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How much would thousands in repairs on a car you just bought bother you?

Nov 1, 2000 Write an essay on this topic.

It hasn't happened to me yet - but it's been the deciding factor in several purchases. Of course, if I can buy a used car from my parents, I could probably make them feel guilty enough to pay for the repairs if it fell apart soon after I bought it. I'm no expert, this is meant to be of help to other non experts who find technical advice intimidating.

Ask not what your warranty can do for you, ask what it can't

If you buy a used car from an individual, you get no warranty unless the car is new enough to have some factory warranty left. There's something to be said for this, but you'll be surprised how close the price of a one year old car can come to a new car. If you buy from a dealer you may get a limited power train warranty for no extra cost. The most important thing to know is what's not included in this warranty. I don't believe it happens often, but the worst case scenario you could have to put thousands into a car you just paid for, possibly spending as much for a used car in working condition as you would have for a new one.

Bumper to bumper, remember that phrase

That's what they call the warranty that comes with a new car, usually good for three years. There are things it doesn't include, but it's pretty much the best thing going for most cars. I don't remember what the Toyota dealer wanted for a three year old used Corolla, but I remember what he wanted for the three year B to B : a thousand bucks, a considerable percentage of the price of the car. If you ask how much a B to B costs and the dealer says it depends, don't let him change the subject, name any car you might possibly be interested in and ask for specifics. If anyone mentions a warranty, ask if it's bumper to bumper.

Still thinking it over?

I guess the important thing to know is what your reaction to the worst case would be. If two thousand dollars worth of repairs on an eight thousand dollar purchase would cause you or your spouse a stroke, it's not worth the risk. If you're capable of saying "I'm not going to kill myself, I took a calculated risk for good reasons and lost", then you might consider it after doing everything possible to check out the car before purchase.

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