http://www.cargurus.com/ This is a really good site. You put in the criteria you're looking for and it ranks the results based upon "Great Deal" through "Overpriced," essentially it uses blue book value and list price as the determining factor. I'm currently looking at 4-Runner's myself, so sort of in the same market as you.
"management" isn't supposed to be getting rich either. at least not doing something that considered a calling and a sacrifice generally.
Just bought a Ford Fusion on Jan 30th while it was snowing. Made a ridiculously low offer, and their counter-offer was $900 less than the original "good deal" price quoted. Said it was the bottom line too. Like Warhammer said, they can come down more than you might think. I even got them to put two new tires it and throw in an oil change. Yes it is used. I haven't bought a new car since 1982. Let someone else take the big hit in depreciation. Stay within three or four years from new, and always, ALWAYS talk to the previous owner. Don't rely on Car Fax, and don't settle for "we don't have his name or number". They have to. I'm partial to Subarus, have second Forester, a 2010, had a 1999 that we drove for almost ten years. Have also had good experience with Accura and Honda.
This is quite true, show up in an expensive car at a $10,000 mobile home to sell a $4000 item, and your first thought is trouble, but people do equate it with success. A beater of a car gives the impression your product must not sell well. It can still be used.
One thing we will always agree on, dros, is that a good portion of school management, particularly superintendents, suck.
My oopty car gives 2 impressions: 1. I'm a broke ass. 2. I don't give a shit what a person making judgements about me based my car thinks/I don't give a shit in general.
This is really general and I am no expert on this stuff, just throwing it out there but: look around and see how well a brand is represented on the road and in parking lots. Hondas and toyotas never die. Jeeps seem to always find their way back onto the road as well. I have a 98 Honda Accord with over 200,000 miles on it that has seen both the Atlantic and Pacific. I did have to replace the clutch at 185,000 (manual transmission) and periodically have been changing out the coolant hoses because they are getting brittle and cracking after being in the humid South for years and now the dry West (also, old as hell). I suspect the cars coming out now are actually going to last a good long while in general, though.
Also, I will never buy Mitsubishi. That logo was the last thing some American, British, and Canadian POW's saw as they were starved and worked to death during WW2. **** 'em.
