Fionn

Hi,

I need to buy a car in near future. Will be purchasing somewhere in upstate NY if that makes a difference.

Financing is not a problem. I'll have good options from my bank that I can compare with whatever the dealer might offer.

Problem is that I don't know, or care, that much about cars!

I've owned a VW Golf in the past, had no complaints and so looking in that direction again now. Want to do this as efficiently as possible (i.e. spend least amount of time looking and maximise the re-sale value.) and so thinking a 2016 Golf might be a good choice. Alternatively I could move up a class, say to an Audi A3 or higher, if that would hold its value better.

Really appreciate advice on how to go about this. Any recommended dealers or websites? Would using a 'no haggle' dealership help streamline my search?

While I'm here, any guidance on insurance and road tax would also be helpful.

thanks,
Fionn

celticgrid

Depending where you are now, it might make a massive difference.

Weather.

And road tax (registration fee) in NY is done by vehicle weight.

Pulaski

Used cars in the US hold their value remarkably well. I would either buy new, or buy around 3-4 years old, much older than that and you probably won't be able to finance it.

If you want a quick and easy, no-haggle experience try Carmax, but bear in mind that new car dealers may have rebates and discounts that make a new car a better deal than a car that is one or two years old, so don't let Carmax push you into a nearly new car.

ottotheboar

I would say new in NY State, I was in the Hudson Valley this past weekend ( not upstate but close )and I am always surprised how bad the roads are plus there is more rust on cars up there. In my opinion a used car from your area would have more wear and tear.

Rete

Whether you buy new or used in New York State (my home state), unless you purchase it from an individual, the sales tax will be tacked on to the cost of the automobile after you have negotiated the price.

At the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles you will pay to register the car (it is registered once every two years) and there is a fee based on the size and weight of the vehicle. Unlike some states, there is no annual personal property tax to be paid on the vehicle.

From my personal experience of being a car owner over the last 48 years, I have owned used and new vehicles. Frankly, unless you have a reliable mechanic who is will to go over the used vehicle before purchase, I would only buy showroom new. The warranties given to used vehicles is crap and short lived.

Resale on vehicles are also dismal. Trade-in value is minimal if you are buying a new car from a dealership and if you are selling privately, you need only look at the classified ads in the newspaper to see how little people are letting their vehicles go for. Yes, they start high but usually have to come down quite a bit before they find a buyer. But then, I never owned a high end vehicle, i.e. Lexus, Infiniti, etc. as I personally can't see spending, on a vehicle, the cost of a house in some parts of the country. It is only a means of transportation for me and not a "look what I can afford" purchase.

Good luck to you.

PS Note that the lower part of NYS uses salt on the roads in winter which eats away at your car. Up north I found that they tend more towards sand which isn't as bad on the car.

mrken30

Some certified pre owned warranties are OK. These tend to be manufacturer warranties. A CPO vehicle will cost a bit more than a similar used non-CPO car.

becks_r

I live in upstate NY and so many people will drive around in a beaten up, rust bucket in winter because the snow and salt are brutal to cars. Then they drive something nicer in the summer. But we can't afford 2 cars, so we picked a Subaru because it had 4 wheel drive and plenty of room for dogs and fishing gear. But I also had a Golf back in UK and I think Subaru do a smaller car with 4 wheel drive. So for brutal winters, I would recommend a Subaru and also, as we had some very dodgy deals from lesser known dealers, I would go to main dealers. We got a really good deal on a 3 year old car from a big local dealer, and we compared the deal to Carmax too.

One tip - sometimes local banks will give a lower interest rate on a loan if you bank with them. We opened a second account with a local bank, put enough money in each month to pay for the car loan and got 1 % off the interest

Fionn

Thanks All, plenty to think about there.

MidAtlantic

When I first came I anticipated buying 2-3 year old vehicles but soon found that new was so nearly the same price that I bought new. That also gave the benefit of original warranties.

If buying new, TrueCar or KBB can be helpful in seeing the real prices of various vehicles/models.

mrken30

I had mostly the same experience at most dealerships. However I have bought 2 cars since just under a year old and got about 40% discount on buying new. So it is possible. One was a repossessed car and one was ex-hertz.

Pulaski

As one was a Dodge Nitro, I think the dealer should have been paying you to take it off his hands!

mrken30

And I am stuck with it for life. I am finding it hard mentally to get rid of a car with lifetime warranty, only 90 something years left.

becks_r

wow a car you can leave to your children!!!

alessandro

We looked at the financials, and concluded that leasing a car was best for us: we got a $25k car, paid $1k deposit, $200/month x 30 months at 12k miles/year.

The hardest part was to find a dealer that would give us such a lease (it was the advertised offer) without a credit history (3 weeks after entering the USA). Mazda (who works with Chase) was great!!!

Pulaski

Your problem may be keeping to 12,000 miles per year - people find they drive a lot further in the US than the UK. When I arrived the price of gas was one quarter of the price of petrol and yet I found I was paying as much for gas as I was for petrol, in a car that was about 25% more economical than the car I drove in the UK. In other words, I was driving about five times as far as I did in the UK! So if you drive your car every day you may well find that you're doing more than a thousand miles a month. .... What is the penalty /mile charge on your lease for exceeding the 12,000 mile cap?

Also did you take the damage waiver option? I.e. paid "insurance" (additional monthly fee) in exchange for not paying an end of lease penalty for minor scratches, stone chips, and marks on the seats and interior trim. If you didn't, prepare for a shock at the end of the lease.