Well I bought a car at about the NADA "good" price. $2600 later it's drivable. I brought it in after the brakes started to grind. Basically the guy skipped maintenance for about 4 years. New belts, new front brakes all around, etc.

I was too impulsive on this one.

Anyway, it's a great car now. I hope there isn't anything else lurking.

Next time, I will seriously consider a dealer "certified" car instead.

$2600 is not a con as much as a goof on your end. No proof of maint and a very short test drive = money needed to make it good. Of course, brakes are very easy to do yourself, including new rotors. It needed a new timing belt? That sould have been a warning right there.

Putting $1,000 on a used car after purchase is normal, if that includes 4 new tires. $2500 is a goof.

Klaus
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Always willing to listen, just not able to take direction.

My theory on buying used cars:

No matter how long you look at it, you'll not see more than half of what's wrong with it.

Another theory (truism) on used cars: Regardless of how much maintenance the previous owner claims he/she did, he neglected at least 50 percent of the things he should have done.

That's why you get a disinterested party to look at it, an independent mechanic.
Ed