Why I never spent $25K on a car

[dbattman 0]

OK- so I've been looking around for a car for a week or two. After weighing options and desire for a good long term purchase and reliability, I came up with:

Nissna Sentra
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry

After looking around, I discounted the Accord since they were more than I wanted to spend and the Camry since they weren't as good value for the money (I wanted to buy 1-3 years old and stick the original owner with most of the depreciation). I test drove a few and eventually decided on an '01 Maxima from the Hertz lot up the street. On sale for $16,200 with ABS, Alarms/anti-theft, CD, power seat. Good condition, only a few scratches and a scrape on the front side fender- touched up and only noticeable up close). Nice power, good handling, quiet and smooth ride. I gave him a $200 hold check and said I wanted to test drive a few more- I'd get back to him tomorrow.

So I'm on the way home and missed my exit- no problem I'll go down an exit and cut over to the next main road. So, this is a fairly busy street and the exit ramp ADDS (not merges) as a third lane. I exit slowly behing a Montero and we're both crawling around the corner (this is an ADD lane, mind you) and I take a look left to see if anyone has their turn signals on and BANG- the woman stopped!!!

Frick! In the rental car, even! Why couldn't it have been my POS ragtop that I was going to junk out!

So now I'm back to the Carmax listing. A 2-3 year Altima or Sentra for 10-12K sound a lot more attractive now. Still has a good reputation but not as much power- and I'll pocket the extra $4k.

Let me reiterate- F#$K!!!

[Viking 0]

so you were in a rental car when you rear ended this lady?

I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver
My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin

[dbattman 0]

Unfortunately, yes. Mine was to the point were I didn't feel comfortable driving it and it wouldn't have made the trip back from TN to Atlanta.

Man, this sucks. Minor bend damage to the front adge of the hood and the bumper. Probably would have been fine if it was a regular car- those SUVs sit up so damn high the hood slipped under the bumper.

Maybe I'll just buy this car from National instead.

[Jimbo 0]

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Maybe I'll just buy this car from National instead.

Heh. Make them give you a discount since it's been in an accident.

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Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Magistr8 0]

GET THE SENTRA AND MAKE SURE IT'S A SPEC V

"Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools." Napoleon Bonaparte

[JohnnyD 0]

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Unfortunately, yes. Man, this sucks.

This may have been a stroke of luck, especially if I have ever rented that car.

[dbattman 0]

The Spec V looks and sounds like a great car. I've considered it, but the sticker price is about $18k. I'll probably give them a few years to get the bugs out of the design and then consider it again.

I'm lokking at an '00 Altima with a stick today- I even like the color.