Edmunds Answers questions

Is there is a rating system for cars based on driver head & leg room?

galston — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:36:30 GMT

I'm 6' 8" tall, and I weigh about 240 lbs. Few cars provide enough head and leg room for me. I've driven everything from full sized pickups (my favorite) to Pintos (Remember those?). I can get in and out of anything, but when it comes to long trip comfort, most vehicles don't provide enough space. I'm ready to trade, and I'd really like to find a sedan that's extra roomy. I'm considering a Mercury Grand Marquis, but would like to have other options. Any suggestions?

how much bargin can you make for buying a certified used car

junc — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:45:13 GMT

i.e. a certified civic EX 27K mile for $12K. unlike new cars, I know many dealers are very hard to negotiate on a used car

Can someone please tell me how to get a CarFax report for a vehicle? Thanks in advance.

ksucharitha — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:39:01 GMT

Can someone please help me to get a car fax report for a vehicle? thanks in advance

How to compare 2008 CPO's prices to TMV or private party? Only dealers prices are shown. Also no used 2008 on website?

hanandadon — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:27:15 GMT

When I browse for 2006-2008 CPO cars (or older for that matter), I am forwarded by Autotrader to dealers listings where prices are shown. How can I compare those prices to anything like TMV or private party to have a negotiation basis? Where do I start?

What is the meaning of buying a "certified" car instead of buying a used or new? What are the pros and cons?

dianap37 — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:56:07 GMT

I am looking to buy a small car but need to be very aware of cost. As going through info I came across certified along side new and used cars to pick from. Need to know the pros and cons of buying certified! Thanks D

If I purchase a CPO backed by the manufacture, is it necessary to have another mechanic check the car?

mck003 — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:25:27 GMT

Looking to purchase a CPO toyota corolla (2005/6) from a dealership.

looking at my situation, what would u do?

dogsto — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:24:09 GMT

how can i further deal with this problem

Oct '06 first owner registered as personal vehicle. Then sold as a fleet vehicle?

runningdeer1 — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:34:13 GMT

Oct 2006 ,Title issued, first owner reported, registered as personal
vehicle,loan or lien reported.

2008.10, sold at auction, listed as a fleet vehicle.

What does this mean, can anyone kindly explain? Is it a personal or fleet vehicle since 2006:
Thanks much!

Days to return a pre-owned car to dealer?

latiolais — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:00:28 GMT

Is there a limitation to return a preowned car if repairs are not covered under warranty because of defects not shown in Carfax report?

If a car is a CPO then the dealer's CPO status changes, does the car remain a CPO?

bengalmom — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:38:23 GMT

A car I'm thinking of buying had a CPO window sticker at dealer and dealer website says they are a CPO dealer, however, they are now saying they haven't been a CPO ealer for about six months. Would the car still be considered a CPO vehicle?

What is CPO?

peteo — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:12:16 GMT

BMW CPO

How do I check a VIN for a motorcycle frame?

redydnic — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:13:48 GMT

I want to purchase a Harley frame but I would like to run the vin # first. Where can I do that?

Motor Trend certification vs manufacturer certification, for example, Mazda certification pre-owned. Is manufacture certification always better?

9sonya — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:11:56 GMT

Is Motor Trend Used Vehicle certification comparable to a certified pre-owned vehicle from say Mazda?

advice on buying used TL

bcdriver — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:52:52 GMT

Hi madmanmoo,
thanks for answering my question! I was actually inclined to Acura TL as well. When buying used TL, how necessary it is to buy "certified pre-owned vehicle"?
Would you recommend buying "cert.pre-owned", or from private sellers? How soon will used Acura start giving me problems?
thanks for response in advance!

Is Certified PreOwned necessary when buying a used car?

rgti74 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:52:29 GMT

Is Certified PreOwned all its cracked up to be or is it just another angle for dealerships to charge more for used cars?

BMW 3-Series---What is a good year BMW 328i or 328xi to buy certified preowned?

dhumpty — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:06:12 GMT

I've heard that BMW is the best car for so long and I've always liked it. In a way, I'd like to purchase a new one, but then again, is the latest model necessarily the best?
Would I save a few dollars by starting my BMW experience with a preowned OR would I really miss out on spectacular new stuff?
Is there a particular year within the past four years that anybody thinks the 328 (sedan) stood out from other years?

Over the phone my offer was accepted. I get to the dealer and they had sold the car to someone else. Is that legal?

wrigley07 — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 22:41:50 GMT

We test drove the car, the advice from the sales person was to leave the lot call in about 15 minutes that way we would get the best deal. We called made the offer and the dealer acepted. The sales person said he had to drop another car off and would be back in 45 minutes and to stop by then to do the paperwork. When we showed up he told us the car was sold to someone else. The leasing person accepted another offer after ours and that second party got the car. Is that legal? Is there something we can do about that other then reporting the unethical leasing person to management?

What is the negotiation tactic for a CPO car?

hanandadon — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:38:50 GMT

Hi, since you have sold (or still do) cars you probably can answer this from the sales perspective.
So I am looking for 2007/08 CPO (maybe a Honda or Acura). I guess my question is: How can I break down the added value components such as the extended warranty, 150 pnt, etc that add to the price of otherwise a comparable used car and negotiate from there?
By the way, is a CPO a better deal than say a used car with manufacturer warranty still in effect?
Appreciate the advice.
Thanks.

What will my VIN tell me about my car?

ahk50 — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:00:07 GMT

I thought I bought an AWD, but was later told it is a RWD. Now, an appraiser said the VIN indicates it is AWD. Where can I plug in my VIN number and get the info I need?

How can I get CPO records, when dealer say they have none? BMW X5.

dogsto — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:37:16 GMT

car was sold as being certified

BMW told me they have no records of a Certified Preowned Vehicle, only a CPO enrollment date.

dogsto — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:00:22 GMT

the dealer is not willing to help me at all. the vehicle needed repair while the cpo was still in effect. i took the car in before expiration, and had my own inspection done at the dealership, the car needed work. they would not make the repairs at the time. the purchase date was 4/23/2008, the cpo expired 7/30/2008. now they just keep telling me that the cpo expired, and there is nothing that can be done. they tell me that they do not have to supply me with any certification records at the time of purchase, when asked, and not now. i have the original window sticker saying, "this is an Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle", also the carfax report. there is nothing in the report that states this vehicle has been certified. the sale rep no longer works there. i just don't know where to turn.

Does co-signing for a vehicle affect being able to get a loan for another vehicle?

yzfracer8 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:45:45 GMT

I do not have a credit history and I need a co-signer. My mother was thinking about co-signing for me but she is about to purchase a new car here soon. Will this affect her being able to get another loan for a car?

Is it a bad idea to purchase a used Cadillac from a Cadillac dealer that is not certified pre-owned?

phil56 — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:20:33 GMT

I'm interested in purchasing a '06 Cadillac CTS. In my searches, I've found that relatively few pre-owned Cadillacs are actually certified pre-owned.

I was wondering (Question #1) if anyone knew the reason for that. In other words, are Cadillac dealers' pre-owned Cadillac inventory not certified because of the stringent requirements or are there other reasons (i.e., are they not certified because they can't be certified or because the dealers just don't take the time to get them certified)?

For example, per Cadillac's web site, there are only 18 certified pre-owned 2005-2007 Cadillac CTS's within 150 miles of Chicago. However, at dealerships in the Chicagoland area, I've found about 10 non-certified pre-owned CTS's that meet nearly my exact requirements.

So as a follow-up question, I was wondering (question #2) if it's advisable to purchase a non-certified pre-owned Cadillac from a Cadillac dealer?

Basically, to get the exact car I want, I either have to buy a non-certified pre-owned car in-state or go out-of-state to get the a certified pre-owned car.

Not considering the travel (because I'll be in the area of the out-of-state dealership with the certified pre-owned car anyway over Memorial Day weekend), is the hassle of doing all the registration and tax documents yourself in-state outweigh the advantage of having the certified pre-owned vehicle?

Thanks in advance for any help.

How much of a premium should be added to the TMV of a car that is CPO (certified)? Thx.

mcul — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:48:26 GMT

How much of a premium should be added to the TMV of a car that is CPO? Thx.

BMW CPO fee.

justducky1 — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:41:47 GMT

I am interested in purchasing my 07 BMW Z4. I was told it would cost $3495 to certify it pre-owned. Is that a fee that I am required to incur?

If we trade in a vehicle and we get Cash for Clunker eligibility requirements for $4,500 can we buy a car that is worth that much?

ram_033 — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:34:15 GMT

Well I have a Buick Century 96 and this is the information on it;

Fuel Type
MPG (city) 21
MPG (highway) 29
MPG (combined) 24

What would my payment be if my credit score is 690? Car is certified used and is $15,500 and I put $500 down.

igo2howard — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:56:57 GMT

What would my payment be if my credit score is 690? Car is certified used and is $15,500 and I put $500 down.

Is there any difference between certified used and certified pre-owned?

bajabound — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:34:11 GMT

What does certified used mean as compared to certified pre-owned? Aren't they all just used cars? Couldn’t I get an extended warranty to cover a used car?

Auction - Fleet

sampr01 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:09:59 GMT

Hi, I'm planning to buy a 2007 car which went for 1000miles.
Carfax reports that its bought by the showroom dealer in a auto auction (listed as fleet vehicle) and offering it as certified auto.
Its originally registered as personal ownership and 3 months later it appeared in auction( no other carfaxx entries in between). What could be the possible reasons for this?. Is buying this certified car holds good value when i decided to sell it later. Should i be buying it for less than edmunds TMV value? Advise please.

Considering a 2005 530i CPO with 45000, or a 06 525 with 17000 miles. Both CPO. any advice on which one to choose?

doshe — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:43:10 GMT

Also considering if there are any safety issues with the 5 compared to the 3. The 3 saved my life in a side crash. I have read some stuff on the 5 being weak in a side crash. Please help. I go to buy today.

I just bought a 2006 Honda Pilot tonight in Wisconsin. Can I return it tomorrow?

mmb5 — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:21:46 GMT

I realized when I got home that I paid too much based on the internet quotes I got back after I purchased the car...

What is the best car for a college commuter that isn't a manual transmission? 2-3 years old

teachertutor17 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:23:13 GMT

Commute will be about 30-45 miles each way so good gas mileage is a must, as well as highway safety.

Do I have to pay for the warranty transfer certification fee on a Toyota Camry?

playlives — Sat, 03 May 2008 23:02:33 GMT

Trying to purchase a 2005 Certified used Toyota camry from an authorized Toyota dealer. Dealer says I have to pay $500 to transfer the certified warrenty to my name so I can use the 7yr 100,000 mile guarantee. Is this accurate? I thought when buying a certified used the price was already included in the car. Please explain.

Dealer certified preowned 2004 Toyota Tacoma 2x4, 4 cylinder, 46k.

kimberly66 — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:59:32 GMT

Is there any recall? is it worth $1000:3yrs yextended warranty?

I need to find out vehicle maintenance records, history, previous owner on a 06 CLS 500c. No CarFax info, Mercedes no help.

nootnootsbenz — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 16:18:22 GMT

i am in the middle of a purchase of a certified pre owned benz im finding discrepencies in the papers.mbusa refuses help,cant find any info myself,i am frustrated and tired.i am buying from a large powerful dealer.like the car cant deal with the undiclosing of information. please help? i have vin

Why would a car with low miles and in good condition not be certified? Pontiac Grand Prix.

mogal — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:47:15 GMT

I was first told the car (2008 Grand Prix) was certified, then after signing papers informed it wasn't. It was a one owner rental in Texas and had been used 6 months. When purchased by the dealer at auction in Missouri it had over 6000 miles. 3000 had been added by someone at dealership. They said I could bring it back to have it run through the process but it would not be certified. I was able to purchased warranty up to 120,000 miles, and the carfax report was clean. Should I be concerned?

Hi, Has anybody had car buying experience from Manhattan Acura in New York? I like to know how is their service?

iron_eagle — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:13:15 GMT

Hi,
Any body has car buying experience from Manhattan Acura in New York. I like to know how is their service?

What should I pay for an '06 Lexus RX330 pre-certified in this economic climate? Asking $31,500 from dealer.

jaodowd — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:10:51 GMT

This Lexus has +/- 27000 miles, A++ condition, it's pre cert with the 3yr warranty. They want 31500,I offered 25000. White, gorgeous, what can I say, I am looking for a used Lexus RX 330/350. Given the economic climate, someone please tell me what I should expect to pay. Or should I consider a lease on a 2009 as advertised at 399./month

Looking to buy a used Toyota Sienna 2004, 50-60K miles. Rookie at negotiating. Is starting $4K under asking price too much?

dspjt — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:53:19 GMT

I am trying to buy a toyota certified used sienna ce 2004 with approx 50-60,000 miles on it. But I am a total rookie at negotiating. I have read the articles on edmunds.com abt how to do this but am still a bit nervous. Is starting the negotiating at $4,000 less than the listed priced too much/too ambitious (ask/list price is 19,000)?? Anybody have experience tips? Much appreciated.

Emmons used car dealer in Pasadena TX 77504, any input?

quadophile — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 10:20:07 GMT

I am in the process of buying a used car in the next one week or so. While surfing the net I came across Emmons used car dealer located in Pasadena area and was wondering if anyone on this forum has had any experience dealing with them. They seem to have decent choices under $8,000 which is my budget. The cars look good in photos but I certainly intend to pay a visit to them and at the same time test drive them and hope to pick the one I find suitable.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Is there a network of trustworthy mechanics willing to check out a used car before I buy?

mck003 — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:46:34 GMT

I'm interested in buying a CPO 2005 corolla in L.I. NY but do not currently know any trustworthy mechanics. I was wondering if there is a network of mechanics who I can trust to take a look at the car on a lift for a small fee before I buy.

Upside down on lease, what next?

mcgrath3459 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:05:49 GMT

Hello everyone.

I entered a terrible lease just 8 months ago for an '08 4runner. I really want to cut down on expenses and gas prices. I owe 30k on a car that's only worth 22k trade-in. I was looking at a used Honda for 14k. Would it make more sense to get out of the lease ASAP, or hang on paying the $500 a month until what I owe comes closer to the trade-in value?

I tend to think it would make the most sense to get out ASAP to get a smaller payment, and lower my gas bills. I really don't want to make another bad decision.

Thanks!

Should I buy a certified Volvo with twice the warrannty and less cost or a new car?

kambiz1 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 11:13:44 GMT

I have been looking at New Volvo's but I can get a Certified car that is one year old for about $2000 less than New car. I think that is a smarter move because of the warranty 6yrs/100,000 miles. On the new car they only give me a 4yr/50,000 mile warranty. What should I do? Most of my friends tell me that the New car is a mistake and I should get the Certifed car. I like the new car feel, but want to make the right choice. Help and thanks

I am considering purchasing a certified pre-owned Audi A4 or BMW 3 series convertible. Do dealers haggle with pricing?

PL1 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:28:24 GMT

Internet offers what the dealers are looking for. Is that where the discussion begins and ends? Any other tips?

What luxury car brand holds its value the best?

SuzieG33 — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:24:24 GMT

Luxury cars
Pricing

How much should I pay for a CPO 2006 BMW 530xi, premium/cold/sport packages and NAV with 21k miles?

LPMN — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:14:18 GMT

coming up now on Christmas 2008...wondering how much negotiating the dealer will do as it's end of year, and in a recession...
since the car's a CPO, does that make the dealer more or less flexible in his pricing?
-thanks

I purchased a certified Nissan vehicle from a dealer that knowingly sold me a bad car. Can I return it?

lea2379 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:44:37 GMT

I purchased the car in December which is Certified. The car had a new engine installed in October with 21,100 miles. i purchased the car in December with almost the same miles. they never finished the job. i took the car back in December and they told me they were going to replace the engine. i called Nissan headquarters and they stated the car already had an engined installed in October and not in December.

Has Honda always included a 7 year/100K mile extended warranty with their certified cars? We paid for an extended warranty in 2004.

ctdinc — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 07:41:03 GMT

We purchased our 2002 Honda Odyssey in July 2004. It was a certified car through the Honda dealer. We purchased the additional 7 yr/100,000 mile warranty for about $900. In reviewing the Honda Certified program online now, it appears that this extended warranty is included with certified vehicles. If this something new? I'm wondering if the dealer charged us for something that they shouldn't have.

Carfax accident reported but no details on an 07 Audi A4 2.0T.

s_mills18 — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:01:37 GMT

2007 AUDI A4 2.0 TURBO w/14k miles. Fully loaded SEDAN 4 DR 2.0L L4 DIR DOHC 16V, fwd

Looks great, drives great and is exactly what I'm looking for but my only concern is the Carfax report (see below):

01/15/2007 California
Police Report Accident reported
CARFAX began reporting information from this source on 08/06/2007.

No details of accident are listed, no air bag deployment, no total loss check, odomotor roll back or structual damage. Regular maintance updates but nothing after "accident' reproted.

How do I get more info. about the incident and does this seem to be too good to be true or a great deal? I appreciate the feedback!

Seat comfort is most important with my disability. Quick, good gas mileage, used.

sidetrackmary1 — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:00:11 GMT

just returned my G35, have to downsize. need seat comfort, good mileage. I like a quick, off the line car but realize it may not happen. Any ideas for a used car with as many options as I've listed above. Gulp, under $20k

thanks for your help...
mar