Need Advice

[RonLove]

Hey guys,

I found a 2009 3.8 Genesis sedan (with technology package) for sale. But it has almost 240k miles on it, has a cracked windshield and will need front bearings and a battery. He’s selling for about $3000. Is this worthwhile or should I avoid? (It would be my first Hyundai.)

 

[EdP]

I'd not touch it at that price. Maybe for $1500 or less. Get a price on the windshield before you make an offer. The car may be worth 3k if the glass was good and no bearing problems but it sounds like he let the car go to crap. Go to KBB to get a value and deduct repair costs, offer 20% less than the mid range for top price.

 

[RonLove]

Okay. I did get quotes. To replace the windshield, $340. To replace the front bearings at a Hyundai dealer is $720. So I'd estimate about $1200 to put into with a new battery. I think he's willing to go down to $2,500 though. How much concern should I have about the 240k miles. (He says it's mostly highway.)

 

[EdP]

Okay. I did get quotes. To replace the windshield, $340. To replace the front bearings at a Hyundai dealer is $720. So I'd estimate about $1200 to put into with a new battery. I think he's willing to go down to $2,500 though. How much concern should I have about the 240k miles. (He says it's mostly highway.)

So you will be at $3700 to hit the road. IMO, still too high for a car with that many miles. KBB puts it at $1439 to $3026.

At that point in the engine life it is hard to say. Could go another 100k, but could go on the way home.

 

[Mark_888]

Okay. I did get quotes. To replace the windshield, $340. To replace the front bearings at a Hyundai dealer is $720. So I'd estimate about $1200 to put into with a new battery. I think he's willing to go down to $2,500 though. How much concern should I have about the 240k miles. (He says it's mostly highway.)

The correct windshield, with noise abatement and with the sensor for automatic wipers, is over $1,000. But I guess you could do without those.

 

[RonLove]

The correct windshield, with noise abatement and with the sensor for automatic wipers, is over $1,000. But I guess you could do without those.

Interesting. I got quotes for windshield rain sensor and without and they were about the same price at $336 for one $340 for the other.

 

[EdP]

Interesting. I got quotes for windshield rain sensor and without and they were about the same price at $336 for one $340 for the other.

Probably OEM versus aftermarket.

 

[dadgonebroke]

IMO- do you really need this headache. It's like marrying an 80 year old!

 

[dougmcp]

Just my personal opinion but any gas vehicle with 1/4 million miles on it is a parts car.

 

[Audio]

I guess I'll be the unpopular opinion here. I say ask for service records/receipts. If the owner took good care of the car and has records, the mileage on the engine should be a testament to it's reliability, not a deterrent. If it's not leaking/burning anything that you can tell, runs, drives, shifts smoothly, it'd be worth considering for the right price.

Finding a reputable independent shop rather than dealership will most likely drop those wheel bearing prices.

At any rate, if you inspect and test drive it and it feels like a solid car, and you know the previous owner took good care of it, I'd jump on it for $2500 honestly. Private party value comes to over $5,000 with tech package, even including mileage. It sounds like you can have the car, and it's known needed repairs, for about $3500. That doesn't seem bad.

Mileage scares a lot of people, but highway cruising puts VERY little wear on items. Rubber for the most part knows no mileage and rubber components may need attention specifically based on age more so than mileage(bushings, etc). Wheel bearings needing done with that kind of time spinning doesn't surprise me. But mileage, if you know he just commuted on the highway a lot, isn't all that scary for the right price.

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[Alfer]

I'd just take the $3500 and use it as a down payment on a decent lower mileage vehicle. God knows there are tons of them out there if you look. I wouldn't invest it in a car who's life is well past its prime.

 

[Audio]

I'd just take the $3500 and use it as a down payment on a decent lower mileage vehicle. God knows there are tons of them out there if you look. I wouldn't invest it in a car who's life is well past its prime.

Some people don't like having car payments. I've owned over 30 cars now, and only financed 4 of those. I hate car payments.

Also, how do you know it's "well" past it's prime? Especially if the maintenance was kept up with and those truly were low stress highway miles mostly.

I've owned multiple cars well over 100k miles. I think my record was 390k miles. I sold that car running just as smoothly as the day I bought it and have no doubt it was capable of going much longer. Some people really underestimate the power of proper maintenance. If that high mileage Genesis was not taken care of, it wouldn't have hit the mileage it's at in the first place.

 

[EdP]

Also, how do you know it's "well" past it's prime? Especially if the maintenance was kept up with and those truly were low stress highway miles mostly.

I've owned multiple cars well over 100k miles. I think my record was 390k miles. I sold that car running just as smoothly as the day I bought it and have no doubt it was capable of going much longer.

It comes down to how much exposure to risk are you willing to assume. Give the age, many of the 26000 or so miles a year are highway. Or it was a NYC cab. With decent maintenance, 200k+ is not out of the question, Many variables, many unknowns.

If you were selling the car, how much of a warranty would you offer?
Its a crap shoot

 

[dougmcp]

I guess I'll be the unpopular opinion here. I say ask for service records/receipts. If the owner took good care of the car and has records, the mileage on the engine should be a testament to it's reliability, not a deterrent. If it's not leaking/burning anything that you can tell, runs, drives, shifts smoothly, it'd be worth considering for the right price.

Finding a reputable independent shop rather than dealership will most likely drop those wheel bearing prices.

At any rate, if you inspect and test drive it and it feels like a solid car, and you know the previous owner took good care of it, I'd jump on it for $2500 honestly. Private party value comes to over $5,000 with tech package, even including mileage. It sounds like you can have the car, and it's known needed repairs, for about $3500. That doesn't seem bad.

Mileage scares a lot of people, but highway cruising puts VERY little wear on items. Rubber for the most part knows no mileage and rubber components may need attention specifically based on age more so than mileage(bushings, etc). Wheel bearings needing done with that kind of time spinning doesn't surprise me. But mileage, if you know he just commuted on the highway a lot, isn't all that scary for the right price.

I agree if you are willing to take the good with the bad and realize you may be replacing things that don't normally wear out on a low miler. Little things like seat tracks, door hinges, a-frames etc can be a deal breaker if you can't find the parts. These Genii are a low production model, used parts are a near impossible find, aftermarket parts are rare as hen's teeth and OEM new parts are price prohibitive for an oldie like these. If this was a high production model with lots of support, used and aftermarket parts like GM, Ford, VW Toyota etc it's a whole different story.

 

[Audio]

If you were selling the car, how much of a warranty would you offer?
Its a crap shoot

Well it's a used car and I'm a private party, so I've never offered warranty on any car I've sold, mileage not withstanding lol.

 

[Audio]

I agree if you are willing to take the good with the bad and realize you may be replacing things that don't normally wear out on a low miler. Little things like seat tracks, door hinges, a-frames etc can be a deal breaker if you can't find the parts. These Genii are a low production model, used parts are a near impossible find, aftermarket parts are rare as hen's teeth and OEM new parts are price prohibitive for an oldie like these. If this was a high production model with lots of support, used and aftermarket parts like GM, Ford, VW Toyota etc it's a whole different story.

Totally fair point. Though, if you're willing to shop online and wait a little bit for shipping, I've found LKQ and the like have tons of low mileage wrecked cars with lots of good used parts. That's actually how I got my replacement engine. But you are absolutely right in the comparison to your every day Camry or F150. I tried shopping parts stores and online parts suppliers for new struts for my 09 and apparently you can't get them anywhere.