I'm looking for a car, and I'm pretty flexible about when/how to buy. My price range is 3k-6k cash. I've got a big soft spot for compact hatchbacks (Honda fit, toyota matrix and yaris etc) but I'm trying to keep an open mind. I don't need a car for work so I can take my time. I mostly use my car for quality of life stuff-- getting around town and weekend camping roadtrips.
I don't want a list of models that would be good or a list of things to check out on a car-- that's all been covered pretty thoroughly in other (great!) posts.
Instead, I'm curious about the process of buying a car in this price range. Most of the other questions are about budgets much smaller or much larger than mine. Specifically:
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Should I go private party or dealer?
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Will I be able to get a used car dealer to come down in price significantly from what was advertised?
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Is there a sweet spot in my budget range or is there a point of diminishing returns?
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Is there any situation in which it would be a better deal to finance vs paying cash?
Other notes: I'll get a pre purchase inspection on any car I'm going to purchase. I definitely want a car, public transit/zipcar/other car free options don't fit my needs. I can drive an automatic or manual. I'm in the northeast US.
August 17, 2017 at 01:33PM
