2001 L300. Is it a good deal?

[SATURNFAN13185-2]

I'm looking at dumping my '97 Intrepid. And replacing it with:

2001 Saturn L300, 1 0wner, 57,000 miles


3.0L V6
4speed auto
power windows
power locks
keyless entry
sunroof
leather package w/ heated seats
power drivers seat
ABS/TC
head curtain airbags
cassette/cd players
*ice cold* air conditioning
well maintained (all service records up thru 52K)
oil life monitor
aftermarket electrochromic mirror w/ compass/temp

$14,560 from an individual

Silver/black leather

What do you all think? Good deal or not?

Thanks in advance

Ed

[L300Boy]

Go to www.kbb.org and check the suggested *private party* price. Input the information, and see what is "suggested". At or under that is a great deal.

I think mine is in the 18k-19k range for fully loaded with 27,000 miles, its been a while since i checked. Trade-in values are a different story. I think mine is at 15k.

I just was at a dealer who offered me $13,700 for it due to market conditions.. yea right.

[dorseto]

57000 is A LOT of miles. KBB deteremine in my area, the value through private party at good condition is around $12700. Keep in mind, 57000 miles is out of warranty and hearing through here, it might be the early 2001s that still has the early model bugs.

[SATURNFAN13185-2]

Keep in mind I'm trading this for a piece of CRAP '97 Intrepid with 128,000. So 57,000 seems like only a few miles to me. I'm hoping that on a car w/ 57K, most of the "bugs" would've been fixed by this time. Any other thoughts?

Ed

[OPEC]

Not a bad deal - but not a paticularly great one either.

I would not advise you to purchase if you are a high mileage driver.

If you want to buy it I suggest offering a $1000 less than he currently is asking.

Its more than he could get on trade with all them miles....I bet he would take it

[Plastic Gravity]

I agree. For nearly 15K, you can do better.

Its got almost 60K miles. The financing binge lowered the prices of used cars across the board.

Do a little looking around first.

Hows this sound:
Price $14850
Mileage 17650
Exterior Color Black Berry
Body Style Sedan
Doors Four Door
Engine 6 Cylinder Gasoline

Same price, lot fewer miles, still underwarranty (http://www.autotrader.com/findacar/vdetail.jtmpl?car_id=85013862&dealer_id=1365253&drive=&certified=n&max_price=&start_year=1982&end_year=2002&address=53151&body_style=&search_type=used&make=SATURN&engine=&model=L300&min_price=&distance=any&fuel=&advcd_on=y&advanced=y&first_record=76&transmission=&doors=&max_mileage=&=&color=&car_year=2001&ac_afflt=none)

[SATURNFAN13185-2]

I plan to "negotiate" with the guy. He seems like a nice guy. What do you figure my InCRAPid is worth on trade-in? Saturn offered me $1700 for it. I'm sorry, even for a Dodge, that's a little low. ESPECIALLY with all the work I put into it.

A Dodge Intrepid with a brand new paint job (like 8 months ago), new front suspension parts (struts tie rods etc etc), NO rattles, decent transmission, working a/c and decent new headlights, I figure I can get a good $4,000 or $5,000 for iton the street. If I can get that guy down to about $13,500 or $13,000 that won't be too bad.

Ed

Any other ideas? Thanks BTW for the suggestions already posted.

[piney]

The used car market is flush, far too flush to pay anywhere retail for a car. If you are buying used, buy a nice, low miled one and don't pay more than black book wholesale. You'll have to look, but you can find a lot of nice and really nice cars for less than 14k with a lot less miles on it.

Here is a 2000 L300 with leather and a roof with 9500 miles on it for $12,500. One heck of a price difference and miles difference.

http://www.autotrader.com/findacar/vdetail.jtmpl?car_id=85489677&dealer_id=&certified=n&max_price=&start_year=1997&end_year=2002&address=33351&search_type=used&make=SATURN&model=L300&min_price=&distance=any&advcd_on=n&advanced=n&first_record=51&=&color=&car_year=2000&ac_afflt=none

Sell your Intrepid private or take a beating.

[BobL]

If you can get a great finance rate on a new car, you may wind up with the same payments on a new one as a used one.

So many good deals on new out there, why buy used?

If you do go used, check the real selling prices in your area. Late model used cars have taken a real hit.

[piney]

Originally posted by BobL
If you can get a great finance rate on a new car, you may wind up with the same payments on a new one as a used one.

So many good deals on new out there, why buy used?

Why buy new?? Lease perhaps, buy? Nope.

The Park Ave that I just got (and not from an estate sale as much as one might surmise) sold new for just under 37k. I got it with 25,200 miles on it for about 1/3 of that is three years old. My question would be: Why take a 24,000 hit for having a car 3 years? (That is over 650 per month in depreciation!!) If you are picky and patient, you can find lots of neat stuff for a song if you shop. Buy an extended warranty (mine was 1100 for 3/50 bumper to bumper with a 100 buck deductable) and you will have comparatively cheap wheels that are protected should something go south.

If you wanted a L300, get a low miled 2000, get a warranty, and some nice rims to hide the year. You could even chip in another $20 bucks for the new trunk lettering - just for good measure - and still be at about 1/2 what they run new.

[SATURNFAN13185-2]

So many good deals on new out there, why buy used?

BobL you're right. But my thing is that I'll be leaving for college in about a year, quitting my *secure and high paying* technical job here, and I'm not sure what kind of job I'll end up with at my college. So I'd really like to have my car paid off by then. I talked to the guy earlier this morning about the car and I'm going to go look at it today, and he has said that if I want it, he'll lower the price to $12,700 but that's as low as he'll go. If there's nothing major wrong with it, I'm going to purchase it at that price. And then as soon as I sell my Intrepid, the car will be paid off because I'm putting money down that I have in my savings account.

Wish me luck--maybe by the middle of this week I'll be driving my "new" L300.

Thanks for all the advice

Ed

[SATURNFAN13185-2]

One thing I'm also considering doing, assuming I don't buy this car, is waiting to find a good 2002 L300 for sale in a year or so, either used or maybe a demo car. One that has those side-impact improvements. Two stars isn't particularly palatable, but I could deal with it if I had the side curtain airbags, which the one I'm looking at does. Any advice on that?

Ed

[OPEC]

12,700 is a really good deal so long as the car is in good condition considering the equiptment it has.

I would suggest you check the car for paintwork

Go here to learn how

http://www.vauxhallpa.50megs.com/paintwork.html

[SATURNFAN13185-2]

Thanks for that excellent site, OPEC. I already knew about the edges of a repainted panel sometimes might not be as smooth, if they don't blend in the paint properly (and many, at least around here, of even the best body shops don't bother to do that). But he did have some other good tips that I didn't know about.

The L300, when I looked at it, did have a few problems.

The car was rear-ended awhile back, but the damage was corrected. A new bumper with new mechanicals and frame attachment members was installed.

There is a fairly major oil leak on the left (driver's) side cylinder bank valve cover. It has been dripping oil down the side of the engine. He tried to clean it up, but I still was able to make it out. After test driving it for 20 minutes with him on various road surfaces, a little oil had started to drip down the engine.

There is a fairly large scratch on the passenger-side rear door, all the way down to the polymer. I can repair that myself, though.

As far as the good points of the car, the air conditioner is indeed ice cold. Works great. There was only one rattle, a slight one down by the radio. I'm sure I could fix that too with a little expanding foam. The V6 delivers smooth and quiet power, just like every one I have driven. The seat heaters/power seat all work just fine. Power windows/locks/sunroof/keyless entry all work. The head curtain airbags work fine, I tested them (just kidding lol). ABS and TC both work (I actually DID test those, on purpose). Wipers/washers--everything works. No leaks or anything like that from the sunroof, the interior of the car is in immaculate condition. He showed me all the service records, and it has been taken care of very well.

The valve cover I can replace myself if necessary, it's a $30 kit from AutoZone and about two hours worth of time. The scratch I can also repair myself. After running a carfax report on it, there aren't any other problems that I should be aware of. He is indeed the first owner. I've looked at a few other L series cars, but this one tops them all.

So I've decided to buy it. I'll contact him later this week about it to see how we can work payment out on it. So I'm happily coming back to the Saturn family.

Ed

[OPEC]

Let us know how it works out.

My last advice - spend the money to put on different tires!

[Qlara]

The mileage seems a bit high in just 2001 model year, have you tried to search through Saturn's Dealer website for pre-owned? Sometimes there're some good deals out there with retailers backed the car.