Looking for Used Car
 

Hi All,
In the next few months, I'll be looking for a used car for my son, who will be able to start driving in late November.
We're looking for something like a '12/'13 Subaru Forester, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, or Nissan Xterra in good physical shape and under ~140k miles.
If anyone has something like this they are selling or trading in, or planning to, let me know!

Thanks!

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Suggest you check out the selection of used Subaru's and one Hyundai Veloster (not a turbo, 6-speed manual) at www.aspiremotoringllc.com in Brentwood NH.

Never Owned One, but...
 

There is no better used car than the 2001 Honda CR-V.

IMHO...

Hillsborough, NH: $2500, 2005 Honda CR-V 5-speed, 200k
 

Craigslist-NH has an ad "2005 Honda CR-V all wheel drive runs great 5 speed - $2500" which is MAYBE the same body design as the 2001 CR-V ...... second generation was 2002 to 2006

"This SUV runs great and have a clean title in hand. Adult owned and getting professionally detailed this week. 200k but nothing for these engines. Brakes and tires good, drive it home. Delivery available after paid for. Text or call best ... 603-325-8800"

Outside color- gold or bronze, inside color- tan. Nice looking black spoke wheels with a full size spare on the back. OEM roof rack, does NOT have a trailer hitch receptacle

Located in Hillsborough, NH. Ad has 17 excellent photos. Posted 4 days ago.

I'm getting very tempted to BUY THIS CAR for myself the more I look at it ....... :eek:! ........$2500-2005 Honda CR-V, 200k miles, 5-speed ..... good looking body. no rust or dents showing. People will cover the rusted underbody with Rustoleum rubberized black undercoating, $8.27, to cover up the nasty rusty underbody ..... yes they will .... when selling an old car like this with a high value name like Honda.

So, it's a 20-year old, 200k miles NH, Hillsborough driven car. Could be needing new brakes, new struts, new clutch and other unknown items like wheel bearings? Who knows? Is cheap to buy it, $2500 or less, and very expensive to repair it.

Does this car have cruise control and does it work? Maybe yes, or maybe no? And, what's up with the air conditioner? And, does this Honda have an engine timing chain or a timing belt that needs expensive replacement every 100-k miles?

Autolist
 

I use the Autolist app. Available in the android and apple store. Use the filters to find the car your looking for! Just found a 2106 Forester for my GF with only 70K on it! I bought a 2013 allroad with 30K on the clock! Both been trouble free!

Thanks for the tip, but it appears those are all dealership offerings?

I'm looking to find a win-win with someone who might have a great option for us and wants to get more than they would trading in.

I'll definitely keep an eye on the app, though, just in case!

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NuCar 30-day used car warranty
 

Buying a used car from NuCar usually means it has a 30-day warranty on all "safety items" or something. Bought a 2017 Subaru a few years ago and NuCar did an excellent job replacing the ac compressor about two weeks after the sale.

Used cars can have hidden problems like electric or wheel bearings or timing belts that show up through day to day driving after the sale and a 30-day warranty replacement issue by buying from a huge NuCar local car dealer is smart benefit.

Ballpark price range?
 

What’s a rough ideal price range?

The $6-7k area would be perfect, but we'd be willing to go up a bit for the right vehicle. Cash, of course.

Thanks for asking!

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$2500: Hillsborough NH, 24 different vehicle photographs
 

This phone number ..... 603-325-8800 in Hillsborough NH will be answered by a car salesman who has over 50 different vehicles for sale at $2500-each.

To see 24 photos of 24 vehicles go to Craigslist-NH Cars+Trucks and do a search for "$2500 over 50 SUVs and trucks in stock"

Hey there thinkxingu ....... for $6-7k ...... you could get two or three new old cars!

Getting three $2500 cars only makes sense if they are all the same make, model and year.

Drive each one until it stops and then share parts to continue. 😜

When I went looking for cars when my kids turned 16 and started driving it was more about safety than it was price. Today 6 or 7k is a good place to start I think.

CR-V owners club ..... http://www.crvownersclub.com/threads...-risky.230133/ ..... trying to think of something intelligent to say here?

How's about "personal opinions are cheap, while repairing an old Honda or any car is expensive!"

Do not economize on a car for "the kiddos" (I guess I'm frozen in time back to when your kids were the kiddos, haha). Keep in mind that teens are lousy drivers and have poor judgement compared to their parents.

Heavy, low, and slow (and in good condition) is the best vehicle. I like the Forrester idea. The other thing to consider is giving them your current car or your wife's, and trading up

Can't Miss With This One...
 

A guy who's buying stuff out of my Marketplace ad has been driving up from Manchester.

So he can buy a new car, he'll take $2000 (maybe less) for his 2015 Honda Civic with 240K miles. Maintained well. Heck, this kind of money can be spent on a minor repair!

It's not the 2001 Honda CRV I opined "best used car" earlier, but it's a shiny light gray finish, and the entire engine bay has that "new" look.

Send me a PM with your phone/preferred contact.information, or I'll buy it and charge the next buyer
$3000!

;)

The issue is whether to buy a car at that price with mileage that will basically make it a throwaway (and potentially less reliable) or spend a bit more to get something in the low hundreds, which would most likely be more reliable and have a tad bit of residual value in a few years...especially since "L'il" Buddy won't be driving a ton.

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I'm thinking of selling my '04 Jaguar x since I don't use it anymore. It is like new and has 9000 miles on it. Blue with white interior. I know too big for him but it is a beauty.

I mean, if you gifted it to my son, he could keep his money to fix it when necessary!

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Regarding the first generation Honda CRV's ('98-'01):

I had four of them.

The first was bought new in '99.

It was my wife's daily driver but was wrecked BIG TIME by a drunk driver.

Wifey was well protected by the car and it was repaired.

After a three tear tour of duty as our Florida car it became my daily driver.

At 91k miles it became my youngest son's daily driver.

He got it up to 146k and moved on to a '14 Forester (176k) which fit his 6'2" frame better.

A year later the Forester had a head gasket failure that placed it in the category of "no economic repair".

He called the guy who now owns the old '99 CRV but was told it's not for sale.



In addition to possible undercarriage rust due to years spent in NH, the first gen CRV's were prone to valve clearance tightening which, if left too long can burn valve seats and require expensive repairs.

An erratic idle of stalling at idle can indicate that issue.

I had blue, silver, red and green.

Silver is the fastest color!

When A "Throwaway" Is A Good Thing...
 

Even as a throwaway, it would have some value as a tax deductible donation.

For my first year at college, my Dad bought me a year-old sporty-car in order to make Christmas- and Thankgiving-trips from college. (I must have scared my folks when I bought a motorcycle--cheap).

Within six months I commuted the nine-hour trip homeward bound. During a heavy rainstorm, a sad-looking pickup truck crossed the median without looking. The T-bone collision wasn't bad for the pickup, but my car couldn't be driven.

So now, with the clock ticking, I was waiting for repairs and nine hours away from college. Fortunately, I was able to make the return trip without impacting anyone else's plans.

In short, inexperienced drivers shouldn't expect a pricy car.

:look:

Toyota Avalon
 

Just saw a 2004 Avalon for sale for 8K. 80,000 miles on the clock. Kept in a garage. Sounds like a steal! Avalons are big boats and Toyota tough!

Agree 100%. But that's different than experienced overprotective parents wanting their kids to be driving a foam-lined vault.

If you choose the right car, it's not buying your kid luxury, it's buying him safety and yourself peace of mind.

$3500 2004 Toyota Camry Solara, black, 5-spd, 4-cyl
 

Hey there ........ www.aspiremotoringllc.com in Brentwood NH has 110 different uses vehicles, priced from $3500 to $14,999.

The lowest $3500 price is a 2004 Toyota Camry Solara SE Sport, 134,054-miles, 157-hp I-4 engine, manual 5-speed, fwd, cruise control, two door coupe, black outside, 12-photos, "Runs and drives great sold AS IS"

Insuring this with strong coverage probably costs $1000-1200/year, here in central N.H. or $100/month.

And who knows how many different items like wheel bearings, brakes, suspension, belts, hoses, this, that and the other thing will need replacing?

A test drive is free ....... so, who knows how good or bad this 21-year old car is? And does it come with a 30-day WARRANTY in case the ac or the cruise turns out to NOT work? No warranty is mentioned.

Ten out of the 110-vehicles have manual stick shifts.

And, just noticed there is a $3000 2000 Ford Mustang, 2dr fastback, V6, 5-speed, 169,644-miles, green/beige, rwd ....... huh ....... how's about this car? ..... :rolleye1: ...... Does anyone buy a 25 year old car like this with 169,644-miles for $3000?

Maybe the Solara and this Mustang are due for a clutch replacement at $1500-2000 which is why they are now for sale? The Toyota being a Toyota Camry 4-cylinder seems like the one less likely to need lots of expensive repairs but you never know?

Town Car...
 

Another YouTube expert (besides Scotty Kilmer) :) suggested, among a few well-known others, that the Lincoln Town Car was a very reliable driver.

To me, it's a boat, but others might take to it. The good years crossed from the late 90s to the early 2000s.

Looks like a safe drive, but it's not for me.

Thanks to those who contacted me or were keeping an eye out—we picked "L'il Buddy's" first car up last evening. A 2014 Honda CR-V with 174k. A little higher mileage than we were looking for, but it's a one-family (passed from father to daughter) car with meticulous maintenance and the price gives my son extra money for maintenance and repairs.

[emoji1696] it's a good runner for at least a few years!

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For $64.88 the Walmart in Tilton or Plymouth does oil changes with Valvoline Restore & Protect which dissolves old engine sludge. An oil filter upgrade to an eight dollar filter is highly recommended otherwise you get the cheapest $3 Fram filter.

Internet appointment required.

Plus the $64.88 includes a number of other items like air filter inspect, tire inflation, brake fluid, windshield washer and blades, etc.

My wife drives the same car/year. We bought it used back in 2016. It has been very reliable but the one thing I don't like is the lack of insulation. Outside noise is very prominent. Probably not an issue for a teenager though. If it hasn't had a transmission fluid change, do it and keep an eye on the level. She started having some shuddering at various speeds. Turned out it was very low. Not sure why at 75K and no obvious leaks.

Thanks for the tips!

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A key distinction regarding the transmission fluid change:

Honda recommends a drain, refill and drive procedure.

For my first generation CRV's this procedure was to be done three times with minimum driving intervals of five miles.

Honda was very clear that their transmissions should not be flushed.

Maybe, it has a 5-speed stick shift which was probably somewhat available on a 2014 Honda CR-V?

I know that a 2014 Subaru Forester or a 2014 Toyota Scion xB can have a stick shift, and the CR-V is very similar car. For some wack-a-doozie reason is never a stick shift on the Lexus RS-350?

To make America great again, every car will have a manual transmission and a clutch pedal! America will once again be shifting gears!

"Hey there, get it in gear Grandpa, and watch out for the roll-back on the incline."

Two "Shifts" in Cars...
 

Hyundai has its new lineup to include standard shift. It's pretty difficult to have a runaway acceleration with a stick-shift.

A Honda SUV had a "runaway event" inside (and out) of Wolfeboro's Hunter's grocery parking lot. (At the lot next to Walgreens).

BTW: Auctions of cars of the 50s through the 90s are showing well-kept/low-mileage/restored cars are fetching much lower prices this year.