new or used?

[sarah428]

Now that I know I want a vibe the question is do I buy new or used? I've priced out a new one for just over $18.000 but also found the same one I want ('03 w/ 9700 miles) for $4,000 less. It's a certified used vehicle so the warranty still applies. My main concern is I've read a few times about battery and paint problems w/ the 02 & 03 that were corrected w/ the 04...what do you think?

[Raven]

Check the interest rates on new compared to used. Here my new one is 1.9% and a used one was 7.6%. Over a 4 or 5 year loan the amount of interest payed can end up being more than the cost difference between new and used, so the new one would be a better deal.

[DavidPIL]

hi Sarah,I don't think the Battery or the Paint was "corrected" in the 04 models... from what I've read, the 560cca battery won't be standard till the 05 models. The paint, well, I've always heard problems with GM paint. My red 85 Olds Calais was just as bad as the Vibe with paint chips and minor scratches. The worst part about that was they changed the paint code for the 86 model so even the touch-up paint wasn't right. I would suggest, if you go for the used Vibe, to have them replace the battery with the 560cca battery or the deal is off. Also read through here and see if there were any other issues, like alignment and maybe the tire wear to see if the used Vibe has any of these issues then have them look it over and replace/fix parts before you sign anything. These things could also be a barganing chip to lower the price as well. Good luck with you decision.Dave

[wicked1981]

Maybe you should look into a Matrix. Same car more parts for it in the aftermarket world. Just a thought.

[DoughBoy]

Quote, originally posted by Sunny »Check the interest rates on new compared to used. Here my new one is 1.9% and a used one was 7.6%. Over a 4 or 5 year loan the amount of interest payed can end up being more than the cost difference between new and used, so the new one would be a better deal.preach on...also, i don't think $4k is nearly enough of a discount, even if it has only 10k miles on it. there is uncertainty when you buy a used car, and i don't think the $4k is worth it IMHO.1.9% is a helluva bargain these days...

[msmyer]

Sarah-First off, welcome to GenVibe! As for the car....buy new, its yours and you can drive it off the lot! Just my two cents!

[jake75]

If you buy used, you are giving up the best 9,700 miles which is worth a minimum of 25 cents a mile, that's $2,425. You are giving up probably 1 year of bumper-to-bumper zero deductible warranty, worth a minimum of $400; you are 33% in to some routine maintence (brakes, etc.) worth about $175; and giving up the best 25% of tire tread, worth about $200. Is a new car (and lower financing if you need it) not worth the $800 difference? You will make much more than that back when you trade-in the 2004 (vs 2003) on your next car. In my experience, a dealer makes $2,000 profit on a used car, and is lucky to make $500 on a new one, so the value is in buying new.

[joatmon]

Was the $18K after incentives? These three threads are about Vibe resale value, might put some perspective on the $14K price on the used one.http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id ... ad?id=2577

[AKLGT]

Quote, originally posted by sarah428 »Now that I know I want a vibe the question is do I buy new or used? I've priced out a new one for just over $18.000 but also found the same one I want ('03 w/ 9700 miles) for $4,000 less. It's a certified used vehicle so the warranty still applies. My main concern is I've read a few times about battery and paint problems w/ the 02 & 03 that were corrected w/ the 04...what do you think?well, the paint issues and battery issues were not corrected for '04, but the battery issue is resolved for the '05 models.

[sarah428]

Well now that I know the battery problem hasn't been corrected I guess it's not really that much of an issue. I would rather buy new and breaking it down looks like that's the better option. I qualify for the GM supplies discount (which I'm not sure I'm a big fan of since you can't haggel (sp?) with the price) so here's the break down:Base Vibe, Power Package, ABS, Automatic for $18,314With tax, title, etc. would be $19186 out the door but there is also a $1500 cash rebate or 0.0% financing. If we can get a low enough rate we'll probably go with the rebate.Has anyone else used the GM supplier discount? I've searched but didn't find much.