Doctor Ron’s CarFinder Service

Pontiac Vibe built in a Toyota factory - $9,300

2005 Pontiac Vibe with 53,981 miles for $9,300.

This is not a six speed 185 Horsepower beast like the Matrix above. 
But just like a base Matrix, it has a Toyota Corolla engine,
transmission, and all other mechanicals. 
It’s not your uncle’s Pontiac. 
Dr. Ron knows how to buy Toyotas at Pontiac prices….
Other good bets are Chevy Prizms and Chrysler cars with Mitsubishi power trains. 
Iona should be happy.

Only 8,000 miles per year

2005 GMC 1500 4WD Extended Cab W/T.  46,000 miles, $12,500.

The W/T is supposedly GMC’s bare bones full size pick up,
but this 4 door extended cab truck
has a smooth, efficient 4.8 liter V8, Automatic, A/C, Power locks and windows…
So much for roughing it.

Carl and Kirsten needed a clean, strong,
modern four door 4×4 truck for their carpentry business,
but didn’t want to spend a lot of money.
The best thing they found at a local dealer was a
2005 Ford Ext Cab 4×4 F150 FX4
with 74,000 miles for the low haggled down price of $14,500.
You can say whatever you want about Ford VS GMC and Chevy,
but this gold GMC W/T saved them
30,000 miles (worth $3,000) AND $2,000 cash. 
And the seller even brought the car upstate from Long Island. 
Carl and Kirsten had to make a few car trips
and deal with some faxed paperwork, but the savings made it all worthwhile.

18 mpg Ford F-350, New $4,000 Plow, $11,750

2002 FORD F350 XLT 4×4 TURBO DIESEL

100,000 miles, perfect condition, $11,750.

This fuel efficient truck gets 18 mpg - almost double a gas truck.
For the gear heads out there,
know that this is the respected 7.3 L Power Stroke Diesel, not the new 6.0 L. 
In the past year, the seller invested $8,000 in the truck. 
($4500 For high tech Minute Man II plow,
and $3500 on new brakes, tires, alternator
and complete heavy duty front end suspension job). 
So the truck is ready to work on the buyer’s mile long farm driveway. 
Way to go, Tim.
 

8 Foot Bed with Matching Lear Cap with Sliding Windows.

2004 Dodge Ram 1500 4 x 4 SLT Crew Cab, 75,000 miles, $11,500.

VERY MOTIVATED SELLER. NEEDS IMMEDIATE SALE!!!!!
Price reduced. Looks & runs great, Low mileage, Non-smoker,
Runs & drives great, 8ft bed, Matching 8ft Leer Cap,Sliding rear window,
Sliding cap window, Step Bar, AM/FM/CD Automatic Starter,
Lots of storage, Highway miles, Trip’o’ meter,
new tires, new brakes. Clean Title, Clean on CarFax.

Sam has a family of six, a carpentry business,
and a house high up in the snowy Berkshire hills. 
So when he called Dr Ron he said "I need a crew cab,
long bed, and 4×4 in good condition." 
This truck came with new brakes and tires,
and was driven 15,000 miles a year for 5 years along I-91 in CT. 
The $11,500 price tag was the wholesale (trade in) price for a
similar truck without the Lear cap or the new brakes and tires. 
Paul the seller needed to sell in a hurry so he could move
down to Arizona and start a new business. 
One man’s loss is an other’s gain.  

6,800 mile Ford F-150, $8,500

2007 F150 XL with 6,800  miles for $8,500. 8 foot bed with liner.

The seller Ray was a grandfather living on Cape Cod. 
He used the truck occasionally for trips to the dump or to tow his 14 foot sailboat. 
Here is the text from his original ad:
"Truck has tow bar and bed liner in the 8 foot bed and is in excellent condition.
Only averaged about 2200 miles per year for the three years that I have owned it.
I am reluctantly selling to buy a second car
because my wife doesn’t like to drive a truck." 
If the wife is making the decision, then Dr. Ron likes the car.

Ford F150 with 8 wheels and tires.

2000 Ford F 150 XLT 4×4 39,000 miles, $6,500.

4X4, V6, stick. Only 39k miles, $6,500. 8 wheels/ 8 tires. Bed liner.
I bought this truck new back in 2000, and never used it to plow or work.
Only thing I ever towed with it was an ATV.
My wife and I used our other vehicles most of the time, so this truck has low miles.

Compact Extended Cab Pickup with Cap.

1997 Chevy S10 LS Extended Cab 4 x 4 Pickup.
Came with Bed Liner, Step Bumper, and matching Cap.
Bought with 45,000 miles for only $6,500.

When Kathleen told Dr. Ron that she and her husband needed a good 4×4 for $6,000,
Dr. Ron was up to the challenge. 
When she said it had to be a compact pickup in very good condition,
I considered going back to basic science research. 
Where does one find such a vehicle? 
The AARP classified? 
Anyway we found the truck
so now the Potoski’s can leave their Miata in the garage for the winter. 

Long bed, Bed liner, Toolbox, Never worked.

2000 Chevy Silverado V8, Automatic, RWD.

Great well-maintained dependable work truck, very low mileage, one owner,
non-smoker, clean interior, no accidents, maintenance records available.
Features: air conditioning, upgraded top-quality Eclipse CD player/radio,
long bed with bed liner and Weather Guard saddle box.

Terry and her husband needed a truck for towing and dump runs.
This truck had never been used for work. It didn’t even have a tow hitch.

The seller was a Wall Street banker who worked 24/7,
and kept the truck in his suburban garage.

"Thanks for finding us the truck we’ve always wanted!" - Terry.

70,000 mile Ford F-150, $2,000.

1999 Ford F-150 XL V6 Manual - Reg cab - 6ft bed.
New brakes, tires, battery, and tune-up.
Bought from an elderly (original) owner, in North Hampton MA.

Claire says: "Drives like a dream; just what I needed for my business."

Drive it around town using no gas at all.

2005 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV. 93,000 miles, $7450.

Easily gets over 30 MPG. Take HOV Lanes and Beat the Traffic.
Automatic, Alloys, 6 CD Changer, Power windows, locks, mirrors, seat, ABS.
New TIe Rod Ends, Control Arms, and Sway Bar Links in August 2009.
Runs and Drives Great, Non-smoker. Titanium Green Metallic. 93,700 miles.
Six Airbags, One owner. Average 30 MPG, or drive it around town using no gas at all.
Dr Ron says "I must be getting old if there are five year old hybrids around for $7450."
 

They don’t build them like this any more.

2001 Chevy Suburban 1500 LS 4×4. 
New brakes, 4 new snow tires, and 5 good all seasons. 
On Star, Tow package, and 3-way rear liftgate.
The rear A/C even has its own compressor. 
Very Good Condition inside and out.  106,000 miles, $5,990.

The seller’s name was Pichard, and the buyer’s name was Picard…
This business is getting weird.

This Gramp was a WWII vet — ie an Octogenarian.

2004 Chevy Venture LS Extended Van. 35,000 grandpa miles. $7,000.

Karmic Coincidences:

Seller (executor): Hilton Kelly
Buyer: Pat Kelly.

Seller’s address:  Winslow Drive
Buyers mother’s maiden name: Winslow

Deceased:
WW-II vet who blacked out behind the van wheel in a nursing home parking lot.
Buyer’s Dad (and beloved family patriarch):
WW-II vet who pulled many similar stunts behind the wheel
and in and out of hospital parking lots.

This business is getting weird.

On a more serious note:
This is the second car that Pat bought through Dr. Ron. She is a repeat customer
because the $5900 Dodge Stratus with only 4,000 miles worked out so well over the past six years.

Ford with 43,000 Grandpa miles for $4,250

 2001 FORD WINDSTAR MINI VAN.  THREE ROWS OF SEATS, 7 PASSENGER.

Two sliding doors and rear A/C.  Dual Airbags and Anti Lock Brakes.
OK, It’s not a Honda or a Toyota, but it didn’t cost $18,000 either.
 

63,000 Grandpa Miles for $2,900.

1999 Plymouth Voyager SE.  63,000 miles, $2,900.
V6, Automatic, 7 Passenger, Two Airbags, ABS, Two Sliding Doors,
Front and Rear A/C, Roof Rack.
Driven by Senior Citizen on Long Island for 10 years. (No dirt roads). 
Great car, clean, runs great. Well maintained with records.

Jonitha and Paul needed a cheap van to take kids camping. 
When they went to inspect the car, they got underneath with a flashlight,
and couldn’t believe how clean it was.
Jonitha called Dr. Ron and said: 
"Hi Ron, We went to look at the car; it’s sweet. 
It’s definitely our car.  It’s just great. It is so clean,
I can’t believe it’s 11 years old. 
I have never seen anything like it before.
Of course it has not lived on dirt roads, and that’s what I’m used to.

We are the proud owners of a sweet new car. It’s comfortable, quiet, big, roomy and luxurious.
Thank you so much for your help."

Ford Taurus Clone with heated leather, moonroof, and MP3.

2005 Mercury Sable LS Wagon, 27,000 miles, $9,500

2005 Mercury Sable Wagon only 27,253 miles!
$9,500.00 Beautiful Maroon/Burgundy paint and tan interior, flawless inside and out!
After Market integrated Navigation (GPS) system
Blue Tooth phone connection
and MP3 support using a 4GB SD card through the factory stereo!
Prestige Remote Start/Alarm/locks & a Class II trailer hitch.
Always garaged, regularly maintained, NON-Smoker, New Brakes/Rotors.
Almost every possible factory option!
3.0L V6 DOHC 24V FI Engine (200HP) ,
16 Inch Alloy Wheels, 4-Wheel ABS,
7 Passenger Seating, Cruise Control, Leather and Wood Steering Wheel Trim,
Air Conditioning, power windows/seats/locks,
Heated Exterior Mirrors, Roof Rack,
AM/FM/6 CD Audio System, Automatic Climate Control,
Leather Seating, Third Row Seat, Power Glass Sunroof, Remote CD Changer.
GREAT Car, my second Sable Wagon, hate to sell but need a truck now.

V6, Leather, and Mega Head and Leg Room for Paul.

2006 Ford Fusion SEL.
V6, Leather, Six Airbags and Remote Start. 37,000 miles  $7900.

Paul tested out many cars, and found the Fusion most spacious.
He drives about 30,000 miles per year, so comfort is critical.

Paul’s last car was a Lexus,
and Dr. Ron warned him that Ford quality might disappoint following the Lexus.
But Paul checked out all the competition
and found the Fusion design and quality up to Toyota standards.
"Have you driven a Ford lately?"

The seller was a NYC Kindergarten teacher.
She only sold the Fusion so she could buy her daughter’s upside down commuter car. 
She hit it off with Paul’s wife and delivered the car from NYC to the Berkshires.
The car came with a few NYC dings, scrapes and scratches,
so Paul spent about $1000 maiking it look like new. 
Still a great bargain for 100,000 miles of business driving.

Leather, 3 rows of seats, 42,000 miles, $6,500.

2000 Mercury Sable LS Premium 8 passenger wagon.  42,000 miles, $6,500.
Leather, 3 rows of seats, modern 24 valve V6, and power everything.
The paint and leather on this car were like new.

 Colleen and her sister in law needed an economical, reliable car
with 3 rows of seats for their 5 kids. Grandpa’s wagon fit the bill.

27,000 Grandma miles.

2007 Ford Focus SE. 27,000 miles. $6,000. Automatic, CD, MP3.

This car was priced below wholesale.
There is only one other car on this page that shares this noble distinction.
Even the attorney placing the online ad knew it was cheap, so she wrote:

"2007 Ford Focus SE, 4 door Sedan (ESTATE SALE) only 27k miles,
Clean inside and out, runs well. The 1st $6,000 takes it.
4 cyl, Auto, Airbags, ABS, Power everything. Grandma’s Car."

2.4 liter 25,000 miles $5000.

1999 Plymouth Breeze 2.4.

Way back in 2004 before gas prices spiked and the market crashed,
Dr. Barzideh knew he needed a fuel efficient economical car
to drive to surgery in the city so he could leave the Lexus at home.
Today this car has almost 80,000 tough
Long Island and Brooklyn miles on it and is still running strong.

37,000 Miles, 5 Speed Stick Shift, $5,500.

2003 PT CRUISER CLASSIC.  New tires and battery. 
Garaged in Connecticut by original owner since new. 
We bought this like new car from the meticulous retired owner
who tracked the car’s fuel economy for the last 7 years.
No rust, no scratches, and averaged about 6,000 miles a year on it.

Diego and Courtney went to pick up the car in CT. 
Their trades are film direction and product development,
and their other car is a new Scion Xb,
so they know a tasteful, economical car when they see one. 
"37,000 miles for $5,500?  We need to go buy this car Dr. Ron." 
"We love the fold flat back seat and the stick shift."

Dr Ron likes PT Cruisers for a number of reasons: 
They are front wheel drive wagons with easy access and a fold flat rear seat. 
They have a durable Mitsubishi 4 cylinder engine, and a fun retro hot rod design. 
They are bargains.

Grandpa’s Ford Taurus.  Driven 4,000 miles per year.

Chevy Cavalier 48,000 Grandpa Miles.

2000 Chevrolet Cavalier LS, 48,000 miles, $3,000.
Grandpa bought it new in 2000 and garaged it ever since.
New Front Brakes and four snow tires in addition to the all season tires.
This car is ready to take Jack to school, work, and diving practice.

One Owner Econobox  for Miss Julie’s Son

2000 Ford Escort Sedan.  50,000 miles.  $2,900.  One owner. 
She bought it new back in 2000, and only drove it to work for the last nine years. 
This car had new brakes and tires.

Here is the sad part folks:  My client passed on this car.  This fish got away! 
For all you bargain hunters out there
who can appreciate the value of a 50k mile car for only $3,000,
please accept my condolences.  (Yes, I feel as if someone died). 
My client bought her son a 10 year old Buick with 95k from her neighbor. 
(Also for $3,000). 
Buicks are great, but Dr. Ron doesn’t buy them with 95,000 miles.