[macintologist]

I don't own a car yet but sometime in the next year or two I will eventually buy one. From time to time I search online to see what's available.

I'm increasingly partial to the idea of buying a near luxury car from several years back. You get a great driving experience, a great looking car (if it was great 10 years ago there's nothing to prevent it from looking great now) and for a good price.

This is an example

2000 Infiniti I30


2000 Infiniti I30, for $9595. It listed at $29465 when it was first released.

You get a V6 engine with 226 bhp, it's very roomy inside, and you get Bose speakers. Not saying Bose is the best, but it's better than the average speakers you get in a new cheap car which costs more.

Opinions?

[d4nth3m4n]

as a rule, the more electric doodads in it, the more headaches you'll have. i've bought a LOT of older cars, and in my experience the simpler ones are a lot easier on the wallet.

for $10k i'd get something easy- like a corolla or a civic, especially if it's your first car.

[macintologist]

Originally Posted by d4nth3m4n 

as a rule, the more electric doodads in it, the more headaches you'll have. i've bought a LOT of older cars, and in my experience the simpler ones are a lot easier on the wallet.

for $10k i'd get something easy- like a corolla or a civic, especially if it's your first car.

I could see your point for a bmw or mercedes, but does that even apply to Japanese cars? I thought they were rock solid reliable Thanks for the hint.

[bmwparamedic]

BMW you can put a lot of mile on them. I'm on my second if you take good care of them Especially E30s and E36 you can put well over 300k on them.

[Chuckit]

I think it's a good idea — at least the Japanese ones. They're cheaper than a new American POS and, assuming they haven't just been rode hard and put away wet, will still have a lot of miles left in them.

I'm not a car expert, but that's how I've always looked at it.

[Big Mac]

I read the question as, "Is it smart to buy a 7-10 year old a near-luxury car?"

[SSharon]

I am actually looking to do the same thing. I am looking at buying an older lexus, but I don't think I would go back earlier than the 2000 model year. For some styles the body changed in 2001-2 so I'm starting with those.

Compared to the 92' Camry I drive now an 02' lexus would be a nice change of pace.

[Andrew Stephens]

Hell yes. Luxo barges nose dive in price big style once the added "this years model for the wealthy" tax has depreciated off, leaving all that style and luxury available at a reasonably price.

All the high tec kit gets fitted to top end cars first before filtering down to the more mundane models so you will have plenty of toys. Luxury and comfort never date either. You are likely to see some pain at the petrol pump since these cars are not designed for someone who has to think about petrol prices, but since you are American your "gas" is way cheap anyway.

Don't listen to the green anti caristas either. There is nothing greener that using an older car instead of buying a new one. Think of all the resources you are saving by not having to have another car built!

If you doubt that older cars are cool have a visit here and live the spirit of driving and older car retro rides

[Paco500]

The issue with any older car is how well it's been taken care of. If you were able to find a 1 or 2 owner car will a full manufacturer service history (much more likely on a lux) then I would go for it. I drive a 7 year old BMW (I'e had it for a year and a half) bought as an approved used 1 owner car with full service history and have had no issues.

I would imagine a Japanese car would statistically be more reliable, just not as much fun.

As for that particular car, I personally like the Maxima of that era better. Available with 90-95% of the luxury, more sporting, less cushy drive, cost less, and (this is subjective I realize) looks better.

[Mastrap]

I used to do just that. I drove an old Mercedes for years, followed by an old Jaguar. As long as you know the history of the cars (the Merc I bought from a friend's grandfather who was getting too old to drive and the Jaguar I bought from a mechanic I knew and trusted) you can get a great car for very little money.

[alligator]

I had an Infiniti I30. That was a very nice car. If the car runs well, I see no harm in buying it. I had one major repair ($600), but it worked very well otherwise. I'd buy it if I were in your shoes.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

My good friend recently did this; he bought a top-of-the-line '02 Maxima. A nice car for what he paid, if you don't mind driving on high mileage.

The electronics thing is a big one for me though. I'd definitely make sure you research any potential problems/issues with the electronics. Especially up here in Canada (lots of cold/slush/salt/sand/snow), electronic problems on older cars can be a bit of an expensive headache.

I'm definitely going to try this, though. G35, here I come...

greg

[Doofy]

Assume that any warranty given (by the dealer, etc.) isn't worth the paper it's written on and you'll be fine.

[SSharon]

Other than craigslist, where else would you look? So far I have avoided dealers since I am still trying to get a feel for the prices and the exact model I want.

I also drive about 50 miles a day, but if my 92 camry can handle it so can an 02 es300. The nonimportant electronics in my car have started failing, but it is still relatively low mileage at 130k and I recently changed the water pump, timing belt, thermostat, seals, wiper blades and oil for about $300. I changed the brakes last winter and have relatively new yokohama tires, so I'm hoping I have time to shop around before something big dies on me.

[vmarks]

Be careful about where you buy.

Think strongly about going south, where we don't salt the roads, finding a good example that is rust-free, getting it checked by a local mechanic or two and driving it back north. You'll be grateful you did (no wheel wells rusting out, no nuts rusted to bolts, etc.) - it's just a better deal all around, and you still get the lower price.

I always look for for-sale-by-owner rather than dealers. I've bought from a dealer once, and you always end up paying more for no reason other than the guy's a dealer.

You can craigslist it, you can get the local independent or shopper, you can search around universities. I actually found my last car parked on the roadside out in the country with a sign in the window.

[dav]

i had a great experience with my 2000 maxima, no major problems, and recently sold it for $8000. the i30 is the luxury version, so i'd expect it to be reliable as well.

[Mc Arthur]

Watch this please

A factor we often don't consider when buying an old car is safety. Truth is that the safety improved tremendously over the last 10 years, with NCAP and similar tests.

[Don Pickett]

Originally Posted by Paco500 

The issue with any older car is how well it's been taken care of. If you were able to find a 1 or 2 owner car will a full manufacturer service history (much more likely on a lux) then I would go for it. I drive a 7 year old BMW (I'e had it for a year and a half) bought as an approved used 1 owner car with full service history and have had no issues.

I would echo this. Years ago my mom bought a used Audi 5000. The previous owner, who was the sole owner, had followed the manufacturers maintenance specs religiously, down to taking the car to the dealer to have a loose screw tightened in the sun visor. She essentially got a new car. If you can find one like that, you're in good shape.

[Goldfinger]

Originally Posted by Mc Arthur 

Watch this please

A factor we often don't consider when buying an old car is safety. Truth is that the safety improved tremendously over the last 10 years, with NCAP and similar tests.

That's one of the main reasons why I would never consider older cars. There's too much traffic and morons on the road these days. Another thing I always consider is the stopping power.

That said, I'd never buy a car that's older than 5 years and/or has more than 65k KM (100k for diesels) on the clock.