Should I trade in my 2006 GS300 for a 2008 Sportage?

Question

Urgent: Thinking about buying 2008 Kia Sportage LX 5445 Miles for $9000

Scotty,

You're amazing! I know nothing about cars. So, I rely on you for advice. I'm trading in my 2006 Lexus GS300. This year, I've spent almost $5K on repairs. I asked my mechanic who I trust for a referral to someone he might know who sells used cars. He referred me to his friend. Alan owns Street Auto Sales in Clearwater, FL. He's offering me $4K for my Lexus. The 2008 Kia Sportage had one owner (who died) with 5445 miles at $9K. The vehicle mostly sat unused in a carport. My mechanic made the needed repairs before it was offered for sale. Alan showed me a certified title with the mileage. I'm 61 and live on a fixed income. I watched your video about the 2008 Kia Sportages. You said you'd never buy another one because they're so cheaply made. With a trade-in value of about $4K for my Lexus, I can reasonably spend another $6K on an automobile, but I need something dependable that will last more than 50K which is the mileage marker where you explained problems can start with 2008 Sportages. Should I take the risk and buy this vehicle or do you have a recommendation for another used vehicle that I should be looking to buy? Thank you so very much for your help!

Edit: Also, my 2006 Lexus GS200 has 145K miles

scottykilmer · Accepted Answer

Well sounds like they were ripping you off on your Lexus you spent all that money repairing it. Then a guy offers you four grand for it. I am not a Kia fan and I would always hesitate to buy one. And I wouldn't really believe that it had such low mileage. That's extremely rare. But then the guy says well he made various repairs to it. It shouldn't need any repairs with that low mild if it was real. So I'd probably pass on that car entirely

Chuck Tobias · Answer

About the only thing Carfax is good for is verifying mileage. If Carfax shows service points at higher mileage than currently displayed you know the odometer has been tampered with.

As has been pointed out even with that low mileage the vehicle will have deteriorated due to age, and Kias are not known for longevity in the first place. Sitting around mostly unused in a carport for that long is not a good sign, quite the opposite, cars can decay badly when left unused for long periods of time.

$9000 for a 14-15 year-old Kia is a blatant ripoff as is the $4000 trade-in offer for your Lexus. "Alan" probably picked up that Kia for next to nothing at auction. So he'd be making out like a bandit on that sale and then have your Lexus out on his lot for $12,000 the day after you traded it.

Obviously we don't know anything about that particular dealership but the vast majority of dealers are liars and thieves who "seem" to be honest (they are experts at that kind of deception), so the odds are against you.

Too many red flags here. I would run away from that deal. If your Lexus is not giving you any trouble after its recent repairs I'd just stick with that for now.

MrBob · Answer

The car is 14 years old so many of the rubber and plastic components are getting brittle. The tires are probably starting to dry rot and they are probably original since the car has 5K miles on it. I would check the date code on the tires. Being stored in a carport means it has been exposed to the elements. After spending all that money on the Lexus why don't you just enjoy it for a while. I have a feeling your not going to be happy with a Kia after driving a Lexus for 16 years.

This is not a endorsement of either brand.