SoTxBob said:
wow, that sux. Id say 2 things.. never buy from that same dealer or person again and 2... if you know nothing about cars other than "that's pretty, I want it", ALWAYS have it checked out by a trustworthy independent mechanic. They would have spotted the majority of problems that would have popped up inside this years time. Also, if you buy used, do a bit of research on aftermarket warranties. They can cover most major things that can go wrong fro a pretty reasonable fee. Beware tho, read the fine print to make sure its not worthless. Good luck.
Not trying to hijack this thread, but I do not think this advice is totally relevant today (compared to 10 or so years ago). Yes, any good mechanic could spot potential "wear" problems/issues, but since today's vehicles have so many electronic/computer controls it is next to impossible to predict a future failure. And an "indie" shop would be hard pressed to do this as most will not have the diag equipment (and S/W updates) necessary to do so. Code readers are available at auto parts stores and indie shops have better ones, but compared to what the dealership has, they are pretty generic. Usually without exception, only dealerships are allowed to purchase the correct diagnostic tools/computers/software updates from the automakers. This was a big reason my older brother closed his "indie" shop.
Back on track...yes, get another estimate (or 2) before you make any decisions. If you still need that work done, it *may* be cheaper to get the car repaired, then keep it or sell it yourself. Yeah, I know that sounds like a pain in the ass, but if you buy a new car *and* have the balance from the old one tacked on to the new note, that could really put you in a hole.
Get an amortization calculator off the net and run your own numbers to get a clearer picture of what I mean