NEW 1st TIME DRIVER: PROETEGE 5

[P-Funk!]

I agree^

It should not blow smoke and should start first time! Ask for service records. Have another person go with you - they may see things you might be love-blind to (i once bought a '72 Monte Carlo that any friend would have talked me out of. I just loved the paint and the wheels and ignored the flaws. [sigh]).

Things to ask the seller:
1. Has the 'VTCS Screws Recall' been performed? (Search the thread and print to bring with you. Cost to perform ~$800)
2. Have the motor mounts been changed? (if not - the engine will jump quite a bit when 'power braking' to load the engine. Expect to pay ~$300 or so to have them changed)
3. Have the struts been changed? (They would be due and would cost ~$300-ish to change as well)

This is to give you leverage to negotiate a better price. Buy the car and with the money saved - start the mods!

Good luck and let us know how you did.

(And please don't be insulted by the jabs at your manners/spelling/grammar. But do take them to heart and improve yourself. You won't regret it)

 

[MAZDA-626]

thanks for the help i will ask for all of these!!....i will try and make him drop the price...any more suggestions?

 

[MAZDA-626]

i really wish the folks who posted earlier about the old car to tell me what they think about this one!

 

[dd123]

I agree^

It should not blow smoke and should start first time! Ask for service records. Have another person go with you - they may see things you might be love-blind to (i once bought a '72 Monte Carlo that any friend would have talked me out of. I just loved the paint and the wheels and ignored the flaws. [sigh]).

Things to ask the seller:
1. Has the 'VTCS Screws Recall' been performed? (Search the thread and print to bring with you. Cost to perform ~$800)
2. Have the motor mounts been changed? (if not - the engine will jump quite a bit when 'power braking' to load the engine. Expect to pay ~$300 or so to have them changed)
3. Have the struts been changed? (They would be due and would cost ~$300-ish to change as well)

This is to give you leverage to negotiate a better price. Buy the car and with the money saved - start the mods!

Good luck and let us know how you did.

(And please don't be insulted by the jabs at your manners/spelling/grammar. But do take them to heart and improve yourself. You won't regret it)

Thanks

I am also looking to buy a used P5 and one I saw has 110K miles 2002 P5 asking 5.9K in Southern california. Single owner/looks clean car/black color.

Would the above three questions be relevant to all of P5 ?
Why would one need to change the engine mount and usually at how many miles ?

Thanks

 

[MAZDA-626]

^^
i think thats a bid too much for the asking price.....the one i found was a 1 owner with 93k miles asking price was $6k..silver in color

 

[bpoche]

it all depends on the condition. California should have no rust, and on black you will be able to see any damage. check nada.com for value.

 

[bpoche]

http://www.nadaguides.com/usedcars....28&c=20&mi=110000&o=80&vi=50043&z=70087&da=-1http://www.nadaguides.com/usedcars.aspx?LI=1-21-1-5013-0-0-0&l=1&w=21&p=1&f=5014&y=2002&m=1203&d=728&c=20&mi=110000&o=80&vi=50043&z=70087&da=-1

 

[dd123]

http://www.nadaguides.com/usedcars....28&c=20&mi=110000&o=80&vi=50043&z=70087&da=-1http://www.nadaguides.com/usedcars.aspx?LI=1-21-1-5013-0-0-0&l=1&w=21&p=1&f=5014&y=2002&m=1203&d=728&c=20&mi=110000&o=80&vi=50043&z=70087&da=-1

Thanks

 

[MAZDA-626]

which one is the best to check for car prices??... edmunds,,kbb,,,or nada???

 

[bpoche]

i know most dealers in the New Orleans area use nada.

 

[P-Funk!]

Thanks

I am also looking to buy a used P5 and one I saw has 110K miles 2002 P5 asking 5.9K in Southern california. Single owner/looks clean car/black color.

Would the above three questions be relevant to all of P5 ?
Why would one need to change the engine mount and usually at how many miles ?

Thanks

Yes - i would ask of any P5 seller.

The motor mounts are usually shot after 60K miles (max).

 

[MAZDA-626]

ok peeps i have found this great car for sale so tell me what you think

link: http://tucson.craigslist.org/car/643929393.html

tell me what you think... i ran a carfax on it and turned out to be a 1 OWNER with clean title

I just looked at the car today and ohh it felt nice (shocked)..... the engine seemed fine except it seemed the mouter mounts need to be changed but the owner put a metal to hold them together...also it was scratched from the back and they said they will take care of it..... so i gave them an offer of $5000 at first they said NO then $5200 still NO and then i said my last offer $5500... they said the least they will take is $5700 i mean WTF!!...but they said they will give me a call if not sold......by the way the owner is a she who had kids...

 

[spirosp5]

that seems like a fair price considering the accessories and the mileage... plus it seems well cared for

 

[MAZDA-626]

that seems like a fair price considering the accessories and the mileage... plus it seems well cared for

you think i should get it for that price?

 

[stovie84]

I think that the one on Craig's list is a good deal. I found a P5 that i am working on buying right now for 6,250 with 103000 miles manual, sunroof, newer tires and clean. But I waited till i found the one i truly wanted, it is also 4 hours away so take your time and don't be afraid to travel.

 

[Crazy D]

Damn... I read the full tread and I "wow" even Mark got the business (lol2)... First time driver...First time forum poster...

Does it have to be a P5 ? From what I can read your having a hard time finding one... you even mentioned going "civic" try that route... you can even try those forums

I got mine for 8k with 9k miles on it... My first post

Just hit 30k a week or so ago...

Good luck "kid"

 

[MAZDA-626]

Damn... I read the full tread and I "wow" even Mark got the business (lol2)... First time driver...First time forum poster...

Does it have to be a P5 ? From what I can read your having a hard time finding one... you even mentioned going "civic" try that route... you can even try those forums

I got mine for 8k with 9k miles on it... My first post

Just hit 30k a week or so ago...

Good luck "kid"

how the hell do you get P5 for that price??... was it salvaged??

 

[Crazy D]

ha, ha... nope clean title

They sold the P5 I wanted the night before... so when I went up to test drive it and it wasn't there all hell broke loose (Black/5sp w moonroof - everything mine doesn't have)

I guess I was at the right place at the right time... I also took it as is, with out them touching up the paint nor detailing the inside. They did the inspection, oil change and everthing else

 

[jad0110]

Crazy D,

Lucky! That is a crazy deal you got there, dang! The KBB private party value on my '03 P5 is about $9,900 right now (43k miles, 5 spd, leather, red). To say that you were in the right place at the right time is an understatement! That remind me of a deal I missed that makes me wanna hurl: an aquaintence at work recently acquired an original .45 caliber pistol, 1911 Government Model manufactured by the SINGER company under contract during WWII. Singer 1911s are extremely rare today. He paid $400 and sold it the next day for $11,000 (bang) (and I hear than gent sold it a week later for upwards of 20k!!!)

Leaves me thinking why I never find deals like that!!!

I would personally stay away from a car with a salvaged title, though if expertly repaired, there should be no mechanical/safety issues. But somehow I doubt the car would ever be as precise/as good as a clean example. I am not certain if the "salvage title" regulations vary from state-to-state or not, but as far as I'm aware, in the state of NC it means the car repairs totaled to at least 975% of the car's market value. For a $10,000 car, that's quite a bit damage.

I am not sure why someone would take a salvage title on a car instead of a check from the insurance company. I'd rather take the money and buy something that isn't near worthless myself. If the car has sentimental value, I can understand. But the impact on the car's value can be pretty substantial. There is no hard formula for calculating a car's value after it's title has been branded "salvaged", but a rule of thumb I learned from a good friend in the auto sales business to determine the absolute max price to pay for the car or sell it for is to use the KBB "Poor" rating (for wholesale, private sale or retail - whichever applies), regardless of the actual condition of the car.

 

[MakeMeGoFast]

Buying a modded car is usually a bad idea. Main reason being that you dont know how bad the previous owner beat on it. Hold out for a manual stocker.