I bought my first car last year and didn’t know anything about cars. Here is what I learned:
-Toyota Corollas and Honda Civics between the years of 2003–2008 (give or take a couple of years) are extremely reliable cars. They will give you the best miles-per-gallon you can get without buying a hybrid car and if you just perform routine maintenance when you’re supposed to (oil changes, tire rotations, etc.), they can easily run to 200,000 miles and beyond.
-For the best price, don’t go to a dealer. Instead, look for private sales (Craigslist, classified ads, etc.). Request a car history (CarFax or AutoCheck); if there are any accidents on record, you should probably stay away.
-Take your time and inspect the car using your own common sense: look for scratches, dents, tire wear, etc.Start the car and see if it ignites easily or with trouble. When you shift the transmission, does the car jump or shift smoothly? When you press the brakes, do you feel a rumble? Check the minor items you know you will use, like headlights, windshield wipers, radio, etc. If a seller is not willing to wait patiently while you check all of these items out, find another seller.
-Take the car to a mechanic and ask them to inspect the car for problems AND take it for a test drive. They’ll spot problems you missed and they’ll know if the car is driving properly.
-Go to edmunds.com and kbb.com and enter the vehicle information at each site to get a price quote for the vehicle’s value (based on its condition and mileage).
-Use all the information you gathered above to negotiate a fair price.
I bought a 2006 Corolla last year with under 60,000 miles. I got it for $2000 less than the blue book value because the wheels weren’t aligned, some mechanical work needed to be done and the car had extensive scratches because the previous owner did not use a proper brush to wipe snow off the car. Using the sites mentioned above, I started with a price based on the car’s condition, then subtracted the amount of work it would take to repair the car. I’m pretty happy with my purchase and I’ve had zero issues.