Well, I’d look at those models if they weren’t sedans…
Another question. In reading another topic, people are saying to go to CarGurus, CarMax, other places like it, to find “good used vehicles”. I’ve used as many of those that I could find and saw a lot of cars that have what I want, but they’re ALL out of state. I’m in NY and I find cars in Texas, California, Washington, Vermont, Connecticut, etc., and they all want up to $1000 to bring them to me. I can’t afford to pay a ton of money to get a car only to sit in it for 10 seconds and find it doesn’t suit my needs or there’s something wrong with it when I drive it. So those options don’t work.
I thought dealers had like comp deals with each other where they swap cars, but that’s only the case within their own dealerships.
Anyway, my point is using those kind of things to find cars are only good if the cars are in your area. Even in the same state doesn’t work, as there are cars in NY State that would cost like $900 to send to me in Western NY.
1 Like
It’s not just the lack of modern safety features. Buying a 23-27 year old car–even a Camry of that vintage–means that there will be inevitable mechanical or electrical/electronic problems. Not everyone is willing to deal with unpredictable no-start situations or other problems that will send them to a mechanic’s shop much more often than would be likely with… let’s say… a 4-8 year old vehicle.
1 Like
Your comment: “why don’t you look at something else in your price range.” I know you’re reading my posts so I know you see what I’m writing, so I’m confused as to why you’d say that.
I’m looking at EVERYTHING between 2017 and 2024 that has power seats and a sunroof in the $24k and under range. Subarus. Fords. Volkswagons. Hondas. Nissans. A Chevy, I think. Any make and model that fits the bill. Even ones they say are expensive to fix, I still insist on trying. So it’s not like I’m only looking at one kind.
What I need is someone who knows cars to come with me. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone who’s really knowledgeable about cars that can do that. And even if I could hire someone, how would I know they actually ARE very knowledgeable about cars??? I’d obviously take any car I was interested in to a mechanic to have them check it out first, but that’s different than having someone with me to say no, it’s not a good car, or yes, it is, and here’s why, and THEN have it checked out.
A realtor friend of mine gave me some advice about a putting in a pool.
She said 1/2 of your buyers won’t want a pool. The other 1/2 that do want a pool won’t like the pool you put in. So off the top, you’ve eliminated 3/4 of your potential buyers.
I know we’re talking cars here, but the same logic applies to finding and choosing a car.
You’re using too many firm variables that are having the effect of excluding too many vehicles. You can’t insist on a sunroof, power seats, and within a certain year and price range. AND be unwilling to pay for such a vehicle to be shipped to you. You’ve got to give up one or more of those parameters. Suddenly your search will be a lot easier.
Personally I’ve had great luck buying cars on Carvana. Yes, I think you pay a little more on the price. Yes, you generally have to pay to have the car shipped to you. BUT… they have excellent selection from all over the United States. And they deliver the car to your driveway, as well as take away any other car you want to trade in. And, if you choose to go this route, all of the financing is up front and on your terms. Or you can choose to pay/finance through your own bank.
I would suggest you look on Carvana, and play a bit with the parameters. You may be surprised at what they offer.
There’s no way to know for sure without getting a shop pre-purchase inspection, but my guess, that’s normal, just the way the CVT transmission works. I presume you’ve never driven a car w/CVT before, so you aren’t used to it. My gf purchased a new Corolla a few years ago and thought there was something wrong w/it because of similar symptoms you report. She was particularly concerned that it “sounded like a race car”. The dealership explained that’s all normal for CVT equipped cars these days.
1 Like
What you are describing is one of the many reasons I do not like CVTs. They are not generally as long lived as conventional transmissions and I have been told they are not rebuildable but I don’t know if that is still true.
I did drive a 2012 Altima before I bought my 2012 Camry and you could not tell it was a CVT, there was no "motorboating’ at all, but I still decided against the CVT because of reliability and longevity issues.
The only repair I have had on my Camry is a $20 w/washer pump but I have less than 65,000 miles on it.
I have neither a sunroof or power seats and as other have said your requirements limit your choice of cars.
Sunroofs are not that popular an option in WNY.
1 Like
still think the VW Alltrack you posted about in another thread is more what you’re looking for, even with possibly higher ownership costs. This one i found has sligtly higher miles than the red one you found earlier but looks to have a good service history and the power seats and sunroof you wanted.
Used 2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack TSI S 4Motion in Spencerport (summitviewauto.com)
Yeah neighbor dug a pool. Next owner filled it in. We had one at the old house but once you had one, you don’t want another unless in Florida.
We had an in ground pool at our old house and it was wonderful. It’s the one thing I miss most. We’ve live in our current house for 26 years and didn’t put one in because of the expense. In 1998 it would have cost over $30,000 for one like the old pool and we never would have gotten anything back when we sell this house. Add to that the annual expenses for chemicals, equipment and the labor to use them and it’s just not worth it. It we were extremely rich it might be viable, but not in our current circumstances.
Just like a car with modifications, they come with the car. You can’t recoup many of those customization costs. Same for a pool. If you try to recoup the installation expense for the pool, then you lose customers. But I’ve found that if they see the house just comes with the pool, they seem more inclined to accept it. I put it in for me, not for any future buyers. BTW- I save a boatload of money for chemicals and labor to clean the pool by using a solar cover when not in use. A heat pump keeps it at desired temp for an extra 2 to 3 months longer than normally possible. That is very energy efficient way to heat it.
Same approach selling a car. If I made changes (for me) then it either comes back out when I sell it or it’s just included as part of the pricing- competitive with cars that don’t have it. It’s a sunk cost for me once I’m done playing… 
1 Like
Sorry, but using any of those out of state or at least too far away places that sell cars like what you suggest are not an option for me. At $500-1000 a car to have sent to me is well beyond my budget, A sunroof and power seats - one is a want and the other is a need, and that’s the power seats. There are other factors at play also, physical/medical ones. Like sciatica, where those molded seats that are like a hump to get over are a trigger point for it. Power seats, because I have carpal tunnel and can’t pump, push/pull or turn things in order to get closer to the steering wheel or higher up in the seat, etc. A torn rotator cuff now isn’t helping anything either. Also, as I’ve mentioned a number of times before, I’m short, so I don’t want something where I’m a foot off the ground that makes it hard to get in/out (especially out) where I’m just dumping out of the car. And medically I can’t do that due to chronic pain from a car accident where I almost lost my foot, so having to land hard when getting out of a car where I’m so high off the ground is also a hard no.
So yes, I have some issues that need to be considered, but I am not spending a ton of money to get cars only to find in the first 5 seconds of getting in that they’re too high off the ground, or the molded seat kicks my sciatica off, or dispite what is “confirmed” they don’t have power seats. Been through THAT one before.
And because of all those things, I’m looking at EVERYTHING - even cars I’m told to stay away from because they’re too expensive to fix or like some said, where if I have to replace one tire, I have to replace all 4.
So I’ll just keep looking until something shows up. But thanks for the suggestions.
1 Like
Actually saw that, but it has almost 80k miles How long before it needs a whole bunch of stuff done to it, or the motor gives out? Just too high of mileage.
1 Like
You presume correctly. My almost 20 yr old car didn’t have anything like today’s cars have, so no, I’ve never driven a CVT car before, And that’s what my dealer said, it’s normal for CVT cars. But I don’t want a car that has NO pickup when you step on the gas, which is a hazard in my opinion. Wouldn’t care if it sounded like a race car if it had pickup. But it doesn’t.
My 2005 had NONE of the “safety features” of today’s cars and never had an accident with it. so I have NO problem with a car that doesn’t have any of them either. Only thing I would “criticize” about your suggestions is they’re sedans. And I definitely don’t want a sedan.
There’s a CarMax in Henrietta, NY, near Rochester. That can’t be very far from you. It’s a good place to look and it’s on a road that has numerous dealerships that you can check out as well. Nothing creates a bargain at a dealership like them knowing you are going up and down the strip looking for a car to buy!
Mazda, for a long time now, has been a “driver’s car”. Meaning spritely handling and excellent responsiveness to driver inputs, including acceleration. The main reason I dumped my lovely 2007 Accord EX-L for a Mazda 3 in 2012 was that responsiveness and driver tuning. You cannot compare a driver’s car (even from 20 years ago) to a driving appliance tuned for fuel economy like a 2024 CR-V. Interestingly, you will find ZERO CVT’s in Mazda’s model lineup, now or in the past. That tells you something about CVT’s and suitability for a responsive vehicle.
1 Like
We’ve had (3) Mazda 3s. They are fantastic little cars.
Also (still) agree with the comments on Carmax, and my own comments on Carvana. The shipping charge is an extra “ouch”, I would agree. But some of the cars have lower or even free shipping. The selection, to me, is well worth the extra cost. Some of the cars that I’ve shopped for in the past (such as Mazda 3s) are simply not available locally in my part of the country.
I had a sun roof in my vw. Came in handy one night. Left side smashed to heck, injured passenger in right seat. I exited through the sun roof when I was young.
I’d suggest checking with a shop that works more on VW’s for what the common problems at that mileage or above. At least that’s how my brother’s done it the last many years with his VW’s. Our uncle bought a new VW Golf Sportswagon a few years go and mainly bought it for the convenient servicing. Didn’t really want a Suv either but the VW checked all the boxes.
1 Like