Is this car worth 4 grand?

[lightningrodbob]

http://boise.craigslist.org/ctd/1519795285.html


I really wanna buy this explorer, its $3995, the interior is flawless, the paint job is beautiful, really a gorgeous car with only a few minor blemishes on the exterior (a small chip here, a faint scratch there. Nothing major). Its got 161k miles though. I don't know a lot about cars but my father-in-law thinks I can get something better for less money, and with less mileage. Now i've been looking on craigslist, autotrader, etc. and I haven't seen anything I like even half this much for the same amount of money, or with much less miles on the engine

I test drove it and it drove perfectly fine from what I can tell, but again I don't know a lot about the mechanical aspect of cars. There's a small noise when the engine starts up and then its gone.


So would you pay 4 grand for this explorer?


I'm gonna try to talk him down to 3500 but who knows

 

[lightningrodbob]

PS you can't tell from the pictures but the interior is actually tan, not grey. And its pretty much immaculate, the leather has no rips in it at all, carpets are clean, dash is clean. Its got a great sound system. The only thing is, the cartridge for the 6-disc changer is missing, but I figured I could get one of those relatively cheap on ebay or something (any recommendations on that?)

 

[410Fortune]

161,000 miles is getting up there, it likely needs all new suspension and drivetrain parts, brakes, steering, shocks, hubs, springs, etc...just FYI

The v8 gen II is an awesome truck, but with those miles around here in CO that truck would be $2500-3000 MAX, private party...

The v8 Gen II explorer is a GREAT TRUCK, it would be nice ot know what work has been done to this thing, if any

the CD changer and the condition of the paint is not your primary concern IMO, the mechanical condition is

 

[jremington59]

There's not a prayer I'd spend 4 grand on that vehicle. And what's the deal with a 5 year warranty for 695? I don't know of any warranty company that would give that warranty on a vehicle that old or with that many miles. I live in one of the snowiest areas in the Country and as was said earlier, that's a 2500 dollar vehicle.

I take it that's from a dealer?

 

[Joe Dirt]

Don't let him sell you on "It's got custom rims" because those things are hideous.

I'd side at no more than 3k. Cleaning is easy, Mechanicals are the real key to that ride.

 

[Mirge]

Like others have said... it's not worth $4k.. at least to me (and apparently others). Looks nice, but that is easy to achieve.

161k miles, it's gonna run into problems relatively quick potentially. What exactly does the warranty cover? Bumper to bumper? Drivetrain? Nothing in reality?

Figure out what the warranty covers and what the terms/conditions are of it. Ask for service history. Test drive it if you really are that interested after finding out more about it... and take it to a reputable mechanic to have a thorough inspection done... don't rely on their inspection.

If, after all of the above, you still like it... make them include the warranty in the price at the very least. Though it does seem odd to offer a warranty on a higher mileage truck like that.

 

[robertoa1a]

You should start a roth IRA and use your extra money to fix up your truck. Being old doesn't suck when you do that. You respect your ride more.

 

[lightningrodbob]

161,000 miles is getting up there, it likely needs all new suspension and drivetrain parts, brakes, steering, shocks, hubs, springs, etc...just FYI

The v8 gen II is an awesome truck, but with those miles around here in CO that truck would be $2500-3000 MAX, private party...

The v8 Gen II explorer is a GREAT TRUCK, it would be nice ot know what work has been done to this thing, if any

the CD changer and the condition of the paint is not your primary concern IMO, the mechanical condition is

Thanks for your post, like I said I don't know a lot about cars. Do you think it will need all those parts replaced just based off the miles? Because when I test drove it, it ran great. The tires looked like they had a lot of tread left. It says it passed a 72 point inspection, whatever that means.


What kind of mileage do you guys think I should be paying for on a $4,000, 12 year old truck? I haven't been able to find much with less than 140k on it.

 

[lightningrodbob]

PS that "warranty" doesn't interest me in the least, just ignore that part of the craigslist post haha

 

[JDraper]

I know most of you say you wouldn't pay that much for the vehicle, but KBB value for retail sale in excellent condition is listed as $6385 with a private party value of $4985...and yes I know KBB isn't always accurate, but that's WAY off what they're asking.....

Something isn't adding up....dealer's usually don't go that far below book value....I'd run the VIN through Carfax and OASIS before I would buy that. I'd also look it over THOROUGHLY for signs of accident or flood damage..

Here's what I ran:

Vehicle Highlights



Mileage: 161,000 Engine: V8 5.0 Liter Transmission: Automatic Drivetrain: AWD
Selected Equipment


Change Equipment


Standard
Air ConditioningAM/FM StereoABS (4-Wheel) Power SteeringDual Front Air Bags
Optional
Eddie BauerSingle Compact DiscPrivacy Glass Power WindowsPremium SoundRunning Boards Power Door LocksLeatherTowing Pkg Tilt WheelDual Power SeatsAlloy Wheels Cruise ControlRoof Rack



Blue Book Suggested Retail Value

Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail Value is representative of dealers' asking prices for a used car, and the starting point for negotiation between a consumer and a dealer. This Suggested Retail Value assumes that the vehicle has been fully reconditioned and has a clean title history, but has not been certified in accordance with any Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program the automaker may offer (for which it may or may not qualify, according to factors such as vehicle age and mileage). This value also takes into account the dealers' profit, costs for advertising, sales commissions and other costs of doing business. The final sale price will likely be less depending on the vehicle's actual condition, popularity, type of warranty offered and local market conditions.

Vehicle Condition Ratings
Check Vehicle Title History
Excellent
$6,385

• Looks new, is in excellent mechanical condition and needs no reconditioning.
• Never had any paint or body work and is free of rust.
• Clean title history and will pass a smog and safety inspection.
• Engine compartment is clean, with no fluid leaks and is free of any wear or visible defects.
• Complete and verifiable service records.

Less than 5% of all used vehicles fall into this category.
* Idaho 12/23/2009

 

[lightningrodbob]

I know most of you say you wouldn't pay that much for the vehicle, but KBB value for retail sale in excellent condition is listed as $6385 with a private party value of $4985...and yes I know KBB isn't always accurate, but that's WAY off what they're asking.....

Something isn't adding up....dealer's usually don't go that far below book value....I'd run the VIN through Carfax and OASIS before I would buy that. I'd also look it over THOROUGHLY for signs of accident or flood damage..

Here's what I ran:

Vehicle Highlights



Mileage: 161,000 Engine: V8 5.0 Liter Transmission: Automatic Drivetrain: AWD
Selected Equipment


Change Equipment


Standard
Air ConditioningAM/FM StereoABS (4-Wheel) Power SteeringDual Front Air Bags
Optional
Eddie BauerSingle Compact DiscPrivacy Glass Power WindowsPremium SoundRunning Boards Power Door LocksLeatherTowing Pkg Tilt WheelDual Power SeatsAlloy Wheels Cruise ControlRoof Rack



Blue Book Suggested Retail Value

Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail Value is representative of dealers' asking prices for a used car, and the starting point for negotiation between a consumer and a dealer. This Suggested Retail Value assumes that the vehicle has been fully reconditioned and has a clean title history, but has not been certified in accordance with any Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program the automaker may offer (for which it may or may not qualify, according to factors such as vehicle age and mileage). This value also takes into account the dealers' profit, costs for advertising, sales commissions and other costs of doing business. The final sale price will likely be less depending on the vehicle's actual condition, popularity, type of warranty offered and local market conditions.

Vehicle Condition Ratings
Check Vehicle Title History
Excellent
$6,385

• Looks new, is in excellent mechanical condition and needs no reconditioning.
• Never had any paint or body work and is free of rust.
• Clean title history and will pass a smog and safety inspection.
• Engine compartment is clean, with no fluid leaks and is free of any wear or visible defects.
• Complete and verifiable service records.

Less than 5% of all used vehicles fall into this category.
* Idaho 12/23/2009

Yeah I forgot to mention, I got a Carfax report on it, its had 2 accidents in its lifetime, one in april of 98 and one in september 2004. the Carfax shows no structural/frame damage, flood damage, airbag deployment, or total loss. The car was driven for a decade after that first accident and 5 years after the 2nd one, and it looks pristine. So i'm guessing it was all just cosmetic damage, but you can never be sure.

 

[JDraper]

BTW, I'm not endorsing that value for the vehicle, just reporting what one of the vehicle value sites shows. I definitely wouldn't pay what they say is retail for it, although it being a V8 AWD makes it worth more than if it were the V6, and the reliability (with all other things being equal) should be better.

 

[lightningrodbob]

This one is comparable, but with higher mileage. They're trying to charge almost 7 grand!

http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/ctd/1521291579.html

 

[my pos mounty]

They can ask what theu want, the question remains.....who in thier right mind is gonna pay for it? Its a case of what P.T. Barnum said "Theres a sucker born every minute"

 

[alohamonte]

160k is a lot for these trucks. In the 120-140k window on my 98' .... I replaced the front hubs, rebuilt the front end, rebuilt the transmission, replaced all shocks, replaced altenator, replaced intake gaskets, and a host of EVAP problems. Get ready to start fixing it within a month of getting it off the lot.

I wouldnt pay more than $3500 for a first gen.

 

[lightningrodbob]

They can ask what theu want, the question remains.....who in thier right mind is gonna pay for it? Its a case of what P.T. Barnum said "Theres a sucker born every minute"

Yeah that price is ridiculous, just pointing it out.


If I can talk the guy down to $3500 I think I'm gonna buy it. Here's the deal, I have $3500 from my insurance company from my car getting plowed recently (a 95 suburban with almost 190k miles on it... the guy did me a favor haha).

So I'm looking for something around 3500-4000, I don't want to finance anything, I've got a newborn baby and a lot of hospital bills, I really can't afford a car payment right now.

So in the price range, this is the best explorer i've found so far. Everything else i've seen is either

a)in poor condition, lower price
b)similar condition, more miles, about the same price or maybe a little less, not as sexy, not as many options
c) similar condition, less miles, significantly higher price

 

[eXcali]

I'd steer clear of that truck. I see a lot of rear-end sag which is a good sign that the trailer hitch on it's had a good workout as with the tranny and engine. Just to give you an idea, I paid a Ford dealer $1,500 for my 98. It needed new wheel bearing hubs, which I'm sure this one will need shortly as well as they start showing signs of failure around 150k and are only rated for 100k.

The dealer I was shopping at was asking $3,900 for the 98 Explorer and I drove it home for $1,500 out the door.

Edit: Well it sounds like you're dead-set on buying it, just be aware the "sexy" will wash away when you're sinking $1k into it for the front wheel hubs. I've also seen many "sexy" cars sitting in the yard while I'm hunting parts at the junkyard. You just have to figure that you will be putting around $1k into it soon after purchase.

 

[eXcali]

http://boise.craigslist.org/cto/1521476613.html

There's a better bang for your buck. $1k less asking price so you can probably drive it home for $2,500 and it has 115k miles.



Or try this one, it's a 2000 mounty, but 170k miles.
http://boise.craigslist.org/cto/1490655404.html

 

[soon2bsick]

that is a pretty explorer.... but honestly I just paid half that for a mountaineer with the same mileage. Excali has a nice find, if you keep your eyes on craigslist you can find some good deals if you get to them fast enough

 

[sidneyhop]

Also something to consider when evaluating the knowledgability and or honesty of that dealer on the first ex listed. It looks to be a 4x4 and NOT an AWD. If that dealer is just throwing options at it willy nilly, it says to me he doesnt know squat about it and just looking to move it with any BS he can come up with.