Mark42
Fleet Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2003
- Messages
- 9,334
Been shopping for a car to replace the aging 1998 Lincoln Town Car with 170000 miles. I wanted something that got better gas milage and was still fun to drive, maybe even on the "cool" side. Set my budget at $10,000 and checked with my credit union for loan rates, etc. I can handle the loan with no problem. So off I go in search of a used car.
Lots of economy cars to choose from, but for 10k, they are old, or really high millage or both. Even checked into ordering a new Camaro, but the price is too high for comfort.
Then I found this 1998 Pontiac Firebird V6 coupe w/ 28,781 claimed miles. So I went to check it out this morning.
The dealer had a car fax report showing the milage is true. Dealer claimed they just took it on trade and it was garage kept and owned by a couple who were regular Volvo customers. I checked out the car. It sure looks like new. The exhaust system is still shiny, the brake rotors don't have rust inside the cooling fins, the calipers are still shiny, there is no brake dust on anything. The rear axle and other undercarriage parts have little or no rust buildup. Under the hood the car looked like new, and the dealer had not prepped it. Still a layer of road dust on fender wells, etc. Very little in the way of chips in paint behind wheels and front bumper. It was clean.
The interior looks like new, no wear on the seats, pedals, wheel, stereo controls, etc. No garbage, food, M&M's, etc under the carpet around the seats! Every was perfect, except the door on the ash tray was broken.
Took it for a nice drive. Runs smooth, car is tight and AC blows cold.
So I bought it. Dealer held out for high price, about 2K over the NADA suggested price for the car with low miles and clean condition. They came down $500, but no more. Just would not budge. The car is about 2 hour drive away, so they said after washing and a new battery, they would flat bed the car to me next week. I took the deal.
Check out the rotors and calipers. All wheels are like this.
The interior was not wiped with "armor all" . Its really that clean and shiny.
I like it. But what I found interesting was my wife thinks it a great idea to buy this over a 5 year old Celica with 60k for the same price. This is going to be my daily commute car. Rated 31 MPG highway, so it should lower my fuel bill over the Town Car! LOL! Funny thing is, its the same year as the Town Car it replaces!
Lots of economy cars to choose from, but for 10k, they are old, or really high millage or both. Even checked into ordering a new Camaro, but the price is too high for comfort.
Then I found this 1998 Pontiac Firebird V6 coupe w/ 28,781 claimed miles. So I went to check it out this morning.
The dealer had a car fax report showing the milage is true. Dealer claimed they just took it on trade and it was garage kept and owned by a couple who were regular Volvo customers. I checked out the car. It sure looks like new. The exhaust system is still shiny, the brake rotors don't have rust inside the cooling fins, the calipers are still shiny, there is no brake dust on anything. The rear axle and other undercarriage parts have little or no rust buildup. Under the hood the car looked like new, and the dealer had not prepped it. Still a layer of road dust on fender wells, etc. Very little in the way of chips in paint behind wheels and front bumper. It was clean.
The interior looks like new, no wear on the seats, pedals, wheel, stereo controls, etc. No garbage, food, M&M's, etc under the carpet around the seats! Every was perfect, except the door on the ash tray was broken.
Took it for a nice drive. Runs smooth, car is tight and AC blows cold.
So I bought it. Dealer held out for high price, about 2K over the NADA suggested price for the car with low miles and clean condition. They came down $500, but no more. Just would not budge. The car is about 2 hour drive away, so they said after washing and a new battery, they would flat bed the car to me next week. I took the deal.
Check out the rotors and calipers. All wheels are like this.
The interior was not wiped with "armor all" . Its really that clean and shiny.
I like it. But what I found interesting was my wife thinks it a great idea to buy this over a 5 year old Celica with 60k for the same price. This is going to be my daily commute car. Rated 31 MPG highway, so it should lower my fuel bill over the Town Car! LOL! Funny thing is, its the same year as the Town Car it replaces!
