I've moved my blog to WP: idefiningi.wordpress.com
August 20, 2010
used (adj.) I need to buy a used car from a good previous owner.
I decided that it's about time I introduced you to my love of old cars. While, it comes from necessity (as my student budget does not allow for a 2009 Honda Fit), I have for a long time driven this vehicle:
And this is me, about seven years ago, with my lovely lady lump on my favourite automobile trunk:
Dubbed "Moody Blue", mostly because of his lack of ability to not shake at 80km/h, (not because he wasn't reliable), he gave me a lot of things without asking much in return (apart from the odd oil change).
I learned to drive on this car.
It lugged tons of groceries for me;
it moved most of my valuables from Marpole to downtown, where I currently live;
it took me to yoga classes and the gym, and though I was sweaty, he kept me warm in November on my drives home;
it was my sole companion when buying university textbooks (and returning them during BuyBacks);
it drove me and my mom to Seattle and back - twice;
it taught me the value of an old reliable car;
and most importantly, it has illustrated to me the importance of CAR MAINTENANCE.
Much to my chagrin and sadness, he passed on by way of overheated head gasket in April 2010 after a long life of 139, 543km. Moody Blue was just about to turn 29 years old. RIP Moody Blue! I miss you!
Now, not to be distasteful, but in the last couple of summer months, I have tried to purchase a "new" old vehicle. This brings me to my word of the day: used.
Never before did I realize the sheer expanse the word "used" can encompass when referring to a pre-owned car.
I also never realized how difficult it is to find a reliable, truly "unmoody" car on a low budget (I'm talking $2300).
I went searching. I scrolled down craigslist, refreshed ads, poked around Facebook Marketplace, kept my eyes open for "SALE" signs in car windows.... Unfortunately, to no avail, as I had a couple of cars bought from under my nose, while others utterly disappointed me once I arrived for a test drive, (if they appealed to me enough to get there at all).
Because of the difficulties I have faced, and because I've honestly had to learn the long way, I thought it to be rather useful to my readers if I keyed in some important factors when purchasing a used car. I mean this in the most layman sense, for a person with little experience, or perhaps a little 5'1 lady like myself.
Here we go,
important factors when purchasing a used car:
1. Define "used" in a Temporal Sense. I'm talking years.
How used do you want it to be? What decade are you okay cruising (or tumbling around) in? You may also have to settle for a clutch, rough suspension and shitty heating and cooling systems. Ask about maintenance records; there should be maintenance work done on the car, but hearing the head gasket blew or the transmission needed to be replaced at 60,000km may sound a little iffy.
2. Define "used" in terms of Who Used It.
Are you okay with ripped car seats and no stereo?
How about a lowered door or a cracked windshield?
Smelly smoker? Old granny? Construction worker who lugged around tools in the trunk for the last fifteen years?
Check all that applies (or does not apply), and don't worry about being judgmental. What kind of vibe are you getting from the seller? If they took care of the inside and outside of the car, then the engine and parts might be well taken care of too.
3. Define "used" in terms of the operative.
How do you hope the car can be used BY YOU?
Things to consider are: Are you going to be putting in car seats for the kids? Do you ski?
How necessary is it to have 4 doors? Most older model (early 90s) 4-door hatchbacks are rare. Is fuel efficiency important for you?
Also, realize that certain models just don't come with cup-holders, sunroofs or fat tires that will keep you steady on the highway. Keep these things in mind when filtering through an online search.
4. Define "used" in terms of experiences of past drivers.
How do reviewers comment on their experience of the car? Google driver forums and check out the model's glitches on sites like Consumer Automotive.
For example, I was looking for a Honda Civic hatchback from the nineties. I found that all the models had a flaw: rust above the rear wheels. My Toyota had rust above the back window, a common weakness in the Corollas of the eighties.
When going in for a test drive, go easy on the car if it has these "expected" weaknesses.
5. Go with Japanese Imports. 'Nough said.
6. Aim for LOW MILEAGE.
I'm talking under 100,000km if you can get it. For older models (15 yrs+), aim for under 180,000km. For cars near the 140,000km mark (and any subsequent rounding to +90,000km from that number, for most cars), ask about the status of the Timing Belt and Water Pump; this is an expensive fix ($450 upwards on any car), which can give you leverage on lowering the asking price.
Also, avoid cars that sat for a long period of time without being driven - even if the seller boasts it was being "carefully stored in a dry, covered, heated garage". Engines need to run to stay in shape.
7. Open the trunk. Lift the floor mats.
Look for anything WET because this is a sure sign of existent or future rust problems.
8. CHECK:
Sit in the car, get comfortable and go through the gears. Slowly. Quickly. Get in reverse. Do it all!! Listen for funny sounds. Check the locks from inside and out. Check the breaks (don't forget the hand break!) And, if this wasn't obvious, and for locations that apply, ask to see Air Care records.
9. If you like the car and are dead set on getting it, before leaving to get the money and transfer papers, LEAVE A DEPOSIT.
Offer 100 bucks to have the owner guarantee the sale. I had the best car bought from under my nose because this slipped my mind. The seller owes you nothing; they just want to sell the car - and as soon as possible. You snooze, you loose! So legally bind the seller to you by leaving a deposit.
10. And last but not least, take it to your local mechanic for a thorough check-up. Everything the seller told you may check out, but you can never be too sure. It may cost you 40 bucks, but you'll be able to sleep easier at night and you won't worry on your next road trip.
Hope that was useful to you guys. I sure wish I had read something like this earlier in my search. Now, wish me luck on my endeavour - and email me if you have a car that could reasonably replace Moody Blue.
 |
| The Toyota Corolla 1982, SR-5. |
And this is me, about seven years ago, with my lovely lady lump on my favourite automobile trunk:
Dubbed "Moody Blue", mostly because of his lack of ability to not shake at 80km/h, (not because he wasn't reliable), he gave me a lot of things without asking much in return (apart from the odd oil change).
I learned to drive on this car.
It lugged tons of groceries for me;
it moved most of my valuables from Marpole to downtown, where I currently live;
it took me to yoga classes and the gym, and though I was sweaty, he kept me warm in November on my drives home;
it was my sole companion when buying university textbooks (and returning them during BuyBacks);
it drove me and my mom to Seattle and back - twice;
it taught me the value of an old reliable car;
and most importantly, it has illustrated to me the importance of CAR MAINTENANCE.
Much to my chagrin and sadness, he passed on by way of overheated head gasket in April 2010 after a long life of 139, 543km. Moody Blue was just about to turn 29 years old. RIP Moody Blue! I miss you!
Now, not to be distasteful, but in the last couple of summer months, I have tried to purchase a "new" old vehicle. This brings me to my word of the day: used.
Never before did I realize the sheer expanse the word "used" can encompass when referring to a pre-owned car.
I also never realized how difficult it is to find a reliable, truly "unmoody" car on a low budget (I'm talking $2300).
I went searching. I scrolled down craigslist, refreshed ads, poked around Facebook Marketplace, kept my eyes open for "SALE" signs in car windows.... Unfortunately, to no avail, as I had a couple of cars bought from under my nose, while others utterly disappointed me once I arrived for a test drive, (if they appealed to me enough to get there at all).
Because of the difficulties I have faced, and because I've honestly had to learn the long way, I thought it to be rather useful to my readers if I keyed in some important factors when purchasing a used car. I mean this in the most layman sense, for a person with little experience, or perhaps a little 5'1 lady like myself.
Here we go,
important factors when purchasing a used car:
1. Define "used" in a Temporal Sense. I'm talking years.
How used do you want it to be? What decade are you okay cruising (or tumbling around) in? You may also have to settle for a clutch, rough suspension and shitty heating and cooling systems. Ask about maintenance records; there should be maintenance work done on the car, but hearing the head gasket blew or the transmission needed to be replaced at 60,000km may sound a little iffy.
2. Define "used" in terms of Who Used It.
Are you okay with ripped car seats and no stereo?
How about a lowered door or a cracked windshield?
Smelly smoker? Old granny? Construction worker who lugged around tools in the trunk for the last fifteen years?
Check all that applies (or does not apply), and don't worry about being judgmental. What kind of vibe are you getting from the seller? If they took care of the inside and outside of the car, then the engine and parts might be well taken care of too.
3. Define "used" in terms of the operative.
How do you hope the car can be used BY YOU?
Things to consider are: Are you going to be putting in car seats for the kids? Do you ski?
How necessary is it to have 4 doors? Most older model (early 90s) 4-door hatchbacks are rare. Is fuel efficiency important for you?
Also, realize that certain models just don't come with cup-holders, sunroofs or fat tires that will keep you steady on the highway. Keep these things in mind when filtering through an online search.
4. Define "used" in terms of experiences of past drivers.
How do reviewers comment on their experience of the car? Google driver forums and check out the model's glitches on sites like Consumer Automotive.
For example, I was looking for a Honda Civic hatchback from the nineties. I found that all the models had a flaw: rust above the rear wheels. My Toyota had rust above the back window, a common weakness in the Corollas of the eighties.
When going in for a test drive, go easy on the car if it has these "expected" weaknesses.
5. Go with Japanese Imports. 'Nough said.
6. Aim for LOW MILEAGE.
I'm talking under 100,000km if you can get it. For older models (15 yrs+), aim for under 180,000km. For cars near the 140,000km mark (and any subsequent rounding to +90,000km from that number, for most cars), ask about the status of the Timing Belt and Water Pump; this is an expensive fix ($450 upwards on any car), which can give you leverage on lowering the asking price.
Also, avoid cars that sat for a long period of time without being driven - even if the seller boasts it was being "carefully stored in a dry, covered, heated garage". Engines need to run to stay in shape.
7. Open the trunk. Lift the floor mats.
Look for anything WET because this is a sure sign of existent or future rust problems.
8. CHECK:
Sit in the car, get comfortable and go through the gears. Slowly. Quickly. Get in reverse. Do it all!! Listen for funny sounds. Check the locks from inside and out. Check the breaks (don't forget the hand break!) And, if this wasn't obvious, and for locations that apply, ask to see Air Care records.
9. If you like the car and are dead set on getting it, before leaving to get the money and transfer papers, LEAVE A DEPOSIT.
Offer 100 bucks to have the owner guarantee the sale. I had the best car bought from under my nose because this slipped my mind. The seller owes you nothing; they just want to sell the car - and as soon as possible. You snooze, you loose! So legally bind the seller to you by leaving a deposit.
10. And last but not least, take it to your local mechanic for a thorough check-up. Everything the seller told you may check out, but you can never be too sure. It may cost you 40 bucks, but you'll be able to sleep easier at night and you won't worry on your next road trip.
Hope that was useful to you guys. I sure wish I had read something like this earlier in my search. Now, wish me luck on my endeavour - and email me if you have a car that could reasonably replace Moody Blue.
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