re: Daughter is looking at cars

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Going to buy this weekend.

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Don't be rushed and take your time. It might save you thousands.

I hate my shite getting buried at the bottom of a page..

That would be me.

I thought about maintenance and figured it would be higher. Just something about paying that much for an Altima. She doesn't like Camrys - Accords are more expensive than Altimas.

Thanks for the wisdom - might keep looking a little longer.


Just some advice here. I bought a certified pre owned 09 camry sport with 35k miles on it. The sticker was like 19k i think and i got it for about 15k. I even got a warranty tossed in to cover up to 100k miles.

I know the lady doesn't like the camry but im looking more at the deal. You could take your 10k and go a little higher to get a better car. I wouldn't buy either one of those cars at the price listed. 12k for a base line altima with 101k miles on it is insane. I wouldn't pay over 8k for that car. The BMW I wouldn't F with.

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Never saw it mentioned, but is the Altima a 3.5 or 2.5?

That's makes a huge difference in those cars. The price seems about right for a 3.5. The 3.5 V6 in that Nissan will be practically bulletproof. I'm not sure if they put the CVT on the V6 in 2007, but I don't think they did yet. If that's the case it's a great car. A little high mileage compared to lesser cars in the price range, but should be fine.

That 3.5 could get her in trouble though. They are very quick.

If it's a 2.5, just don't buy it. It's a terrible engine, and the CVT just makes it worse. It has been improved since release in 2002, but still has terrible NVH and some failures

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It looks like a 2.5 based on the body style. The 3.5 is usually more sporty looking.

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Like I said. We went out looking for Altimas, Accords and Camrys and ran up on the BMW.

I really don't want to go above $15k for a 16 year old girl's first car and certainly don't want to buy new.

I am the farthest thing from a car person you can find. I had no idea about transmission issues in the Altima. We may start looking at Corollas and Civics a little closer. She wants leather and its uncommon in Corollas and Civics but I guess you can get that aftermarket, right?

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Corollas don't come with leather as far as i can tell. Te civic coupes are solid cars and look sporty and are safe. the 4 door civics look like shite.

Getting after market leather seats is expensive as shite too. I've had both leather and cloth seats. I'd prefer cloth for a 16 year old.

33 yrs so far as a mechanic. No way you spend that much on the Altima. I don't think she can "take on" the BMW.I suggest taking her/your money and putting it down on a new car with a new car warranty. She avoids repair costs for several years and pays a decent car note. 12,000 is a healthy down payment on a car on a 18-20,000 new car. Just my opinion.

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It looks like a 2.5 based on the body style. The 3.5 is usually more sporty looking.

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From '07-'12, they looked practically the same. Even gave the 2.5 dual exhaust. He said leather, which means SL trim, which also means they get the same wheels. Very difficult to distinguish a 2.5 vs 3.5 on the 4th gen Altima. Until you press the gas.

Looks like it does have CVT (unless 6sp manual). However, I don't recall many V6 CVT failures from that time frame. It's the same engine/trans as in the Maxima.

ETA: I want to clarify that I do believe there are better cars for the money, notably a new Mazda 3, Camry, or Corolla. They'd be a little more upfront, but would last a whole lot longer.

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I am the farthest thing from a car person you can find.

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that's how dealerships make money. they'd be out of business if everybody was a gearhead and cheap like me.

Thanks. But I'm paying cash for this car. Not taking a car payment out for a 16 year old.

I told her when she was 12 that I would match what she saved and she did well. I'm more than willing to throw in a little more for a good, safe used car, but I think you can find one of these Japanese sedans in the 12-14k range that will get her through college.

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You hate to think this way, but expect it to be wrecked. If it doesn't happen, bonus. Go with a civic/accord or corolla/camry. Reliable cars; safe cars. And when she is ready to upgrade and still has it, she'll get a decent amount on the trade in.

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Listen to this. Buying her a new car and getting a note is silly and wasteful.

Yeah you're missing something, when the BMW breaks you'll be helping her pay to fix it.