the big kicker is going to be the gas mileage. We already have a Dodge Ram that gets like 12 miles to the gallon. Granted it isn't driven back and forth to work or anything, the gas cost still adds up.

I have heard such mixed reviews about Kias. That is making our decision that much harder.

hawkilady · March 2010

My H has a 2002 durango that he bought used in 2005 that he loves. Its been a great car for us and never really had a problem. It just hit 100k miles and it has a couple problems now but they are minor (temperature control doesnt work on the lowest setting and the passenger back window sticks sometimes - the switch in the back works but not the drivers control - I know several Durango owners with the same problems actually).

Its great because we can use it to haul stuff and it tows our boat. The gas mileage sucks (about 15 mpg with a V-8 but its not a Hemi). We'll likely trade it in for a truck in the next 12 months just because we need more space and DH really wants one.

I also know several people who own Kias and I know I would never ever buy one. To me, it seems like i'm riding in an egg shell or something. They just dont feel like they are well put together or sturdy to me. I dont trust them. The resale on them is terrible too because people think they are almost disposable cars they are so cheap.

Leigha12 · March 2010

My advice? I'd look for a used Kia Sorenta. Used is almost always the way to go. You just have to look around for a good deal, a newer model, and a warranty from the dealer. I'm spoiled because my brother is a used car salesman, so we always get the best deals and they do a warranty. I drive a 2006 Mercury Mariner and love it. We got it used in August of 2006 with only 10,000 miles on it, for a ton less than it would have been new. I'd definitely recommend looking around a little more for something used, just not sure I'd go with a gas guzzling v8 hemi.

chrissyvcm · March 2010

As far as gas mileage on the Durango vs the Sorento, I'll chime in with my experience. Mike got rid of his car last year and bought a brand new Toyota Tundra. He went from a 4-cylinder to a very large V8. I have a 4-cylinder little car too, and the difference in price between my car and his truck is only about $20 a week. Of course the cost of your gas will vary greatly depending on how far your commute is, but for us, $20 a week was a very small price to pay to have a vehicle that he loves. Even now, he's had it for a little over a year and he still tells me all the time, "I love my truck!" (Actually, he says "trucky"...) Smile

As long as the insurance isn't crazy expensive, I'd say go for the Durango over the Sorento. As Hawki mentioned, Kias just seem like much more disposable vehicles and don't retain their value. Plus, the mixed reviews would have me nervous. It'd feel like a crap shoot to me.

I need some help in the car buying department. (kinda long)

Re: I need some help in the car buying department. (kinda long)

Choose Another Board

Search Boards