/cbg/ car buying general

Should i buy this nice chrysler stratus 2000

My '84 300D gets 25-30.

Idk why the fuck this picture's sideways.

>Unwritten rule that dealerships must be as scummy as possible
Must be. I was looking for a four wheel drive, five speed third gen Ford Explorer Sport.

Finally found one four hours downstate. Called ahead and asked if it was still available - it was. Talked to the salesman and asked a few questions. Explained to him I'm several hours away and I'll be down first thing the next morning. The pictures looked mint all around. However the picture of the rear of the vehicle was slightly out of focus and taken far away. I wasn't concerned as non of the pictures looked professional on any of their vehicles listed.

>Drove five hours downstate with a mate of mine
>When we get there I'm immediately attracted to the Sport
>Start walking around and my heart sank
>Body lines didn't line up, tires mismatched
>Rear bumper was resprayed, including the ball
>Body panels have been half assed repaired with a poor attempt at matching the red oem paint
>Underneath the vehicle was flaking rust, as if it's been sitting awhile
>Frame is flaking off 1/4" chunks of rust
>Interior is somewhat clean, but the pictures were deceiving

The guy I talked to on the phone came out and asked me what I thought of the Sport. I immediately started off with a pissy attitude as he lied to me about what I asked about on the phone. He told me older used vehicles have blemishes and he played it off as if we didn't talk about this on the phone.

At that point I didn't even want to test drive it, but the salesman insisted. Mate and I took off and it drove okay, but I was still upset about the condition of the exterior. After getting back from the test drive I offered 1400, which was 3100 less than the asking price. He came back and said 3800, I said 1400. He went down to 2900 but he wouldn't budge from there.

I didn't get the Sport.
>It only had 61k on the clock

shitty. also, why do you want the sport?

Longtime owner of many W123 and W126 models here. Do not buy these cars unless you are willing to take the maintenance AND most repairs, even major ones, on yourself.

Why? Parts are cheap and easy to find, and these cars drive and ride better than most new cars if they're maintained. But...because these are still, even 30-40 years later, high end luxury cars, the labor in a shop to work on them will be, even at an indy in the US, 100-150 USD per hour...and they take LOTS of labor.

You must be willing to dive in, learn about the car, and understand it, inside and out, so you can take care of it. If you're not willing to do that, these cars will cost you a lot of money.

So...learn...or pay..or buy something else. Those are your three choices.

thanks for the advice. do you know any good sources for learning how to work on a w126?

You're talking about a car and engine that is 15-25 years newer than a W123 with an OM616/OM617

A W202 is also a C-class. A better contemporaneous equivalent to a W123 is a W210. The W126 is the S-Class from then.

I'd take an OM616/617 over any OM engine that followed by a mile. But...they're like any machine. They all have to be maintained.

A W123 in good shape, well maintained, and kept healthy is a wonderful car - I drive one every day, and have no intention of ever driving anything else, really.

But I know the cars and can take care of them. Some people aren't into all that.

For whatever reason I like the looks of the third gen explorers.

The Sports of that generation use a solid rear axle instead of the IRS, have manual transmission options instead of the sealed automatics, different rear hatch that doesn't crack, and they're not prone to destruction of wheel bearings. The third gen explorers received worse vehicle on carcomplaints iirc. They're specifically referring to the automatic IRS setups.

I want an SUV for bombing around in trails and going camping. Trucks are nice, but the open bed makes keeping your gear dry difficult if you start throwing road debris upwards.

The S10 Blazer I had was an absolute treat to drive in the trails. For whatever reason I prefer SUVs over trucks.

Had a four door S10 Blazer for camping and I loved it. With the rear seats folded down my GF and I were able to sleep in the back when we went exploring the upper Michigan peninsula.

Factory service manual is a must. The W126 is an S-Class, so it's the most advanced car they made at the time. The M117 engines in them are great, but do have their trouble spots.

Cam oiler tubes can work loose, so that will need to be checked. The valve cover gaskets won't hurt to be replaced, so you can do it all at the same time.

Problem areas are timing chains/timing chain guides - they must be changed every 100k miles or 10-12 years. If you don't see absolute proof it was done on a car you're considering, plan on doing it. 2k plus at a shop, or 200 dollars and a day of work yourself. If the chain or a guide lets go, you've grenaded your engine.

Another problem area is rust on the bottom corners of the rear windscreens, from leaking seals around the window. Reach under from inside the trunk and you can feel it, if it's there.

Rear self-leveling suspension generally requires new accumulators - people neglect this. 500 bucks for parts and about 3 hours of work.

Expect to replace all the rubber bushings in the suspension, and budget for shocks. Again, people neglect this stuff. The difference in ride and handling will be dramatic. Also, drivetrain rubber (center bearing support, flex discs, diffential support) you can have a decent indy do every piece of rubber under the car for 3k or less.

Get the vacuum system working, perfectly. So much depends on it - climate control, transmission shift quality, door locks, etc.

Lastly, always always always buy quality parts and tools. No Uro, limited Meyle. Buy Lemfoerder for suspension, Bosch for electrical, Behr for cooling, and genuine Mercedes-Benz whenever you can.

Good luck!

That automatic that ford used in those explorers is the worst. I had servos sleeved, so I fixed mine...but that's the dumbest design ever.

I babied my rear hatch to keep from cracking that stupid piece of trim..

One of my more distant friends is offering to sell me a Toyota Corolla GT-S - is it just an Initial D memecar or is it actually worth owning? He's saying 3 grand on it and its clocked 100,000, and it looks to be in good condition.

What do you guys think about this 2015 Mazda6?
Comes with a nice warranty since its certified pre owned.
Never considered Mazda before but after looking into them they're honestly really nice looking, interior is top notch for sure.

steetpontemazda.com/certified/Mazda/2015-Mazda-Mazda6-8640855c0a0e0ae757ee4a829cd0b85b.htm

One more thing - working on these cars is very easy. Don't be intimidated by it. Take your time, do your research, and try to understand the way the car works.

The Germans are very logical, and everything they did on these older cars will make worlds of sense to you if you approach them on their terms.

Anyone can do it - you just have to be willing to put in the effort.

Either lease a new BMW or buy one from the early 2000's or before. Their engines might be bulletproof but everything else will break.

Thanks a ton, man. This is really helpful

Right, forgot about leasing lol. A new bmw would be fucking nice actually

Never been a huge fan of Mazda. For that money, I'd probably go get an infinity from carmax with an extended warranty - nice ride, quiet, quick-ish, rear wheel drive, and with a warranty, no real risk.

I've never looked at carmax stuff before, only infiniti's at the nearest store are coupes and one that's 25k. I don't know if they can ship stuff from other stores or not

Are there any downsides to Carmax? Most of their stuff seems pretty fairly priced and the ability to transfer a lot of it from out-of-state stores for free seems nice.

fuck no

Thank you again. Where should I research this car? The mercedes forum seems like it might be useful.

First time car buyer. Got pre-approved for a loan from a credit union. Went to dealer. Test drove a car. Sat down to go over the deal. Was told that to buy the car I would have to fill out a dealer credit application first. Argued that was BS. Said I wanted to pay cash to avoid the BS. They said they did not like to accept personal checks (went on several minutes explaining why what was a bad idea) and but if I did write one, I could not take delivery until the check cleared. Eventually they let me do the CU financing if I filled out a CU application. Thought it was stupid since I already had CU pre-approval but I did it just to move the process forward (mistake). Manager comes back with a quote and asks me to sign it. It has in small print that the financing will be through the dealer. Went home and now I will never do business with them ever again and probably will not buy that brand of car. Are all dealers like this? Do all Americans literally get scammed every time they buy a car? Unbelievable. The worst part is they did not even want my cash offer.

>Are all dealers like this?
Most of em
>Do all Americans literally get scammed every time they buy a car?
Most of em

homie, i understand. i miss driving my gmc jimmy so much. i drive a dclb tacoma now, and no doubt in my mind an suv is more comfy, even a little gm one.

What's the process of a private sale? Is it just a matter of trading the cash, keys, and title or does any stuff have to be sent to the DMV or something?

>Agree on a price
>While he fills out the title make sure he lies about what you paid / he received
>Have him write out a bill of sale
>Exchange cash for a signed title
>Head to DMV to transfer the title to your name & receive registration

Inb4 lying about exchange price
>It'a government theft. The vehicle has been taxed numerous times already, from materials to the first sale

If he's smart he'll write something down to make sure he doesn't exceed his tax bracket. Capital gain taxes are also damn near criminal.

You're literally just a pussy bitch
>get preapproved
>they'll be like oh but go through us!
>entertain them
>if the rate is higher, which it will be, decline and say you'd like to use your credit union
>proceed with deal
You're just a pushover baby wah wah idiot

>Trying to sell my M3 project car
>everyone offers $6000-6500 a week after its posted when it was listed for $9000
>my stupid-ass doesn't take those offers
>a month passes
>lower the price to $8000 and get almost no interest

I just wanna get rid of this stupid car.

newyork.craigslist.org/que/cto/d/1997-bmw-m3/6348901036.html

>lying about exchange amount
What exactly does this accomplish? I don't know much about tax shit.

When you trans the title you'll be charged sales tax.

So let's say you bought a 3k shitbox and on the title it's written down as you paid 3k. You'll pay, depending on your states sales tax, $180 if you have a 6% sales tax.

Now if you both lie and claim you only paid $1700, you'll pay $102 in sales tax. He'll only have to claim $1700 in capital gains instead of $3000.

have 2014 320d gt no problems changed brake calipers and oil changes 80k km

What's the bad? Anything wrong with it?

Is there any way I could reasonably get caught doing that, or would it catch anyone's eye if something was sold way under it's usual going price?
I feel like I'm too autistic to convince people to do that, if people don't do this normally.

I’m going to take a look at pic related tomorrow ( sorry for the shitty photo but that’s the only one I have that shows the car with its roof closed )

It’s an mk1 SLK 230 with og AMG equipments ( exhaust, bodykit, suspensions ), but the guy thinks it’s aftermarket, even though it’s not

+ I’m already looking for a w123 to restore as this SLK would be my daily driver. 220D vs 240d vs 300d?

Any help or recommendations for used mr2 buying

It benefits both parties. The last thing you want to do is exceed your tax bracket. The closer you are with out going over is the goal. In the three vehicles I've purchased through private parties I've always just asked if we could lie about the selling price. No one has said no, but they've always been poorfags, judging by their household. I don't understand sales tax on used vehicles as tax has been paid on that vehicle numerous times already, including when the first person bought it.

The ladies at the SOS never questioned the selling price, but I've never really bought anything that's normally worth a lot. My most expensive used purchase was a 2004 Ford F150 4x4 I paid $5500 for and claimed I bought it at $2000. They didn't bat an eye.

I imagine the employees of the SOS don't give a shit or assume I'm a handyman buying a pile of junk.

People break the law anytime they accept money in exchange for any service and don't claim it on their tax form.
>user, thanks for the lift. Here's $20 for your time

That's considered tax evasion if user doesn't report the $20, which is a felony. That's taxable income. No one gives a shit because it's only $20, but people break the law all the time. Especially if it saves them money.

So the only real chance I have of getting screwed is if the seller is a big snitch?

TD's are actually pretty fast.

t. Faster than your bike.

>Tfw no gf to go camping with in the up

:(

800 CAD for a Pontiac Fiero 1984 SE 2M4, less that 150K KM and its 2 hours away from me. Do I do it Veeky Forums

What's standard procedure for buying a >$5K car in cash off of craigslist?
Do people expect you to show up with a wad of six or seven grand in your pocket, or is it acceptable to ask the seller to, say, ride along to a bank to pull out your cash?
All of my previous car purchases have been sub-$3K shitboxes and now that I'm in the market for something nicer I'm curious how deals go down when larger sums are involved.

Will being shit at driving stick make people not want to sell me a stick car?
I want to buy a manual car so I can learn, but I don't want to fuck up their car or anything.

Whenever my buddies and I go get a beater, we've all have the full amount in cash and each of us had our carries on us just in case. We each hold onto half too.

Haven't had a single incident.

Not directly related to the thread, but I have a question for you w123 owners. What size tires do you run? 175R14 aren't made anymore except for as 'vintage reproduction' at over 100$ a piece. I've heard of people running either 185/75R14 or 195/70R14, and my 82' 240D came with 195s on it, but my speedometer is 2-3mph off.

On a side note, driving a 240D in modern day traffic can be pretty nice, surprisingly enough; the car is far happier doing low speeds in traffic than anything else I've ever driven. Sub-60hp climbing hills can be frustrating, though.

Dumbass. If I didnt notice he switched the bank I wouldve been scammed into getting the dealer financing.

nothing major. the cooling system is original so it SHOULD be replaced (no leaks/overheating), the headliner is coming down in the rear, and the driver's seat won't recline (its mostly upright)

no one cares on 10 year old vehicles at the dmv, its when you do the same thing on a 5 year old toyota they'll get suspicious

How sketch is a $500 Volvo 240?
What are the main faults with these old bricks?
I'm in the Seattle area if that helps

The last guy I bought a car from did it without asking. There's pretty much no way you'll get caught.

>A BMW with over 100k miles

Toyota Camry 2.0 GLi STW Wagon being sold for 500 euros.
Seems fine from the outside, and apparently only said problems are that windows are not working. Though that may be a sign of electronics going bad soon

hello, i'm at a crossroads would appreciate help

>Option 1
Buy a 13k~ CPO. If I buy the CPO, I have to drive that car until it spontaneously combusts. If I buy a car that new I can never justify selling it. Maybe I could get a more fun weekendy car far in the future, but in general this car will be the one I will have to drive for a loooong time. I will be in debt to my mom on this one, and her opinion matters on the car I eventually get, which is why most likely I will have to get a Japanese car and it will have to have modern safety features.

>Option 2
Buy a cheap, CHEAP craigslist shitbox. I'm talking like ~5k. I will still probably have to get a small loan for this, but can easily pay it back within a couple months, I just can't start earning money till after this semester.

This car needs to:
Handle a small road trip reliably
Seat 4 semi comfortably
Not be a lemon or require really extended maintenance

On the right are my possible choices. Mazda 3 is the prime contender, it's got a great manual gearbox, really good interior, I like how it looks, and it's got lots of nice features which satisfies my mom. Downside is no power, no aftermarket, I can see myself getting bored with it. Also road noise is not good for long trips.

Focus ST I think I would like even better, but is a HUGE stretch for my mom. I actually doubt I can get one. But still, somewhat possible.

The shitboxes I've been looking at are those two. I like the older Focus SVT hatchback and the original Focus ST

Other cars I'm considering: Volvo 850 Turbo Wagon, Mercedes 190e, Camry, base fiesta or focus, old two door civics, base Mitsubishi Lancer, Hyundai Veloster Turbo, a fucking cheap motorcycle

Any suggestions tips or advice appreciated.

i just got a mazda3 and its interior is super nice but its not very fast but you know. road noise isnt bad if youre used to old shit boxes. it's only a complaint because its louder than the other modern shitboxes. really the road noise shouldnt be a deal breaker but you should decide that for yourself with a test drive. mazda also added more sound deadening for the 2017 model. anyway, it's well worth it in my opinion because you still get best in class handling, interior, and exterior design.

no haggling and their multi-point inspection is a load of bull according to a friend who worked there

Yah it seems like the 3 just does too much well to fault it for stuff like a small amount of road noise. Appreciate the help

Also unrelated but another car I was thinking was a Cadillac fleetwood

I want an Alpine A310 V6...

get a volvo 240 DL instead.

i go w/o cash with a buddy to take a look first. then i'll make an offer and come back later that day/the next day and pick it up. being a car enthusiast, i tend to let a new car experience get me too revved up so i like to give myself some time to think to be really sure.

>Buy a cheap, CHEAP craigslist shitbox. I'm talking like ~5k.
$5,000 is one "cheap", all lowercase, at most.

Is there much difference in information on a vin check run through carfax and a check run through one of those free sites like vehiclehistory?

so i saw the car yesterday and i absolutely love it

however, it was supposed to be in pristine condition and its not: a headlight has water in it, it has some scratches, the trunk lifts (??? Idk id thats the correct word ) are dead, no a/c (not a big deal, but when it’s supposed to be well optioned, i thought it would at least have ac ) AND the exhaust system + the brakes has to be replaced sooner or later since it’s said to be «damaged» according to the MOT.

The seller ( who is sort of an independent roadster dealer ) asking for 6500€, how low do you think i can go?

Do I need to schedule a pre-purchase inspection at a mechanic ahead of time or can I just roll in with it?

It helps to at least call beforehand so they know you're coming and can work you in. Last thing you want is to roll up hoping to get an inspection in and whoops! they're so busy they can't get you in until tomorrow. That just makes things difficult with the seller.

I can go for a 2k car, I’ve just never bought that bottom line before and have no experience or knowledge on how to get there. That’s even better because I probably won’t need a loan

>all that fucked up shit
No more than 3000€. You're probably best off looking for something else.

well prices are going up for slks in France and it’s really hard to find a decent one, even for 6000€ they’re all beat up or riced to death, im really disappointed

What are you thoughts on mk2 CLKs or the 6 cylinder diesel w211?