[MikeT]

I'm planning to buy a car. $15k is the budget, used. Needs to be 2001+, with reasonable mileage. My questions are these: Where do I find blue book values online? where do I find durability ratings online? Where should I start looking about buyin a car? is carmax any good? Where can I find guide and tips on buying a car?

any thoughts on 2001+ Nissan Frontier vs. 2001+ toyota tocoma?

thanx alot

-Mike T.

 

[Mattoid]

your getting a car!?!? nice man, im happy for ya!

 

[MikeT]

yea... ive been having alot of trouble last 3 years. Always needing someone to give me a ride back home on breaks. And this past week cut it really close - no busses runing in the summer, noone I know was going back my way. Finally found someone who knows someone who might have been driving back yesterday, but there was 'no uarantee' And I have no idea how i'm gona get back to school, because I am moving to a new apartment 2 weeks before school starts. So we decided that its probebly best to invest in a vehicle.

-Mike T.

 

[Arsbars]

Kelly Blue Book

Merry Xmas!

 

[Smelly]

kelley blue book or edmunds
i think it's www.kbb.com and www.edmunds.com

as for finding a car, in your range you could probably check out dealerships for "preowned" cars. i've only bought crappy old cars before so i have no experience here, but i think that the benefits of buying from a dealership (and not just some dodgy used car place on the side of the road. i mean a real car dealership), like having them do full inspections, good cleanings and fix what needs to fixed before reselling, justify the costs. but like i said, i have zero experience here.
ebay motors has a lot of cars. just make sure you buy from a reliable seller. lots of car dealerships now put up cars on ebay, so it's worth looking into.

 

[Hooligan]

NADA.com

 

[Pulser955]

any thoughts on 2001+ Nissan Frontier vs. 2001+ toyota tocoma?

thanx alot

-Mike T.

Get the Tacoma. I have a 96 and I love it. They have a higher resale value then the Nissan and if you get the V6 it’s a better motor then the Nissan. As far ad durability goes they last for ever I have over 100k in my 4cyl and I know of many more Tacoma’s with well over that with no problems. If you get a 4x4 they are one of the last trucks on the market with a real 4x4 Transfer case that’s chain driven with no computer controls. There are a lot more after market stuff out there for the Tacoma too because they are vary popular for off roading and desert racing now.

 

[MikeT]

the problem is, a similar spec'd tocoma is $2-3k more than a frontier

thanx for info


any tips or tricks i need to know about dealerships?

-Mike T.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Just stand firm on what YOU want to spend.

 

[Pulser955]

the problem is, a similar spec'd tocoma is $2-3k more than a frontier

thanx for info


any tips or tricks i need to know about dealerships?

-Mike T.

Yea I know the Tacoma holds its value more. Depending on your market you may have a lot of trouble fining a used Tacoma for the price your looking to spend. When I went looking for mine I couldn’t find any thing for less then 15 to 20k because all the dealers only had TRD trucks. Most of the dealers in my area don’t want non TRD trucks on there lots.

 

[Zark]

the problem is, a similar spec'd tocoma is $2-3k more than a frontier

Test drive the two and you'll find out why. When I was shopping I drove the same year, similar model Frontier/Tacoma. It was night and day. The motor is better in the Toyota by far.

Ask MikeD about Frontier reliability, esp. in regards to manual transmissions.

 

[Toshi]

yeah, don't get a frontier! if you can swing a pathfinder they're nice, on the other hand, as they're on a different platform. the pathfinder is unibody. the xterra is the on the frontier platform, so stay away from it, too.

as for reliability ratings check consumer reports.

 

[MikeT]

theres no way I can afford a tacoma, unless I go below '00, and I dont want to get anything that old.

where can I find those reliability consumer reports online?

Also, are extended warrenties worth it?

thanx again for the info

-Mike T.

p.s. yea thats what i hear, gota be very FIRM with dealerships...

 

[Toshi]

http://www.consumerreports.org/ . pay to play but worth it imo.

 

[MikeT]

awsome.

thanx

-Mike T.


EDIT: i gota pay to view??? damn it!

 

[joelsman]

I got a 98 for 12k and it is in great shape in dec and I love it, a little older tacoma is still a great used truck, unless it has been abused of course. It will still last a long time and have very few problems.

 

[SkaredShtles]

theres no way I can afford a tacoma, unless I go below '00, and I dont want to get anything that old.

"That old." Sheesh.

Hell I've never owned a car newer than '97........

190k on my Subaru Legacy
100k on my Subaru Outback

-S.S.-

 

[MikeT]

well I need a car that will last a long time, with low mileage, and even a 2000 tocoma with around 50k miles goes around $15k...

-Mike T.

 

[Zark]

'00 Tacoma 2wd extra cab, 5spd manuals shouldn't be going for $15k, mine new cost around that. I saw one for under $10k in the recycler here

Looks around more, they are out there

 

[MikeT]

yea...

but, I'm looking for a 4x4 v6, 4dr with around 50k miles on it. I looked around on carmax, cars.com, autotrader and autobytel. A 2000-2001 tocoma with the above specs... goes for around $20k (http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=166066981&dealer_id=82085&car_year=2001&make=TOYOTA&distance=25&max_price=&model=TACOMA&end_year=2001&advcd_on=n&min_price=&address=20176&search_type=used&advanced=n&start_year=2000&color=&cardist=21)... thats alot more for the same spec nissan which goes for 15700

-Mike T.

 

[Big E]

yeah Toyotas are alot mreo expensive but i have owned an 88' pick-up and a 86 4runner. i rolled the 4runner doin 60 and the top barely crushed in at all. and it was still running when it was sitting on its side. honestly i would opt for the toy over the nissan.