1. BMW’s, historically, always have electrical problems by the sixth year. Don’t ask why. It’ll be a short here....a switch there....a broke cable here....etc.
2. If you find a car that’s ten years old....owned by one owner....always stored in the garage....low mileage...buy it. These guys who garage their vehicle....take better care than the guy who keeps it on the street.
3. If you find a guy who has a convertible that he only drove in the summer months over the past ten years....it’s probably worth the extra $3k he wants beyond the blue-book value.
4. A French car is a French car. Unless you buy it new....don’t anticipate getting something of long-term value.
5. If you decide to buy a Fiat over five years old...plan on knowing your mechanic on a personal basis. He’ll travel more....thanks to you.
6. Germans tend to have high expectations on cars and maintenance. So they tend to build cars that last. The British tend to be the opposite....having a fetish for maintenance on a week by week basis.
7. Buy what you need. If you just need a car to get back and forth to work only, then a SMART might be enough to do the job.
8. Germany has this legendary plateau.....you spend $1,500 on a 15-year old Opel...put $1000 into it (tires, battery, brakes, etc) over four years....it’s still worth $1,500 at the end.
9. If you live on top of a hill or mountain....and buy a rear-wheel drive vehicle....you deserve what’s going to happen this winter.
10. Finally, when you’ve accepted the idea of a 12-year old used car....don’t worry about color. It’s the rust content that matters.
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