Along with pro audio, I was also a mechanic. Let me help everyone out here... new or old, pick a brand, they are ALL gonna break!
Do your research and find a car with a good track record. Not a lot of ppl bitching about a junk trans or that they all need a new ... replaced every 12k miles.
If the cars wrre known to have an issue, don't be pushed into believing "this one is special".
Someone traded it in for a reason. Maybe its good, maybe not... I don't gamble with this kind of cash so I look for a more sure thing.
BRING THE CAR TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT!!!
There are tell tale signs or recent work to a car. Perhaps a bandaide fix was slapped on to an otherwise junk but pretty car. A good mechanic can usually spot that stuff. Look for leaks. Fresh, shiny heads on nuts and bolts means someone was just there doing something.
Personally, I buy something that meets my needs with a decent body and drivetrain. Hopefully cosmetic and tune up are needed and it can be bought cheap.
Then I detail the hell out of them and fix the broken nonsense.
Turn a pig into a peacock so to speak.
I am done with computer controlled cars I think.
The regulations alone are too much. Maybe for a simple commuter but for ANYTHING to soup up at all, at least pre CAN computer.
I feel like after I do an engine swap, the job is done and its time for burn outs.
No time for a 12 hour session tuning a computer afterwards!
If you buy a new car, DON'T buy the first production year of ANYTHING!
If you buy a luxurycar, keep in mind, YOU are testing out the new technology for the manufacturer and YOU pay for it when your $5300 radar, camera computer board having tailights aren't sealed properly and leak.
Having a warranty and getting a warranty clain approved are 2 different things!
IF you want that tech, great! Be sure its something you can afford to fix if it blows up!
Electronic air suspension is great until you find out the airbags are on national backorder and they cost $2300. Thats a wear item btw, no warranty.
Regular shocks are on the shelf and cost $600 for a decent set. Buy what you can afford!
Tradin- in your car is almost always a bad idea. Sell it outright.
There are videos online that explain the economics behind it and how the value of the car gets washed in a loan.
A car dealer wants to talk about what you can afford monthly, not the price of the car.
This is because if they can get you a $175k car that you can make $300 payments on for the rest of YOUR lufe, they scored the biggest sale that week and yay!
Meanwhile YOU are DEFINITELY going to be upside down in a loan forever with this thing... but boy isn't the stereo LOUD!!!
DO THE MATH!!! Figure out the total price you'll be paying for the car!
Don't buy a $65k Ford Focus!
There's more... so much more...
