i have a leased car and my lease is up this winter. my questions are this:
what does it take to get out of the lease early by a month or two? is it very expensive?
my car registration is up soon and i'll have to pay WAY TOO MUCH MONEY because i'm in MN. do you know if there's any way i can get out of it since i'm not even going to have the car the whole year?
what's a good make/model/year of a used car that i can start looking for? i will hardly be driving anymore so i considered leasing again, but i'm not sure that's the least expensive option.
so. yeah. this is the kind of thing i wish i had a man around for. my sons, of course, are already on the hunt for me. for a car. of course. :pwink: but thought i'd see what youse guys have to say, too, so i can have an educated response to them.
THANKS!
well, i'm a thrifty kind of do-it-yourselfer kind of guy. i wouldnt lease because of all the financial guys are saying to save money every way you can because of the recession.
if your not the kind to impress the jones, then i suggest a good cheap small car/truck.(i tend to buy those of which need a little something in order to get it cheaper) i just bought a s-10 p/u that is primer grey and is mechanically sound for 500.00. no lease, no payments. it is a four cylinder, five speed manuall transmission and is getting very good fuel mileage. but it doesnt impress the jones any.
of course as i stated i am a do-it-yourselfer and i can do a lot of mechanics my self. i dont care if the truck doesnt have a headliner or a snazzy paint job. i just laugh all the way to the bank. it suits my needs, and when it comes down to the nitty gritty thats all anybody really needs is just the bare nessesities.
so you just gotta ask your self what do ya want to spend and what can you do without.
well. i am NOT mechanical. having a newer car has nothing to do with the jones', but a LOT to do with driving through the woods to see my angelbabies. often coming home at night long after dark. i am not in any position to break down on the highway. i would be a basket case.
so.
i need something that will run well for a long time and be very, very dependable. i don't beat my cars, but i have to have one that's good.
cheap is good, but not quite as important as safety.
Toyota. :)
:beret:
when i say keeping up with the jones, i mean some people wont drive a whooptie car no matter what mechanical condition it is in.
my mom is one of those. if it aint purdy she wont even get in it. my truck is a good example of what i mean. it is mechanically sound. it runs great and it is paid for. for 500.00 i got a great deal on it even if it aint purdy.
sippintea had some simple but good advise also. toyota is a good source for used cars and are known for their high mileage capability in fuel and mechanical abilities. although toyota is a rather pricey car new or used they are great for dependability.
whatever you buy, get your local mechanic to check the brake liners and fluid and all fluid levels. check tires lines and steering joints as well as cv joints. check all lights and electrical instruments to see if all work. be sure to have a spare tire and lug wrench and jack. run water over it to see if windows leak. if it is a high mileage care invest in changing the tranny fluid and rearend grease. it is a small price to pay to make sure no one has been trying to pull the wool over you. some people will put brake fluid in tranny to get it to pull good untill they sell it. also some will put bannana peels in rearend to quiten noisy gears untill sold.
the thrifty have to be carefull!! so many people will take advantage of you just for a quick buck.
oh yo! now i'm losing my confidence again. i HATE cars. i'll have my sons with me to check out whatever i actually put money on, but it scares me to think that i could be so easily taken advantage of. i'm just no good with cars.
i guess, i'll just have to rely on God to get me something that won't get me. thanks for the ideas.
sorry!! i bought a sharp dodge ram once. it had a new paint job and was a good vehicle. first time it rained, it poured!! being a no frills kind of guy it didnt bother me though. i just put some caulk in the leaky spot.
i used to be a mechanic and have seen a lot of crooked things go on. remember we are in a recession and people are having a hard time of it and most will do just about anything.
now days you can get a history report on vehicles to see if they were wrecked and major mechanical treatment was done. cars of a newer date have an on board computer to tell you most of this, well the mechanical part anyway.
Kris
If you are looking to purchase a good car, check out the Aveo (sp?). It is a GM car and generally priced under $15K. Small and has a decent rep.
you're the second one to recommend and Aveo. might just be the car for me.
what about reputable dealers in the TC area? any ideas there?
Look at a Toyota Yaris if you're gonna look at Aveos. I didn't like Aveos much after I looked at em. A no-frills Yaris is in about the same price range as an Aveo.
I think the Toyotas feel a little more roomy too.
A/C is an option in Aveos, but I think it's standard in the Yaris. ...If that is of importance.
Quote from: Chseeads on August 14, 2008, 03:07:53 PM
A/C is an option in Aveos, but I think it's standard in the Yaris. ...If that is of importance.
It's very important in TX. ;) It's kinda funny to think of air conditioners as optional around here. Makes a difference what part of the country you're in...
I thought it was weird when I was looking at cars and found out that Aveos don't come with A/C standard.
yeah, a/c is important. it gets awfully hot here when it gets hot.
what about a good used car? any ideas on what would be a decent make model year to look for?
I once had a 1994 Mercruy Topaz and it ran good , It was easy on gas and got me from point A to Point B. However I dont think they make them anymore. I would suggest looking at a Nissian Sentra they are also known for running good on alot of miles.
I'm a supporter of hyundai. I have one and it's awesome! No complaints from friends who drive them either.
well it looks like i'll have the caliber until march or so. to get out of my lease i have to pay $2,000 and turn in the car. if i keep making my payments until march, i pay less than $2,000 AND still have my car. so. yeah. that's kind of stupid if you ask me.
i am meeting with a debt counselor on tuesday evening to finalize my future economic plan. (smile) i am looking forward to the day when i am out of debt and out of school. both are going to take a bit, but will be worth the effort, i think.
Well I Hope We Were Enough Help For You ! :lol:
well, you could only help more if you had an extra $2,000 that i could draw from until my lease is covered. got cash? :pwink:
*grin*
Kris, do ya s'pose your car would get you all the way to Oregon in January? I still wanna take you to MissionConnexion. :D
:beret:
lol sorry im broke ! :(
I say go for a Ford Escort!!! It's what I have, and believe u me, it gets great gas mileage, they can be driven forever without an oil change (LOL!!!!! I don't recommend doing it though!!!!!), if they break down the parts to fix them are relatively cheap.
I've had two and I love 'em.
That's just my :twocents: worth!!!!
We had one once. A hatchback.
i used to have a ford focus and a vw golf. they were both excellent on mileage and they were both good cars. i now have a saturn. as does my mom and sister.