Buying a car "A red NissanMaxima to be exact" my dream come true or my nightmare?

[backbreaker]

Do you have established credit? Have you had credit cards, loans, student loans, etc.? All of these will help. Usually any credit is better than no credit, unless your credit is very bad.

How long has it been since they've been chasing you down for that money? The credit reports of "Late" go by 30 days at a time, when it shows on the reports. 30days, 60 days, 90 days Late, etc.

I suggest you pay for one of those online reports on your three credit scores, which won't necessarily give you the same numbers you will get at the dealership, and see your score. Get an idea where you are. Most, if not all, of the reports on my credit score where from major credit cards/banks and loans. If your score is way below 600, or considered bad, you might want to get a co-signer.

If your score is good, yet not great, you might want to use the opportunity to build your credit, even if you have to pay a little more in interest than somebody with a very high score. I did exactly that with my previous car, for a 60 month loan, raised my credit score by about 100 points in that time span, and just bought a new car at 0% interest, thanks to my high score. Remember, in this country, things are run with, #1 Money, #2 Credit.

Dealerships usually reserve those credit specials for people in the 700 club, or very close to it. Pay off the debt. If you go get your car very soon, there's a chance that the most recent stuff won't show up.

Also, if you are planning on making that many modifications to the car, it is best you buy it, so you get to keep it, and won't have to pay the dealer money when you turn in their car. They will try to make money off of you by charging you for everything, starting with the extra miles. If you break something, or have to repair something, saving you money won't be their priority; after all, it is their car, and you must go get it repaired/fixed where they tell you.

Trust me when I say, if you have never bought a BIG ticket ITEM (i.e house or car), you can have a 750 beacon and you might as well tear it up. it's good but young credit. In other words, buying a couple of polo's on your CC doesn't equate to paying 450 a month for 60 months in the banks eyes.

and this isn't the car dealerships, it's the banks they work with. Now granted, if you have a 700 credit score, most compitent F&I guys can pull some strings and get you bought, but I promise you that you aren't going to get that 6 percent interest rate you have been resraching, because your credit does'nt teir out that hight.

do some research on creditboards.com it's the best board BY FAR regarding credit.

On more than one time i had to go sub prime with money down on 20-21 year olds with 700 beacons, because their credit limits were soo low (like 200-400 bucks) it was equal to having no credit. I have got a person with a freakin 460 beacon done though Mazda with no money down (sold them for a while before selling infiniti's/nissans) because she paid Nbody BUT mazda in the past.


I am fortunate enough to where I was able to pay for my cars (2) I have in cash, but being in the car business for over a year, you couldn't pay me to have a car note. to me, it's not worht it. Look at any car dealer.. Most of them that have been in the business have the exact same cars... 92-98 Lexus, 95-00 Honda or something along thoose lines. The car I ride everyday is a 99 Lexus SC and I can drive it on the Nissan show room floor right now and I promise you will will get more looks than anything they have, or at least equal to.

Now, when my cars get up to say, 150k miles, which will take some time because I don't drive a hell of a lot, I will go and buy another car, because you have to have a car, but be careful with debt. You don't every want to be in a position where you HAVE to to pay off say, Nissan, etc. The most successful people I saw when selling cars did the same thing. the doctors, the investors, the early retired people... they came in, having done their research, told me what they wanted, how the wanted it, and told me what they would pay for it, and the only reaosn they could do THAT is because they were cutting a check for the car.


BTW If you HAVE to have a new car, at least take a look at a Mazda RX-8. For the price range you are looking for, you can get an 04, which has the identical body style as an 07, for about 16k, which would equate to a tad bit under 300 a month and mazda will finance your dog right about now. Plus they are probably the funnest cars to drive I have driven,a nd I have driven alot of cars.

 

[backbreaker]

I appreciate all of the input in this thread, im now considering in buying the 07 altima or an 06 charger, i did some reaserch and i can buy an 07 altima for less than a 04 maxima and it looks way better, same for the charger boy im brainstorming

for the love of god don't buy a dodge.

there was a running joke when ever a dodge trade in would pull up in the trade line... all of the Used car managers would yell DODGE!! (as in get out the way)... my little sisters go kart holds it's value better.

Go to kbb.com and see for yourself. My best friend just HAD to have this Charger, the fully loaded one. he just got a new job and just HAD to have one.. I warned him aobut it, and I told him for the money he could have bought a loaded to the T max (maybe a grand more) that will he will never be upside down in, or at least not by more than say 500 bucks.

just tossing around the idea of trading his charger in for the new Altima Coupe coming out, he saw he was already 8.5k upside down in his car.

if you HAD to buy a dodge, get a diesel. they make some of the best diesels on the road. otherwise, please don't waste your money


BTW, wait until June if you are looking at almitas.. like I said above, they have a coupe 08 coming out here in about a month. My old GSM who I am still friends with (3 years older than me) said they already have 20 preorders for theml and this is going to be one of the hottest cars he has seen Nissan come out with. Supposed to be basically a cheaper G35 with backseats

 

[Create Reality]

MY advice, and yes, I know wtf I am talking about: Buy used. NEVER EVER BUY A NEW CAR unless you like throwing away your money, or have a damned good reason (need) to buy one. Go with something three years old at the minimum. New cars depreciate so fast, after one year you're gonna look in the Kelley Blue Book and wonder why you just paid 10 grand to drive your car 15,000 miles. I mean, you might be able to convince yourself to buy new IF you put 30,000 miles or more on it in one year. But if you get a durable brand, like a Mercedes or BMW, only 5 years or so old, you'll be paying much less overall, as the engines in these things are built like German Panzer Tanks. Plus they're luxurious, even the lower end models. And they get great gas mileage! Yes, I own a BMW AND a Mercedes and I drive these things respectably. They just keep going and going... they make other cars look like cheap buckets.

 

[backbreaker]

Buy foriign and stay away from Kia and Hundai.. which are pretty much the same thing.

Mazda's don't do the best job in the world of hoding value (Execpt the 3)

but Honda's, Toyotas, nissans, Infiniti's... most forieng brands you are not going to be upside down in, and that's all that matters. you are throwing away money buying a car anyway, it's not really a logical decision. if you hvae a car, you don't really NEED another. So if you buy a car that's 1 year old, or 10 years old, make sure you ar comfortable with the amount and make sure you can get out of it if you can. I am not an every 2 year car guy.. if I see something that I like enough to bring me to the lot, I might buy it, but that might be once every 4-5 years. I bought my last car literarly driving by the lot and just decided to stop because I had some free time. Being int he cvar business before, I test drove it, and told him what I would do, and if he could to give me a call back and I would come back tomorrow to do the paperwork. i made sure he made h im some money but I also made sure I got fair value for the car. But I wrote a check for my car.


The biggest myth in the car business is that used cars don't depricate as much as new cars. That could not be father from the truth. my gosh that couldn't be father from the truth. Why? how?

Becuase, let's take nissans for instance. YOur normal New Nissan Altima, and I"m guessing now becuase I haven't sold cars in a while, has a triple net of about 17k, a dealer invoice of about 18.5ish and sticker price of about 20k (base model). The dealer shows in that instance 1500 worth of invoice (triple net is the true cost of ownership, which is why car dealers have no problem riancing hte invoices around on kelly blue book, becuase they are still netting 2.9% ish on the backend in F&I reserve, and about 700ish in holdbacks per car sold. it's the salesmen that get the brunt of the blow, so if you get a hell of a deal, slide your salesperson a hundred or so, because he only gets paid off the difference bwetween msrp and "blue book" invoice

back to my point.. that's about 1500 in markup. And it's set in stone anywher ein the country. That's why I hated selling new cars for the most part and stock with used ones (Becuase again, peole think they are saving money by buying used cars, and why the REAL money is in selling Used cars)

The beauty of used cars, is YOU have absolutly no idea what I have in my car. Once I took about 3500 off of a car, felt bad about it and my manager told me I was taking him out to eat that night, beecuase he just pincelled me a deal that paid ME 1500 bucks. he told me he didn't want to tell me what was in it becuase I would have given it all up.

Even when I sold NEW cars and GAVE them away, even loosing money, i always managed to puyt 300-400 bucks in my pocket by holding back on the trade. That was my bread and butter. I went in trying to hold 2 grand back on the trade like my life depended on it. anything else on the front end is just gravy.

Back to my point again. let's say you have an 04 Maxima SE. That's probably about a what...17500? But what if we HAD to give the person who traded that car in 19000 for it because "they know they can get it down the street" and that's what it took.. lus the greedy ass service manager who has to run the car through the shop to fixx **** that isn't broke that gets added to the bottom line of the car. Plus pack. So let's say you are now 21000... which happens at dealerships all across the country. With used cars it's not what they are wroth, it's what the dealership has in it that's mportant. On the same note, what if it's supposed to be a 17500 car and you got a dumiie who 'wanted their payments under 650 a month" for their new maxima, and you managed to give them 10500 for the car, 12000 with pack and all... now does 17500 seem like good deal? that's a 6 pound deal, paying the salesperson about 1800 bucks, plus his 5 percent comission if he sells 10 cars so when it's all said and done, he probalby just made when you make in a month off your "good deal". I made 4 grand once selling a used miata..I MADE 4 GRAND because the guy came in with all his stats and books and crap and TOLD ME he was going to buy this car for X Amount, no if ands or buts.. once I realized what we had in it, i tried my best to hold a straight face, and went back and asked him, was there anyway I coul race him 600 dollars so we could at least break even (lying).. he met me half way at 300. with my 5 percent extra commission per month, I got paid 3900 bucks on that deal. used cars hol their value better my ass.. I would like to see that guy to get out of that car in the next 5 years.


sorry for the car sales 101 talk, but I could tell you some crap that could blow your mind

 

[djSlvt]

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Jap cars stink. European cars stink. I've worked as a dealer, I know. Backbreacker here sells Nissans, I used to sell exotics. It was this year. We took out this 05 DB7 vert and lign it up against my 01 GT coupe. The $120,000 DB7 looked hot, but it is slow. I beat him by 4 car lengths. I didn't hook well either, if I did it would have been more.

Let's review here, backbreacker. $120,000 DB7 vs a cheap 01 GT. GT is faster, handles better, easier to drive, don't have to afraid to damage it so it's a lot more fun to drive, and inside it's more compfortable and functional than DB7. They even have AC buttons that look similar, and GT has better stereo.

Take it from a guy who used to sell cars and who is a racer in two SCCA classes. Nothing beats American Muscle and poney cars. :yes:

No need to sweat and go head over heals to make this guy buy a car you think is good, so that way you can feel better knowing that he's your little b1tch. He'll buy a car he thinks is right for him, his choice.



My personal experience with charges, they're not what they used to be. The 5.7L HEMI with variable cylinders is a big pain, especially in traffic. That vs stang, stang wins. Don't even have to be a new stang. Charger you probably buying has a 2.7L or 3.5L engines, because that's what you can afford. Torque that one makes is enough to kill Maxima, it will also out last the Maxima. So if those are your only choices, go with Dodge, better looks, more reliable, less fuel, can't beat it. Not to mention a lot more fun to drive because of low end torque.

Don't forget to check out marauder. That thing kills and looks good while at it.



Just some advice from a guy who sells them all and not just one thing, so I'm not predisposed towards anything in particular. I've got track time to know what I'm talking about.

 

[djSlvt]

Maxima features front wheel drive, CVT transmission, and has torque up high. Charger is real wheel drive, auto, and has plenty of low end torque. Torque losses in through CVT are horrible, front wheel drive attributes to poor handling and acceleration. Simply put, this means, charger has more power at the wheels, and is able to deliver that power in a more efficient and performance oriented way. (it also has posi, maxima don't, again, harder to hook up and impossible to torque steer) That's why when you watch videos of races nissan performs so poorly. Besides maxima is a chick car and grocery hauler.

Again, no sales pitch here or hidden agendas. I'm predisposed toward nothing, but have experience to make a proper choice.

 

[backbreaker]

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Jap cars stink. European cars stink. I've worked as a dealer, I know. Backbreacker here sells Nissans, I used to sell exotics. It was this year. We took out this 05 DB7 vert and lign it up against my 01 GT coupe. The $120,000 DB7 looked hot, but it is slow. I beat him by 4 car lengths. I didn't hook well either, if I did it would have been more.

Let's review here, backbreacker. $120,000 DB7 vs a cheap 01 GT. GT is faster, handles better, easier to drive, don't have to afraid to damage it so it's a lot more fun to drive, and inside it's more compfortable and functional than DB7. They even have AC buttons that look similar, and GT has better stereo.

Take it from a guy who used to sell cars and who is a racer in two SCCA classes. Nothing beats American Muscle and poney cars. :yes:

No need to sweat and go head over heals to make this guy buy a car you think is good, so that way you can feel better knowing that he's your little b1tch. He'll buy a car he thinks is right for him, his choice.



My personal experience with charges, they're not what they used to be. The 5.7L HEMI with variable cylinders is a big pain, especially in traffic. That vs stang, stang wins. Don't even have to be a new stang. Charger you probably buying has a 2.7L or 3.5L engines, because that's what you can afford. Torque that one makes is enough to kill Maxima, it will also out last the Maxima. So if those are your only choices, go with Dodge, better looks, more reliable, less fuel, can't beat it. Not to mention a lot more fun to drive because of low end torque.

Don't forget to check out marauder. That thing kills and looks good while at it.



Just some advice from a guy who sells them all and not just one thing, so I'm not predisposed towards anything in particular. I've got track time to know what I'm talking about.

I don't SELL nissans, this was about 6 years ago. I sold Nissans and Infiniti's which are the same thing in a nutshell.

 

[backbreaker]

no one said that american cars aren't faster.. I agree with you on that one. I will take an american muscle car anyday of the week against most of these ****boxes they produce overseas, with the popssible execption of the WRX, at least until you get until the luxury divsion.

But this post isn't so much about which car is better, it's about how cars in general are not a good investment, and how deaden the blow as much as possible.

and not everyone is a speed daemon.. I won't go into details but I have a pretty nice sports car and I don't think I ever hit 90 in it. I'm more of a "comfort of ride" type of guy, I could really care less how fast I am going, I just don't want to go so slow I can hear the engine rpming in the 5;s and I'm not at 30 mph yet

which is why I like my SC400 so much. Everyone asks why I don't have the SC430.. I hate the way it looks.. but moreso the SC400 to me is the ultimate sports/luxury car (at least one you can buy under 20k). It's FAST, it's a LEXUS, it's nice enough where you can take a date, any ate out and it and she will be impressed, yet fast enough where you can have a charger under the hood if that's your thing and still smoke pretty much 98% people on the road. It's RRD which can be a drawback at times, the gas mileage isn't the best, but it's a V8, what do you expect? My main pet peeve with it is the backseats, but it's a sports coupe.. if I am hauling around people, I drive my other car.

 

[djSlvt]

So you talking about depreciation. Big deal. Japanese cars depreciate just as much. Cars depreciate when they break and when they are many. Example, V6 stang, or auto stang depreciate, the stick GT, Mach, Cobra not as much. Because people want them... I hear a lot of people saying about japanese and value, I yet to see the connection for myself.

 

[Create Reality]

Well cars that hold their value have a few things in common, usually gas mileage and their expected running life. Used cars are a way to "deaden the blow" as backbreaker says because they don't depreciate as fast per-mile as a new car will. So your resale value will be higher, and as long as you keep it clean the car will look great and no picky golddigger would tell the difference.

The only thing I could imagine paying the price of a new car for is to have that satisfaction of an untouched auto. But to me that's just silly. It's why we have detail shops and auto-bodys. If your hand's get dirty, do you buy new ones? NO you wash them. Why should a car be any different?

 

[gmillar]

Enjoy eating s.hit from cars that cost half as much as yours is going to.

What are you going to get for half of 3 to 6 grand that can beat beat it?

Please don't assume I know nothing about cars. It will probably end up with a Toyota or Nissan engine in it. Basically I'm buying the Porsche for the body.

MY advice, and yes, I know wtf I am talking about: Buy used. NEVER EVER BUY A NEW CAR unless you like throwing away your money, or have a damned good reason (need) to buy one.

Thank you.

 

[djSlvt]

What are you going to get for half of 3 to 6 grand that can beat beat it?

Thank you.

Taurus SHO, 3.0 V6, or 3.8 V8, race car from the factory.

Countour SVT, race car from the factory.

Ford mustang, FOX body, 5.0L.

Chevy Camarro RS, 5.0L.

Buick Grand National.


there are many cars that you can buy and own the road, and road course.

 

[gmillar]

Taurus SHO, 3.0 V6, or 3.8 V8, race car from the factory.

Countour SVT, race car from the factory.

Ford mustang, FOX body, 5.0L.

Chevy Camarro RS, 5.0L.

Buick Grand National.


there are many cars that you can buy and own the road, and road course.

Yeah you're right about that, but the only one on that list that has any appeal for me is the Camaro, and it's just too heavy. Handling is pretty important to me, as I want to drift it as well. Drag is by and large a purely American thing, and while it's nice to be able to beat the other guy off the light, it's just not the only priority for me.

 

[backbreaker]

So you talking about depreciation. Big deal. Japanese cars depreciate just as much. Cars depreciate when they break and when they are many. Example, V6 stang, or auto stang depreciate, the stick GT, Mach, Cobra not as much. Because people want them... I hear a lot of people saying about japanese and value, I yet to see the connection for myself.

uhh.. no they don't.. go try to buy a 99 acccord right now and see how much you are going to pay for it. shoot, try to be a 93 accord.

Hondas are sick when it comes to holding value. Right now if you traded in a 95 accord, if you stood firm, you can probably get 2500 for it, assuming it doesn't have any MAJOR problems. that's insane for a car you probably could have bought for 2100 new 12 years ago.

right NOW, dodge stratus, 05 is worth around 8 on trade in, MABYE 9, for a car that was 16000 in 05.

 

[ValleyDJing]

What are you going to get for half of 3 to 6 grand that can beat beat it?

A porsche for 6 grand?! And how much to put an engine and some wheels on it? I wasn't aware that you were talking about buying a Porsche from the stone age with 500,000 miles on it.

 

[Monster]

uhh.. no they don't.. go try to buy a 99 acccord right now and see how much you are going to pay for it. shoot, try to be a 93 accord.

Hondas are sick when it comes to holding value. Right now if you traded in a 95 accord, if you stood firm, you can probably get 2500 for it, assuming it doesn't have any MAJOR problems. that's insane for a car you probably could have bought for 2100 new 12 years ago.

I have to agree with that statement, I have a 94 Accord EX VTEC with 110,000 mi. with every option available and I put in a CD player and sound system and the car has no problems other than the usual paint chips and scratches that come with age and I was offered $3,000 for it last summer.

 

[djSlvt]

Yeah you're right about that, but the only one on that list that has any appeal for me is the Camaro, and it's just too heavy. Handling is pretty important to me, as I want to drift it as well. Drag is by and large a purely American thing, and while it's nice to be able to beat the other guy off the light, it's just not the only priority for me.

Cars listed outhandle the prosche you mentioned. Besides, that porsche model is so old that you won't be able to take it to a race, it's out of date.

 

[gmillar]

A porsche for 6 grand?! And how much to put an engine and some wheels on it? I wasn't aware that you were talking about buying a Porsche from the stone age with 500,000 miles on it.

Come back when you've done your research.

 

[ValleyDJing]

Come back when you've done your research.

Come back when you're not thinking about buying a P.O.S. thinking its cool.

 

[Sir Lancelot]

Cars listed outhandle the prosche you mentioned. Besides, that porsche model is so old that you won't be able to take it to a race, it's out of date.

Lol, most of those cars you listed are boats on wheels. The Porsche 944 was known for it's superb handling due to the near 50-50 weight distribution. Sure, nearly all of those cars will smoke the Porsche in a straight drag .. but throw in some twisties and they'll just roll over into the ditch.

I've driven my friends foxbody 5.0L, it had plenty of torque and tons of kick. But handling-wise, it just felt too sloppy. My '98 Honda Prelude handles with more finesse than the 'stang did.

Torque and horsepower is cool, but where's the fun if it doesn't handle as well as it accelerates?