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I'm planning to sell my vic and buy a used car. Any tips for first time buyer??(Vic is bought by my parents) Also, i'm planning to buy either the 3-series ci (2001-2002 models) or G35 coupe. Which 1 would you guys buy if you have the choice? Budget is 28k or less. Thnx in advance.

 
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Wish I had those types of funds. I would go for the G35 coupe. I like the look of it better. I don't know much about the cares mechanically however so I can't help you there. As far as buying the car used - I've been looking for a used car myself the past couple of months and haven't had much luck. I've been looking for a 5thgen lude. I met with someone yesterday to see the car he was selling and it was in less than great shape. The tranny was kinda beat and needed new tires all around. He was asking under 10K but I didn't want to be busy fixing it up. Always take the car to a mechanic (that you trust) even if the car seems in great mechanical and physical shape. You've got no clue how the person before you drove the car and if he drove it too hard then you'll have problems down the road. Look for one with under 50,000 miles. Once you get into the 60K and above you get into some gray areas. There are some good techniques when seeing the car and test driving. Brake hard during the test drive and make sure to do some emergency steering and cornering to make sure everythings in check. Push the engine to the higher RPM's as well to ensure nothings slipping. Make sure all the lights and such work and ask the person for service records of the car and perhaps a carfax report.. If you have any other questions please ask.

 
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^^ Thanx for the input, i'll keep that in mind....

 
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g35 coupe all the way

 
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First fun a carfax. Then go from there. If the car has a good history is almost as important as the condition its in and the way it drives. If you can bring a mechanic or someone who knows cars. Make sure you check ever part on the car for a VIN sticker. This will tell you if the car has been in any accidents. always test every gear. take it to a parking lot and go around in circles in both directions. If its a stick test the clutch out. Always floor it in first gear and give it one good stop. I really can't think of anything else.

 
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finally, after discussing with my folks, they allowed me to sell the car.But i have a question, my next service is due in a couple of hundred miles, should i go and change the oil before selling or just leave it for the buyer to bring in for the next service??And should i repair all the damages (rock chip on the front bumper) before selling?What other websites beside autotrader and ebay that sell car?Thank you.

 
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g35 coupe my uncle and me test drove one so nice and they r pretty quick and very comfortable

 
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u should still get next service and yes repair front bumper i would

 
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that is up to you for the repairs and service.... obviously you can sell a bit higher if there is no damage in site. As for buying a used car, Mike said, give it a good flooring. Check under the hood, under the bumper, look for mis matched paint, dents/twists in chassis, rusts etc.... here a trick my mech taught me, look under the oil cap, if it has bubbles, then the engine is leacking coolant.

 
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Haha can’t believe this thread popped back up after 20 years 😅 but honestly, the advice here still holds up. Fixing small stuff like the bumper or getting a quick oil change before selling can really help with first impressions.

If anyone’s reading this in 2025 and trying to sell their car instead of trade it in, I’d say look around online — I recently found the Best Place to Sell My Car in NYC and was surprised how fast the whole process went. No haggling or wasted meetups, just a fair quote and pickup the same day. Way easier than dealing with random buyers.

 
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This conversation took place over 20 years ago.