Another car question....

[JTA Mom]

I've read the other posts on buying a car, but I still have some questions of my own, so here goes:

I have never bought a car before. EVER. And the whole process is intimidating. I'm currently learning how to drive too, both a manual and automatic transmission.

Now, I refuse to buy Fords, because my mom & aunt only buy those and they are in the shop every other week.

I want something that is very reliable, easily (cheaply) fixable and gets really good gas mileage, since gas here is about 3.70/gal. Public transportation is insanely expensive ($5 day pass) and soooo slow (what should take 10 minutes takes 40), not to mention it is restricting where my dh & I are looking for employment. It does need to fit a carseat, possibly two in the future.

I've heard good stuff about hondas, toyotas and hyundais. Are there any other good, inexpensive safe brand cars?

So far, dh & I have saved up 6,500 to buy a car.
Now, the only things in that price range are:
1) 10 years old plus (is this bad?)
2) 100k+ miles (what does this mean)

So, is it a good idea to buy at 10yr old car that has 100,000 miles on it? If not, why not?

And what should I, as a newbie, know about the (used) car buying process? Any tips/tricks from seasoned veterans?

Thanks!

Ami

[jillian+1]

Well, if you ever listen to Click and Clack on NPR, they have a pretty good website. Here's a place to start for some car-buying information. Personally I would stick with Honda, Toyota, and Nissan. Hyundai I'm not sure about... they have a good warranty but you would probably be out of warranty anyway.

DO NOT buy an old car without having it looked at by a trusted mechanic of your choice. Either have the seller take it to YOUR mechanic to be checked out or arrange a deposit deal in writing so you can take it to your mechanic. S/he may charge $50 or so to check it out but it's worth it.

Develop a checklist of things to look at on a car you are considering. This cuts down on the number of cars that you send to the mechanic that he recommends against. Try your local library for books on how to buy a used car; they should have some tips on what to look for and what to ask the seller.

Don't buy a car from somebody who seems to sell used cars professionally or semi-professionally. They generally make money by ripping people off and they are good at it. They know how to make a car seem like it's in better shape than it actually is. At this price point you want to buy from a private party that's selling their own car.

You CAN buy a good car for this amount of money but be prepared for some serious legwork. Good luck!

[Owen'nZoe]

I have a Hyundai (purchased new, almost 6 years ago), and I've been reasonably happy with it. Three people in my family also have various Hyundai models, and one has had moderate problems, and one has had a lot of problems and bought their car used, so has no warranty.

Personally, I would only buy a Hyundai new, because the 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty does not transfer to the next owner.