NBR: I suck at this...

MeggieChris

I've been driving the same car since I was 16 (a 2001 saturn). In the past year and a half it's been giving me a lot of problems and costing more and more money. So I've decided it's finally time for a new car with LO on the way. (I don't mean brand new, I just mean new to me.) I know I want a four door car, automatic, no older than a 2008, that's safer and not something I have to worry about breaking down. My max is $15,000. Other than that, I got nothing. I know nothing about cars and I have no idea what to look for, what's a good deal, what I should ask, etc. I'm just looking online right now but it's so frustrating. Sigh... Just needed to vent a little...

croberts22

I bought a 2009 Chevy Cobalt this summer. It was a dealer driven car so it had about 30,000 miles on it.  I paid about 13,000 I think.  So far I'm loving the car.   It is smaller it isn't for someone that wants to have more than one or two kids.  It a 2.4 (I think) liter 4 cyclindar so the gas milage is great with out it struggling to get up a hill.  The truck is HUGE for a car that size...no worries about getting a stroller in the back. 

Thats just my opinion.  I hope you find something you like.  I'd get an idea of what you want then go do some test driving. 

Phil&Corinna

For me, when I got my new car a couple years ago, knowing that we would be TTC soon, my must-haves were ABS, airbags (front driver & passenger, side seat and curtain), and air conditioning.  Power locks, power windows and heated seats were a bonus.  I'm not sure about your normal temps there, but it gets really cold here - I had a remote starter installed afterward that I'm really glad to have.  My car is a Hyundai Elantra and I LOVE IT!!!  It's very very good on gas, and is pretty cheap brand new, I'm not sure if you can get a 2008 with all of the above features for less than $15000 where you are, but I wouldn't be surprised!!!   GL!!

BeetleLinz1125

How exciting!  I totally understand...I drove my car from high school for 10 years, and finally bought a new (to me) car in March.  It can be incredibly overhwhelming.  I would start by just browsing online and looking at what different cars are going for, so you have an idea of what $15K will get you.  It can actually get a lot.  When buying a used car, I would personally go for the higher-optioned cars, because they are generally better taken care of....look for things like all power doors, windows, etc.  After looking online maybe pick about 5 cars that are appealing to you and go on sites like edmunds dot com and you can read about the vehicles, specfic to each year they have made them.  Here you would find recalls, safety concerns, and even reviews from owners.  After you have narrowed down your search to a few makes/models that you like, I would go to test drive them.  Do not purchase!  Make sure you test all of the vehicles that you are considering, that way you have a way of comparing them.  After you have drove a few, done online research, and secured financing, start your definite "I'm going to buy a car" search.  You can usually see what dealers have in their inventory online, and also look on cars dot com you can narrow down by searching for specific make/model. 

It's a VERY long process, and not one to be taken lightly.  As a woman (a pregnant one at that) you will need to know your stuff when you go to a dealer.  Make sure you take df/so/dad with you to do all of your negotiating....I would have got taken at the dealer if it was just me, but luckily DF did a great job and knocked a bunch of money off the price... :-)

The dealers see a woman walk onto a car lot and hope they don't know a thing about cars...prove them wrong! 

oandmplus1

When I was looking for a car knowing we were going to be Trying to conceive in the near future, I also looked at safety and safety reviews. I also wanted something with lots of storage space and either 4WD or AWD (we live in Michigan and I have a bit of a commute to work.)

I test drove tons of cars by myself and looked online to compare prices after I had researched them. Once I narrowed it down to a few I liked, I had DH come with me. It really does help to bring a man with you, I had one dealer flat out tell me (when I was alone) that the car came with a tow package, but when DH came back with me to look at it and questioned the guy on it he just said "this car doesn't come with one" like I was mistaken (I know what he told me, I even asked him questions about it).

JaqiDec04

Also, you might look into renting a vehicle for a few days if its in your budget, once you narrow it down to something you are sure about.

I loved the new Malibus, but as soon as a rented one for a few days, I knew I could never own one. I hated it. So it can make a big difference from just a test drive. 

MeggieChris

Thanks for the advice ladies! I feel like I have a better starting point now!

helm74

I used to do F&I (finance & insurance) for a car dealer and can point out some things the regular buyer might not know.

• Sell your car out right instead of trading it in, you will always get more money from it.  When a dealer has a minimum trade in amount they have raised the price to cover it.
• Always negotiate on price never payment.  Get your own financing, not at the dealer.  Use your own bank or even better credit union.  When a dealer offers you a interest rate they have usually bumped it.  I could offer people say 8% when the bank was actually offering 5% and the difference every month went in my pocket.  It's one of the main ways to make money in F&I.
• Kelly Blue Book value means nothing.  Dealers use a black book, you should be able to look it up on line.  Cars are never worth anywhere near what blue book says.
• Drive, drive, drive!  And if you can go out of town to do it somewhere you would never purchase a vehicle.  And take your time when you do it.  Keep the car long enough to drive it on different types of roads.  When you find a few you like get on the internet and educate yourself on them.  That way when you visit a local dealer you know what your talking about.  And if they won't treat you with respect because your a woman ask for a different sales person, preferably a woman.  Personally I never speak to sales people I always ask directly for the sales manager, it cuts out the middle man (who still gets his commission by the way).
• Don't be afraid to walk away.  Other people sell cars.  Don't let them make you feel like you have to purchase from them.

I know this was long and really didn't include as much info as I could.  If you ever have a question message me and I would be happy to answer it.

heylee

If you're max is $15,000 I think you could get a new car for that price. If you keep mentioning to the dealership about how much money you don't have they usually throw more things in for you. Or if you mention you can't afford a certain payment per month they will usually drop the apr rate so you are paying less per month. We did 2 months ago at Mazda and got lower apr, extended warranty to 6 years from 3, free leather seats, satellite radio and tinted windows.

grace_smith03

You could get a NEW toyota corolla for not much more than the $15k, so I would recommend that. (you know where it's been, you know?) I have one that is a 2004, has 91,000 miles, and the only thing I've done to it is invested in new brakes, tires, and oil changes. Awesome, low maintenance car.

 GL, shopping for a new car is a pain in the @ss.