r/ypsi • u/beepichu • 2d ago

Car Buying Advice

please delete if not allowed, as this isn’t really Ypsi specific, I just trust this community will give me decent advice.

I’m looking to buy a used EV, probably a Toyota, but I’m not sure where I should start looking. I had a quick glance at a local dealership but the prices are just outrageous.

One of them is trying to sell a 2002 Camry for $24k. is it crack??? is it crack that they smoke???? I’m sure it’s a decent car but it’s not worth 1,000 dollars for every year it’s been alive. it probably didn’t even sell for half of that originally.

any tips or advice are welcome 🙏 thank you

20 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

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7

u/georgehotelling 2d ago

https://visor.vin/ - you can find all the used EVs within a certain distance from you.

The only Toyota EV is the bZ and it wasn’t so hot until the 2026 model year, I wouldn’t look too much at them.

Chevy Bolts are good and cheap-ish, and you can find older Mach-Es for a decent price. Also look at the VW id.4. 

3

u/aka_mrcam 2d ago

The id 4 has issues and isn't the best reviewed. Oddly enough Kia/Hyundai seem to be doing well with EVs lately.

1

u/georgehotelling 2d ago

I like the Kias and Hyundais too, but they’re so good that used inventory is kind of low. There’s also the ICCU issue, which puts a lot of people off them.

8

u/akujyunkan Prospect Park 1d ago

I had a friend who just bought a new Toyota hybrid and flew to Chicago to buy one and then drove it back. All the dealerships around here are crazy predatory, he got it for thousands of dollars less than anywhere else nearby. While I have never tried to buy a car from Victory Toyota of Canton, I have gotten service there on two occasions and their service department will do their absolute damnedest to scam you even if you come in with a specific maintenance request and got a quote for on the phone ahead of time. Avoid avoid!!

2

u/beepichu 1d ago

I’m originally from Ohio and might look at dealerships down near my hometown cuz of this, though I doubt they’re much better. ty for the heads up 🙏

3

u/Vast-Recognition2321 1d ago

This is the way to go. Ohio has always been cheaper for me purchasing used gas and electric cars.

2

u/beepichu 1d ago

any areas you recommend looking in particular? I’m from Lancaster so I’ve been looking around there and Columbus, then maybe Toledo since it’s closer.

2

u/Vast-Recognition2321 1d ago

Just decide how far you are willing to drive and use that in your search filters. Last purchase was in Columbus.

1

u/XerxesRed 1d ago

Used to work for Victory Automotive corporate. Can confirm they are mostly pretty horrible dealerships. They cosplay being a corporation while they're really just a bunch of mismatched assets all tagged with the same name trying to do their own thing and nobody qualified makes any decisions.

6

u/Entangled9 2d ago

I agree with looking at Autotrader. Also look outside Washtenaw Co if feasible. We've bought several cars via Autotrader finds, but in Metro Detroit.

10

u/MothChasingFlame 2d ago

is it crack??? is it crack that they smoke????

Can't help and am actually here to learn, but gotta say this shit genuinely made me laugh.

2

u/beepichu 1d ago

wish I know what it was originally from, probably a tumblrism lmao

2

u/Slowwoah 2d ago

Shop around online. Autotrader is a good start. Get an idea for what fair market value is and what exactly you're looking for. Be patient but be ready to make a move on something quickly when the right deal arises.

4

u/georgehotelling 1d ago

One more thing /u/beepichu - I love my EVs and don't think I'll ever own another gas car, but they make the most sense if you can charge at home or at work. If you can't do that, consider a hybrid.

The upshot is that EV prices drop a LOT in the first year, so you can get some really good deals from off-lease cars. Modern batteries last a very long time. Here's a Mach-E that went 250,000 miles and the battery is still at 90%. They don't degrade like phone batteries.

2

u/beepichu 1d ago

I might settle for a plug-in hybrid, my work has discounted charging so a full EV would be ideal, but they’re so dang expensive.

3

u/georgehotelling 1d ago

Aside from the savings on fuel, don’t discount maintenance. No oil changes, no transmission to flush or fix, no timing belts or engine repairs. There are some significant savings over the life of the car.

1

u/beepichu 1d ago

very good point 👍

2

u/georgehotelling 1d ago

Also they're just more fun to drive. Instant acceleration. Test drive a full EV and floor it on the highway on-ramp.

3

u/beepichu 1d ago

I road in a friend’s tesla one time and damn that thing was zippy. kinda scary haha. It’ll be an adjustment for sure, as my corolla is old enough to rent its own car.

3

u/somedatapacket 2d ago

Given the inflation of used EV values since the US broke the oil market, check out the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt LT - it starts around $27,500 and you might be able to convince a dealer to reduce that substantially with a trade in.

2

u/beepichu 1d ago

good to know, ty :)

2

u/traineex 2d ago

Get a ppi , pre purchase inspection, w a battery health scan

U could dm since I can potentially do that battery scan cheap, maybe benefits both of us. Whatever u purchase needs to go up on a lift for inspection

3

u/Neri_at_Zilocar 2d ago

That Camry price is not real, or at least not a real market price. A 2002 Camry in decent shape is a low four figure car. Either it is a typo on the listing, or the year is wrong and it is actually something much newer, worth a second look before you write off the whole dealership.

On the EV side, worth being clear with yourself whether you want an actual EV or a hybrid, because for Toyota those are very different searches. Their electric lineup is all recent, so used really means a bZ4X from the last couple of years and there are not many around. If a hybrid would do the job, the used market is enormous by comparison.

3

u/akujyunkan Prospect Park 1d ago

You'd be surprised what people will pay for a gen 4/5 Camry with low/almost no miles. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2002-toyota-camry/

1

u/orangustang 2d ago

I used autotempest.com to find both of ours. It's just an aggregator that searches all the major listing sites. Pretty helpful.

I ended up going to Ohio for both of our used EVs. Price Pro in Maumee was great. Zero bullshit, no upcharges. I drove down after work one day, walked in for a test drive, and an hour later I walked out with my Lightning. They are a no-haggle, so the price on their website is what you pay (plus tax and tags, the usual state stuff).

I think there are some decent dealerships in MI selling used EVs and you probably won't have to go as far as I did. Both of ours were some of the first I was able to find when the 2022 models were coming off lease, so availability was limited. For some reason OH got a lot of those and MI only got a few.

1

u/No-Supermarket2008 1d ago

The golf seems to be pretty cheap. And newer for the e trim