[rickdale]

I purchased a used car last year. I would have to say part of buying a car is also the financing. If you can manage to get a good rate and put some cash down, thats a hack in and of itself.

As for not trading your car in... I understand you might get more $ selling it on cars.com or craigslist, but the truth of the matter is you can be stuck with your old car forever and all you wanted to do is get rid of it and on with the old one. For some people thats worth the moneyit will cost them by trading it in.

I had an experience with a honda civic. Lady said she loved the car. I was asking the lowest bluebook minus 500. It was in better condition than that, but we both found it fair. When she came to pick the car up, she saw I had dogs and panicked about her allergies and this and that. I reassured her I had the car detailed and the dog hadn't been near the car since. No deal. I was fed up and traded it in. Lost 1500, but I would have happily paid that to not deal with the lady.

[graywh]

Bigger hack: pay cash.

[larrys]

Not true. Dealer makes money on the financing. If they are making money on that they can afford to sell you the car for less. Usually a good idea to walk into the dealership and let them believe you are going to finance the car and at the last minute change your mind.

[graywh]

I wasn't inferring that you could get a better price from a dealer by paying cash. I was referring to not financing the purchase of something that will depreciate.

[ghaff]

Even if it's cash you have sitting in your checking account, there's an opportunity cost associated with using it. Lots of people have no choice but to use financing in any case. And, if there's some special 0 percent financing or whatever deal, it may make sense to use dealer financing rather than pay cash even if you have it available. You just have to look at the numbers for the specific transaction.

[vaksel]

better yet, take the loan, then pay it off the next day.