Hey everyone,

I'm hoping to seek some advice.

I work in sales, and the fleet vehicle I usually get is a Ford Escape.

I currently have a 2010 XLT Escape
It's the 4 cylinder engine, AWD. It doesn't have much for options, but does have the power drivers seat.

We are expecting a baby in a few months, and my wife will need a vehicle during her maternity leave.

I have had this car in my possession since brand new, and have always had the oil changed every 4,000 KM's. The brakes (front and rear) were recently re-done, windshield replaced. It's in good mechanical condition. I never drove it hard or abused it.

I just ordered it's replacement vehicle, and the buyout on this car is $12,000 Canadian. It also comes with as set of Blizzack winter tires with lots of tread left as well as the all season tires.

There is a small amount of rust on the "crimp" at the bottom of the hatchback, that the dealer tried to fix. They did a poor job, but it's got 1 year of warranty on it, so they are going to have another go at fixing it. This rust is a bit of a concern for me, but hopefully they can fix it properly.

The car currently has 92,000km's on it. By the time the new car gets here, this car will have 100,000km's on it.

The fleet company will not allow me to do the 96,000KM service which is replacing the transmission fluid, so I would be responsible for that.

What are your thoughts on a 2 year old Escape with 100,000km on it for $12k. Is it a fair price?

Are there any big services coming up that are expensive that I should be aware of?

Do you think this would be a reliable vehicle going forward for a few years? My wife will generally be puttering around the city. No long distance trips (we will take the replacement Escape for those). I just want something that is reliable and safe.

This option is much more attractive pricewise than the comparable Honda CRV's and Toyota Rav 4's that we were looking at, as those tend to be in the low high teens to low 20's for cars with similar mileage.

Any thoughts or input would be appreciated! We have never really had to buy a car before, as my wife takes the bus and I have always been fortunate to have company vehicles, so this is a learning experience for both of us.

Thanks
James

 

Well let's see... 100,000km is about 62k miles, and the Looney is about equal to the USD now, so $12k USD. And you've had it since new, go for it!

When do we ever get to buy a used car with that much knowledge about it? Buying a typical used car off of a lot a person could look at a carfax-type service, and try to do a good inspection in person, but that will never match having the car yourself since new!

 

I have no issues buying a high mileage car you figure the miles are put on driving around 2,000 rpm the drivetrain isn,t working that hard.I have a 06 Focus with a Duratec and have 120,000 miles on it and it runs like a champ.The Duratec has a timing chain not a timing belt so it will not need to be replaced so no expense there.I would look thru the Maintenance book and follow the maintenance schedule for upcoming things.Plugs,fuel filter,pvc,coolant and trans fluid

 

Since you know the history, the question becomes, do you trust it?

 

Have a 07 Escape which we have had from new. It has 175,000km on it and is still going well. Had to replace spark plugs and fuel filter at around 100,000km and then the fuel canister assembly at around 145,000km (we do a lot of gravel/mud as we live out in the boonies) and 2 UJs on the driveline shortly thereafter.(only needed one but decided to replace both while the shaft was out.) At 165,00km one axle seal. All in all we are happy, its my wifes daily driver. Hoping to get another year or two out of it before it goes to my son.

 

I did a quick check at KBB & a resale value is ~$13k to $14k.
That value is the most you should expect to be able to sell it for if already owned, but I would assume less.
You could check car prices at Carmax, CL, ebbaay, etc.

 

Our 7 year old has 231,00 miles on it and has been great. As long as you know the maintenance you are several steps ahead of buying a used one from a stranger!

 

Its a very fair price and you know the vehicle's history. The mileage is still fairly low and its obviously highway mileage. I would easily pay $12 for that vehicle if it were offered to me.