Used vehicle purchase (internet, long distance)

So the old '09 Mazda5 micro van with a quarter million miles and rusted through rocker panels needs a couple wheel bearings, brakes all around, exhaust from the cat back, and I think the original clutch that taught two kids how to drive is starting to slip. It will need all this work for inspection in May. I think it's time to replace it.

I'm looking for a 2015-2017 something or other to replace it as the Maine registration excise tax bottoms out at 5 years and a lot of the depreciation has already happened and the insurance is likely to be a little more reasonable. Looking at small SUVs or econo hatchbacks. I'm not married to Mazda but we have had several and had very good luck with them. The CX-5, CX-3 and 3 hatchback all look good and would be the type of vehicle I'm looking for. If I went the SUV route I'd likely get AWD. I am not a "bells and whistles" guy I don't want or need NAV, sunroofs, heated seats blah blah blah and I'd prefer a manual trans, but would take an auto. Four steel wheels and a steering wheel as they say but I may have to settle on that aspect as most of the listings don't fall into that realm.

Buying a used car that is from the South (no salt and sand on the roads in the winter) is appealing and worth the hassle of finding it and extra $ to have the car shipped IMO, I'd likely have it shipped as opposed to flying and driving home. I had a couple of verbal deals with some dealers in FLA on cars I found on sites that don't handle the actual purchase fall through already because when it came time to put the deal on paper the deal changed which makes me immediately leery of them. I'm judging the "from the South" criteria by the car report and where the car was registered/serviced, I'd take a car that had been in an accident if the damage was reported as "minor". I'd be paying cash, but that doesn't really seem to make a difference to the two dealers I've already talked to.

Buying the car site unseen is a bit unnerving?

How far South is South enough?

What about cars that are likely to have been rentals?...steer clear of them is my gut.

It seems like you pay a bit more with the sites that actually handle the purchase (carmax, caravana) but the shipping with them seems a bit more reasonable and they are very upfront, the price is non negotiable and there are no extra dealer fees.

 

Goid luck with the search.

No road salt in the south, but the do have hurricanes and associated flooding.

I'd like to think there are VIN reports available that list such things.

 

What?? Replacing such a young and barely used vehicle for such minor issues? Geesh!

I'm in southern VA, and the road dept likes their salt and chemicals around here. I imagine parts of NC do too, but maybe some NC folks and people further south can chime in to give you ideas of usage.

 

Once you get south of Ohio, the use of road salt drops off dramatically.
When looking at stuff in Fla, or any coastal states, watch for cars that were registered near the coast...you can have rust issues from the salt air too...plus vehicles that live outside in Fla can have "fried paint" syndrome on the top panels...maybe not so much (yet) on newer vehicles like you are looking at though...

 

Hope you are looking into electric vehicles we all know oil is terrible.

 

LOL. Virtue signaling at any cost.

 

The street goes both ways

 

Well Dave, maybe you could see what is available in ..................






wait for it.............






GEORGIA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seems you fell in love with that state overnight.....

 

I like the way you think Buddy. All electric are probably off the list as I am very rural but I'm definitely looking at hybrids.

Word is my friend Byedon and friends may divert some of the huge oil subsidies to solar! I could fill my roof with panels and drive for next to nuthin, my work just put in a charge station...free to use to boot!

 

You're the best Yoops I don't care what anybody says about you

 

Just curious what flavor is the Kool Aid?

 

And usually as it is always the case, I don't care what anyone says about me either!

 

Tootie Frootie

 

that isn't even a guarantee, after Katrina I read stories of places buying cars that were flooded/written off.
They "cleaned" it up, washed the title a few times by transferring it thru several states and sold them back to the market up here in the north.
I guess a few states have some loopholes about salvage titles, that eventually you end up with a "good" title again.
The problem was discovered as you may guess, people started having electrical problems that couldn't be fixed and pulling up the trunk carpet would show
the silt.
Oh and maybe no salt on the roads, but plenty in the air from the ocean.

 

Attaboy Yoops, same here, as it should be.

 

Tootie footie would be red in color? Looks like all the Jackholes making a fool of themselves in Washington at the moment have sucked all that down.

 

You tell me, I haven't drank it...and won't.

 

Right across the knuckles with a ruler...Way to keep them in line Moderator Chvymn99!

 

@Chvymn99