'09 Camry costs?

[Coytee]

but I really don't see the point in buying a car new

I agree there too. She however, has just the opposite view as she thinks she's buying someones bucket of troubles if she buys used.

I don't want her to take the first year depreciation either.....

[jacksonbart]

What about a lightly used 1971 Ford LTD. Now this is what a uber mature person should be driving.

[oldtimer]

Actually, there have been quite a few V4 engines....

Lancia built a narrow angle V4 for many years. English Ford & German Ford (also used by SAAB & Matra) built different version V4's.

AJS, Aprillia, Ducati, Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha all built or build V4 motorcycle engines.

Johnson, Evinrude, and Yamaha built two stroke V4 outboard engines.

James

I had a Saab 96 with one of those V4's. That was a fun car.

[darkside]

but I really don't see the point in buying a car new

I agree there too. She however, has just the opposite view as she thinks she's buying someones bucket of troubles if she buys used.

I don't want her to take the first year depreciation either.....

Yeah that is true. We got my brother's car used, had about 77k miles on it, looked to be in great shape, nothing on the carfax report. We found out later it had been hit in the drivers side door and someone fixed it themselves and didn't report it. As a result the door doesn't quite hang straight. Plus, when we got it the synchronizer on 5th (it's a manual) was broken. Luckily for us, they accidentally marked it with a warranty at the dealer we bought it from, so they had to honor that and fix it at their expense, but if they hadn't of goofed. That's a pretty expensive fix, even on an 01 Mustang. We certainly got lucky with my car, but yeah, used cars are always iffy and carfax doesn't always tell you everything. I can certainly see where she's coming from.

[Tom Adams]

There's a used car dealership here that has a radio ad that concludes with.......

"And remember, everyone out there on the road is driving a used car."

Cracked me up when I first heard that because the truth was so obvious.

As for that buy American comment. Yeah.....the quality might be there, but the long-term value won't. Say what you will, but the folks who determine the Kelly Blue Book values say that, all things being equal, a 4 year Toyota or Honda is worth more than a 4 year old Pontiac or Saturn. And it ain't gonna get any better with the way the big 3 are dumping cars on the market. Just because you bought that new Chevy for $30K that had a sticker of $43K won't mean squat in 5 years 'cause the KBB folks know what you paid for it.

BTW.....interesting enough, the #1 selling vehicle in the U.S. for 2008 was.......

The Ford F150.

Sorry coytee for the hijack. I'll shut the hell up now.

Tom

[CECAA850]

Your best deals at a dealership are usually made at the end of the month when the dealership is pushing for their final sales numbers. Deals that they wouldn't take early in the month are often jumped at during the last week. The end of the year should work in your favor also.

[toddvj]

Coytee, you said twice that Edmunds has a higher MSRP than the dealer quoted. But the price the dealer quoted is higher than Edmunds? I'm sure you meant Edmunds was lower, but you said it 2 times.

Also, what equipment did you price the car with on Edmunds? Chances are, the dealer is not going to stock a lot of inventory of stripped down cars with no optional equipment. Usually they'll order cars with at least a few extras (like floor mats, radio, etc).

[Coytee]

Coytee, you said twice that Edmunds has a higher MSRP than the dealer quoted. But the price the dealer quoted is higher than Edmunds? I'm sure you meant Edmunds was lower, but you said it 2 times.

I'm twice as stupid as anyone previously thought! You are right in that the dealer had the higher msrp. So much for nobody catching that! [:$]

you are also right in that the dealer (presumably) had some options on it that Edmunds had not. I called the dealer back again and he went through some of the things. I will admit I did NOT go back to edmunds to double check what they stated as I really prefer Mom to get a slightly used car instead of brand new.

So, yes... I short circuited

[Mighty Favog]

V6? or v4?

V4 ?? Haven't heard of that since the early 60's Mustang prototype.

[Mighty Favog]

What about a lightly used 1971 Ford LTD. Now this is what a uber mature person should be driving.

Driven by Gator McClusky?

[Mighty Favog]

I was planning on a Honda since they're built in Marysville Ohio (last I knew). Seems she likes this Camry with the supercalafragilistic V-4! (it would only be expialadocious if it had a boxer engine )

She'll probably settle for the base model of what ever she gets and get an inline 4

YUP! Hondas are still made in Marysville, OH (also where my Acura TL-S came from). AND they just built and opened an assembly plant in Greensburg, IN (SE of Indy) that builds Civics.

[bhenry]

Sunburn,

Yes, I get that American workers make them, but what you and apparently our government doesn't understand is that the money you spend on that Japanese car that American workers built goes back to make a profit for a JAPANESE company. I appreciate that American workers build the car, that's great and all, but the profits don't stay here. They go directly back to Japan and get spent in THEIR economy. Paying THEIR bills. Improving THEIR homes. Buying more of THEIR cars. Spending it in THEIR stores, not OURS!

If Toyota went bankrupt, how many American workers would be affected bt it? Many, I'm sure.

If GM or Ford or Chrysler went bankrupt, how many American workers (both PAST AND PRESENT) would be affected by it? A hell of alot more.

I don't think you understand the importance of buying American products from an American company. Our entire economy depends on manufacturing goods and the HUGEST part of that is the automotive sector.

The TOYOTA nameplate is EXACTLY why it is NOT AMERICAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How much longer can we be a nation full of consumers and not manufacture anything to SELL? Get it?

[cjgeraci]

Looking to acquire new car for Mom. She liked an '09 Camry "LE"

Dealer tells me (over phone)

$22,594 MSRP

-$1,000 for some mystical reason

-1,500 for what I think is their rebate program

+595 for paperwork fee (which I told him I had a problem with)

+ $1,133.70 for tax

Total for car $20,028

Anyone know if that's good, bad or indifferent?

My guess is since mom went in there alone, they're not sharpening their pencil too much. I went to Edmunds and THEY list the car as MSRP $21,650 or $994 above the MSRP as stated by the dealer. (and I wonder where their first $1,000 discount comes from?)

Any thoughts?

Pretty good deal, I would say. I picked up a 2009 Camry LE for $19,700. So, you are right there, price-wise.

BTW, I traded in a 2007 GM. So, I gave one of the "big three" a shot for awhile before deciding to take another look at Hondas and Toyotas, both of which are also made in the U.S.

YMMV.

Carl.

P.S. The big three make some great trucks and some nicer high end cars. But, they still need to pick up their game with respect to mid-sized cars, compacts, and sub-compacts.

[Rockets]

Bhenry, I could not agree more. We have a real problem here in the US, and we don't make or produce hardly anythng anymore. What are our kids going to do for jobs?? Build solar cells and windmills?? The bigger problem is this. Once we lose our industrial base, we lose the ability to produce our war materials. You can't defend yourself if you;re buying crap from someone else to do it. I don't care if it's a microchip, steel or whatever. We are screwed, blued and tatoo'd once we go down that road, and we are already starting due to costs and politics. Look at EADS wanting to build our next tanker. The Air Force one helicopter, is from Europe.

I could go on, but I'd better shut up now....

FWIW, I just bought a 08' Ford Taurus X. Only to learn later, it's based upon a Volvo platform. Ford own's Volvo, but you can't win.

http://reviews.carreview.com/blog/2008-ford-taurus-x-limited-review-a-family-guys-perspective/

[darkside]

Rockets, you're right. I wasn't going to say it for fear of getting chewed out by ignorants, but you're absolutely correct. We're screwed and I'm worried...

[John Warren]

I don't think you understand the importance of buying American products from an American company. Our entire economy depends on manufacturing goods and the HUGEST part of that is the automotive sector.

bhenry-

Manufacturing in the US accounts for less than 12% of GDP. We stopped making stuff years ago.

jw

[darkside]

You're right, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a horribly bad way to go...

[Jay481985]

V6? or v4?

Boxer format (opposing like VW's & Porsche's)

4 cylinder

nope not VW anymore but surprisingly all subaru's are boxers!

[Jay481985]

Not to be a jerk, but have you considered a car from a U.S. car company?

Blah, blah, blah about where the car is made, I mean buying from a COMPANY that has it's headquarters here in the U.S.?

This is not 1979 anymore and the American car companies make a *** fine product.

The next job they cut could be yours. Food for thought.

Only two american (everyday) cars in my eyes to be worth something is the cadillac cts-v which is just awesome stupid. And the Ford fusion which was concieved in ford europe and brought here.

[Jay481985]

Bhenry, I could not agree more. We have a real problem here in the US, and we don't make or produce hardly anythng anymore. What are our kids going to do for jobs?? Build solar cells and windmills?? The bigger problem is this. Once we lose our industrial base, we lose the ability to produce our war materials. You can't defend yourself if you;re buying crap from someone else to do it. I don't care if it's a microchip, steel or whatever. We are screwed, blued and tatoo'd once we go down that road, and we are already starting due to costs and politics. Look at EADS wanting to build our next tanker. The Air Force one helicopter, is from Europe.

I could go on, but I'd better shut up now....

FWIW, I just bought a 08' Ford Taurus X. Only to learn later, it's based upon a Volvo platform. Ford own's Volvo, but you can't win.

http://reviews.carreview.com/blog/2008-ford-taurus-x-limited-review-a-family-guys-perspective/

Volvo S80 while the ford taurus was based on the 500 name that they rebadged.

The EADS tanker is now under dispute being boeing wanted to make it a dispute but infact that other team is based from Europe but it was McDonald Douglass that made that tanker which was a premier airplane company making the f15 but then they lost a few government contracts because they chose the lockheed martin f22 over the f23.

Also what do we need to defend ourselves from? All of our weapons are weapons to harass third world nations. Ok I said too much, let the flame start, sorry Coytee.

Coytee btw, how good is her credit because lately if you have good standing credit, the car market is for you. And also I am not sure how my parents do it but we ended up getting 20% off msrp all the time for brand new cars all the time. And last but, Toyota posted their first global loss in the company ever they might have more incentive now.