We are looking for a used car to replace our 1995 grand am with 165000 miles on it. We have a nicer, newer SUV but because its a gas hog we want a smaller 6 cylinder car that we can take on longer trips. I cannot honestly believe how out of this world used car pricing is! It is unbelievable! I have seen cars with 130000 miles on them for sale for 5000.00$!!! It is UNREAL what people are asking for their cars. The dealers are the worst, but private sellers are just as bad anymore. We are not looking to spend a fortune on a used car, but we aren't talking about only have a few hundred dollars to spend either. We bought our grand am 3 years ago for 750.00 and it's ran fine every day since (except when it needed a new fuel pump) now it seems you can't touch a used car for less then 5000.00. It's so hard to shop for one when you have a budget and we are not willing to go over it. Im just so angry at what people are trying to sell their cars for. Thanks for letting me vent.

See if you can find the Kelly Blue book value on the kind car you are looking for/at.

My brother was talking to my mother last week about her aunt's car. He told her the blue book value, but said start with a little bit of a higher price. That way you have room to go down on the price, but still make what it is worth.

Some of those people may not have a clue what the car is actualy worth, or they are hoping the buyer doesn't have an idea. Either way, they ask for a higher price, then the buyer can talk them down, so they still make money and the buyer feels he gets a deal.

the blue book values are way lower then what they are asking. When you call someone and ask them if they will go lower, they say no.

A LOT of people in this state seem to be flipping cars. Buying piles of junk, advertising them as great running cars, and then when you drive two hours to go see this car, you find the check engine light on, the car sounds like it drove for days with no oil in it, and there are puddles under the car. We called about one car, and asked the guy how long he had owned the car, he said three days. Well, that right there tells us something!

It is just so frustrating

Ahhhh...I owned a Grand Am and I loved that car.... Had to sell it when we had kids,,Couldn't get the baby seat and groceries in all at once....I do hear yah about the price of cars nowadays...Crazy! Hope you find something you like soon!

well I can't say we love our grand am LOL but it gets my dh back and forth to work everyday, so we are thankful for that. It is just time to get a new one.

I got a car from a dealer in November. Took on payments and everything. It lasted a month, for a $5,000 car! Stopped the payments.

Just last week we got a used Bonneville for $1,500. The mechanic's diagnostic test said that it was a solid car. We did have to replace a radiator. Apparently somebody had it welded or used stop leak in it or something like that. Brought the price of the car up to $2,000. Still not a bad deal for transportation back and forth to work and a way to evacuate in the case of a hurricane.

You are right, they want waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much for used cars. Of course, they destroyed all of those cars with the "cash for clunkers" deal. Lots of cars that were otherwise perfectly good. People needed those cars.

i found when i was car shopping that there is really no point in shopping at the dealers. they are going to wayyyy over charge you. your best bet is to go through the classifids in your local newspaper, look on ebay and look at the cars with the "for sale signs" at the side of the road. Sure, your not going to get a warranty, but most car yard warrnties are only for those at a higher price. just get a full check of the car you want to buy from a qualified mechanic (here in aus if you a member of the NRMA they come out and do it for free for you. =)) and you shoudlnt have a problem! you may also want to try a car auction, where the dealers themsleves get their cars from. most people dont know this, but they are actually also open to the public, and your going to get your car "wholesale" there.

good luck!!!

well, i do believe its thanks to cash for clunkers that there aren't alot of used cars out there. They had to crush all those cars that came in. The dealers weren't even allowed to strip them for parts. So just wait until we all need parts for our older vehicles. There either gonna be a fortune or very hard to find. Here the junk yard is even advertising for unwanted cars.

we bought our 95 grand am 3 years ago for 750.00. We had to replace the fuel pump last year, but other then that, it has started up and driven my husband to work every day.

We did find a car on sunday (finally!) It's 11 years old and the owner came down 500.00 less then what they were advertising it. It was a private seller. I thought I smelled coolant once it was home (of course) and took it to a mechanic in town yesterday and had them do a thorough look over. He said a coolant clamp was busted and that is where the coolant leak was coming from. He said everything else under the hood looked really good for it's age, plus the fact it only has 52,000 miles on it didn't hurt!

I really feel sympathy for anyone still looking for a car. I can't believe how messed up prices are out there. It's a shame.