29/04/2026 11:56 am
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My old car finally gave up on me this morning and I start my new job in Chicago next Monday so I am kind of panicking right now. I heard the Mazda CX-5 is really safe and good but I have literally never bought a car by myself before and I have no idea where to even look. I have about 18000 saved up and I dont want to get scammed by some random guy on the street.
Sorry if this is a stupid question but do I just go to a dealership or is there a better way to find used ones quickly? Is there like a specific website people use? I really need to find something by the weekend...
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29/04/2026 12:20 pm
I'd be careful with the older ones; my 2016 had bad coolant leaks. Maybe consider:
- Mazda CX-5 Touring 2018
- Toyota RAV4 LE 2017 Check Autotrader, but definitely get a PPI tho.
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29/04/2026 12:20 pm
Totally agree about getting a PPI. Since you are worried about scams, maybe look into rental fleet sales. They usually have a Mazda CX-5 Sport 2018 2.5L at a fixed price so you dont have to haggle with anyone. Just make sure to check the tire tread for Chicago winters tho. TL;DR: Rental sales are safer for beginners and stay under that 18k budget.
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29/04/2026 11:56 am
- agree dealers are easy but unfortunately their pricing is not as good as expected...
- try facebook marketplace instead cuz dealers in chicago have been pretty disappointing lately