I'm starting the painful process of finding a 3rd car, primarily for our teenage daughter to use. This one kind of caught my eye, but I haven't talked to him yet. Thinking about offering him $1,800 cash if his story pans out.

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/727260765.html

KBB.com shows private party values as:

Fair $1300
Good $1700
Excellent $1900

This is a bit daunting, as I haven't bought a used car now in nearly 10 years, and haven't bought one from a stranger in 22 years. I do know there are scams everywhere you look, junk dealers selling them as individuals, etc., etc.

Thoughts?

Here's another interesting one. Higher miles, but possibly a more honest car.

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/726431164.html

I think either one would be OK, after discounting both prices. The first one is probably a good deal at <1800 firm, the second, I'm not sure.

I use a rule of thumb for used cars: Every car has a useable life that is generally free of big-ticket repairs. The '92 Oldsmobile with 85k on the frame and 40k on the motor probably has a reasonable life expectancy of 60k miles (~150k miles, total), assuming the motor has some used parts from the original engine. The '99 Pontiac with 143k on it is probably mostly shot, and might get about another 50k, without being completely dead.

Of course, down in Oklahoma, the highways are long and straight and winters are fairly mild... Check out car numero uno and see what the scoop is on that. Can you get a Carfax report?

I assume so, I haven't talked to either one of them yet. I know Carfax can be controversial, but I wouldn't buy a used car without running it.

Mike,
I would look at the Pontiac before the Olds. It's newer, has more safety features, and more to the point....your daughter will like it better!

Does the Olds have airbags and anti-lock brakes? I know during that time frame...it was not always standard.

I agree with LB. I would definitely be looking at the Pontiac. I think age is more important than milage, and 8 years is a long time. Josyln (friend of mine) had a 91 Cutlass that, well, left her standed more than once. Her dad drives it around Indy. She takes their 2002ish Dodge van. At any rate, the Olds has more goofy problems than one could imagine.

Yeah I see that side too. I'm trying not to be swayed by the fact that the Pontiac is exactly the car my daughter has wanted for more than a year. On the other hand, this era Grand Am seems to be fairly reliable and popular (parts).

I wouldn't mind high miles on the right car, but I'm old school enough that 143K miles seems like a heck of a lot.

I have 167,000 on my car. It's 4 years older.

Personally, if it does not have airbags, I would not buy it for my kid.

I agree, Andy. That's one of the basic requirements.

I have always liked the Pontiac cars for kids. Sporty, larger and seem more on the reliable side.

I have always wondered. How can we all be sure that air bags; when they get this old, they will work? Besides the light on the dash how do we know for sure? Anybody seen any info on this?
In a couple years we will be in the same boat for our eldest.

We looked at a used Grand Am for my son a few years ago.

My mechanic - said that one of the late '90s era 4cyl GM engines was a bit suspect. I cannot remember now which GM engine he meant, but the '99 Grand Am we looked at had that engine.

We took the car to him; he said - not that engine; wouldn't buy it for his kid.

He said that for the most part, if you took care of the engine from when new, it was OK. But if like most folks, if the engine had any deferred maintenance on it, it was fairly problematic.

He indicated things like just replacing a water pump was hundreds of dollars, due to the "unique" engineering of that engine meant having to tear it apart just to get to the pump.

I honestly cannot remember which model engine it was, other than it was on the Grand Am we looked at. I am sure CNY can fill you in on the engine to stay away from.

So before buying a used car (really, any used car), I would at least take a car like that to a good mechanic and pay him the going rate to go over it before buying it.

The 99 was the first year of the "new" style that ran until 2005. It was Pontiac's best seller too.

Assuming we're looking before 2002, there are three engines. The 2.4L I4, the 3.1L V6, and the 3.4L V6.

The 3.4L V6 replaced the 3.1 V6 in 1999. The old 2.4L I4 was replaced in 2002.

None of these engines compare to a Honda or Toyota engine from the period in power or smoothness.

GM took too much cost out of the Grand Ams and are a car I would avoid period, unless you can find one with very very low miles. There are just too many other cars to choose from that are better.

The water pump on the 2.4L requires the removal of the timing chain to replace, as the timing chain drives it.

The 3.1 and 3.4's are plagued with the lower intake manifold gasket problem. Even if it was done, chances are it was done incorrectly. Even if it was done correctly, Grand Ams are a poster child for pattern failures that I've made a lot of money off of.

BTW, the Dexcool Class Action Lawsuit (Dexcoolcoolsettlement.com) is a joke at best, and the ones benefitting the most are the lawyers, as usual.

It's unlikely that we'll buy anything with a 4 cylinder, but the info on the 6's in those cars is news to me. I appreciate it, Bob, and everyone else also.

I'm thinking 10 years old is about the oldest I want to go, but for cost reasons I'd like to go about that far back.

I've wondered for years about aging air bags. I guess if you're really in doubt, you could try to take the column apart and see what happens .