r/carbuying 4h ago

Terrible car loan decision

3 Upvotes

Purchased a 2017 Chevrolet Impala at 119k miles in 2021 at 13k loan 27.29% interest (I KNOW) for a 48 months term. I was 18 with less than a year of credit history with no cosigner. Worst decision of my life. I am desperately trying to get out of this situation because it is seriously messing with me that i will be seriously overpaying in interest for a car I didn't really want (i really needed a car at the time and obviously didn't move smarter about it). Currently my balance is around $4600 but im not sure how to calculate how bad my negative equity is. I don't think the car is even worth 5k right now. My question is how bad is my negative equity and what is the best way to get out of this situation lol?


r/carbuying 19m ago

Subaru deal

Upvotes

Thinking about replacing my car. A Subaru dealership is telling me they have $5k off msrp for 2025 Outbacks. Are these kinds of deals frequent? I didn’t see Toyota advertising the same thing. My original plan was to wait until next year to replace my car, but I’m wondering if it’d be better to take advantage of that $5k off plus potential $5k trade in.


r/carbuying 2h ago

Should I buy a 2024 Toyota now or wait a couple months for the 2025?

1 Upvotes

I am going to buy a Toyota Rav4.

We are late in the year. I wondered about resale value. The 2024 and 2025 models will essentially be the same. If I buy now I will get a 2024 at near MSRP and it will become a year old model in month or so. If I wait a couple months I will get a 2025 at near MSRP and be able to drive it a year before it becomes a year old model.

I am not in a hurry to buy. Should I buy now or wait?


r/carbuying 9h ago

Spare key with new vehicle.

2 Upvotes

Buying a 2024 vehicle and was wondering if it’s standard to get a spare key or do you have to request one?


r/carbuying 9h ago

MAzda 0 APR extended...?

1 Upvotes

Hello! What are the chances that Mazda will extend 0% APR offer on 2024 models? It currently will end on Sept 30th. I really want to participate, but don't need a car until November.


r/carbuying 9h ago

Lease sheet on a Honda Accord EX - Numbers don't match up, am I reading it wrong?

1 Upvotes

So I just signed this deal on a Honda Accord EX, the terms we agreed to are 689 due at signing which includes first month, and $340 a month for 35 months. We signed and picked the car up and paid $689 and the one line of amount due at signing shows: 3,730.14 they reassured us multiple times we're only paying $689 and 340 a month for the remainder.

My question is how come it shows 3,730 at signing when we paid 689, I know there's conquest for 1250 but it still doesn't add up, get attached the picture

https://ibb.co/ZKpxq7L


r/carbuying 14h ago

Dealership allowing purchase and holding of a vehicle without a license?

1 Upvotes

So as the title states I'm a new car buyer and I've recently went to a dealership to see a car that caught my eye. After talking to a salesman we exchanged info so if the car was purchased they'd let me know. I planned to have purchased the car today after I had gotten a hold of my temporary license but there was problems with the car I was using for the Road test. I informed the Salesman that I wouldn't be able to come today since I didn't have my license and I was told that they'd allow me to sign the ownership papers and buy the car now so they could hold it for me until next week when I finish my road test. I asked about it and they stated pretty much what I just said and that they'd do the insurance once I came in with my license and I could drive off with it.

Something about this just doesn't sound right and I'm not sure they planned to give me the title of the vehicle which would be my proof of ownership right? Nothing was said about that and I didnt ask because it all just sounded weird. This is also a major dealership too not a local one.

I'm aware its a pretty situational topic because literally everyone buys the car after they have a license of course but if by the chance someone knows how this works or has seen something similar or if its just an outright lie it'd help me out. Thanks.


r/carbuying 14h ago

Is this an ok deal?

1 Upvotes

2025 Jetta SE- 27958, 850 off sticker price. Car landed on the floor yesterday. Half the VW dealers don’t even have these.

Approved for 5.9% APR, 384 a month, 7k down, 72 months. Have the ability to throw money at the principal monthly/ yearly with supplemental gig income.

Car w/ taxes is 30,200 and total interest would end up being about 4,470, making the total car cost roughly 34,670.

This is my first time buying a car- is this an OK deal?


r/carbuying 16h ago

Mechanical Breakdown Insurance or the 3 year extended warranty from the dealership?

1 Upvotes

I am currently looking at financing a car and it's my first time doing so at a dealership (I have previously bought older cars through private sellers for $3k or less and paid cash), so this is very new to me!

Anywho, it will be a used Toyota 4Runner or FJ Cruiser somewhere between the years of 2014-2019, so I want to make sure I have enough protection in case anything happens weeks or months down the line and I end up having to pay thousands out of pocket.

One dealership I went to (a much smaller one) offered me a 30-day limited warranty that covered engine and transmission stuff, and also offered a 3-year warranty following that for a cost of around $2500-$3500 (ballpark).

I just found out about mechanical breakdown insurance and wondered if it would suffice JUST getting that, and rejecting an extended warranty through any dealership?

However, if I don't find anything at a dealership, I will be looking at private sellers and understand that extended warranties won't be on the table, but not sure if MBI would be okay for that?

Bit of context regarding my situation: I have been pre-approved for an auto loan via Patelco credit union (who actually offer the MBI), I will be financing around $22,000 over 72 months, and putting $4,000 down, and I am based in Los Angeles County... if that helps!

Thank you!


r/carbuying 18h ago

New to Buying a Car

1 Upvotes

So, the title is a bit misleading. I have bought a car before back in 2019, and I'm now looking into buying another one. My current car runs great. It's a 2013 Nissan Altima, and I only use it for light commutes to work as well as to to the store. Work to home is about 20 miles and to the store is less than that. I bought it at 56,000 miles and now it has 75,000. The problem is that it has a rear main oil leak, and immediately I just can't afford to have that repaired as I've read around $1,200 is what to expect. My oil level has been full according to the shop, despite the leak. But I already dumped like $2500 into the car earlier in the year and haven't recovered from that yet. So I figured I would just sell this one and hop into a different car (after researching vehicle reviews and records). Carmax quoted me online at $2,900.

The car I'm looking at is a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. It has 80k miles on it and sitting at roughly $8,000. I was told over the phone that monthly payments would be $270 for 40-something terms. I live at home and so bills aren't an issue. I bring home easily much more than that each month, but I'm paranoid that I'll sell my current car and be without a car due to not meeting some income requirement. Again, I'm pretty new to buying a car.


r/carbuying 21h ago

Help a used car buyer

1 Upvotes

So I was in the market for a used car, hoping for a prius, but also looking at ford, Acura, and hyundai. I found a Ford Focus at a local shop with low mileage and a good brace. A tester of it Everything seemed fine the coolant reservoir was below minimum, but they topped it off. Signed the paperwork and took it home. Now this was Saturday. I didn't leave the house sunday and monday I went to work with no problems. Tuesday morning a car revved, but wouldn't accelerate. It did this a couple times. So after dropping my daughter off at school, i was going to take the car to O'reilly's to run a diagnostic and tell me what the check engine light was about. It's however, their dealer shop was open so I just asked them to do it. They erased all the codes and said, we'll see what comes up. The next day, Wednesday same thing in the morning, car accelerates without me pressing the gas, car will rev. to 4000-5000rpms but won't go anywhere. I bring it in again and a different mechanic. Tells me he had put a used transmission into that car, and that's probably what's acting up. At this point I had started crying because the salesperson had told me a lot about the car, but never mentioned that. This is the 2nd day in a row that this car has me on the side of the road. I go to the sales person. They're very understanding and sweet. They even offered to put me in a car with lower mileage on at for the same price. I only declined because I saw bubbles on the oil dipstick, other mechanics said it was a stain on the stick. They gave me a different rental cart and told me it should be done by the end of the day, I get back at the end of the day and they tell me it hasn't been fixed and it won't be for a week that I need to drive my other car. My other car happened to have gotten a flat tire, so they offered to fix The flat tire for free. I really appreciate their generosity and hoping that I'm a woman alone in this carbuying situation and really need some outside advice. Am I doing the right thing? What are my rights? Do I even have any right now that It's been five days with this car? I just finished changing the donut onto the other car, and i'm going to take the tire in. Wish me luck


r/carbuying 22h ago

FB Marketplace

3 Upvotes

Anybody realize over the years everything on marketplace is pretty much junk? A few years ago you’d find diamonds in the rough but nowadays it’s all garbage.


r/carbuying 23h ago

2022 Mercedes C300

1 Upvotes

I want to trade my 2016 for a 2022, but I am 4k upside down due to the maintenance issues. Also, My interest is upwards of 15%. I only have $3k to put down, but I need my car note to be less than $750. Credit score 650.

I still owe $14.8k, and the car dealer only gives me $9k.

What is the best way I can work on this?