I feel like every major purchase mistake has been related to cars. I'm great with everything, but I just can't seem to get it right with cars, and I'm determined to do better this time.
Here are my questions:
-- Given what I'm looking for, how can I figure out a reasonable price?
-- Should I only look on Craigslist, or are there other places to look?
-- What should I be looking for to make sure it's a good deal?
-- What age/how many miles make sense for a given price? For example, how many years/ miles would you expect for a car that costs $5000? $7000? $10,000?
Here's what I'm looking for:
-- Compact sedan
-- Automatic (I know how to drive standard, but I have a bad knee and can't do the clutch anymore, so this is non-negotiable)
-- Working HVAC
-- Handles well in snow and ice (ABS, etc.)
-- Will run well for at least 3-5 years before needing major repairs (I have no idea how to figure this out.)
-- Must be safe, of course.
-- Clean title, of course.
I have a trusted mechanic who I'll pay to look over a car before I buy it, but I'm not sure how to figure out which car to bring to him. And if it matters, I'm in the Boston, MA area. Thanks for any and all advice!