Affordable Used Cars — Local services in Fairbanks

Customer service was phenomenal up until it was time that I was ready to negotiate and buy.

5 out of 5 stars on this part of the experience: They pulled the vehicle out of the detailing shop when I asked about how soon I could test drive this vehicle that JUST came into their stock. I expected that I couldn't test drive until it was done detailed. I liked the test drive so I scheduled a pre-inspection with my mechanic. A few days after my initial test drive, they accommodated me taking the vehicle to my mechanic for pre-inspection. I didn't feel rushed as to how quickly my mechanic needed to do their inspection. After test driving and pre-inspection, I felt equipped with more knowledge about the vehicle and the price I was willing to pay.

0 stars (but Google doesn't accept 0 stars) on this part of the experience: Did I miss a posted sign or advertisement somewhere that provides a disclaimer that they DO NOT NEGOTIATE? I was told they absolutely DO NOT NEGOTIATE prices of vehicles they are selling. "We just don't do that." Not sure if that was true or if they just refused to negotiate with me personally. I've never heard of or experienced a dealership that doesn't negotiate? It was really weird. Their excuse was "We got new owners 2 years ago and they don't allow negotiation. The price is what the price is..... maybe you could look at some of our trucks that are priced under market." I didn't want a truck. I didn't go there for a truck. I wanted the Jeep that I test drove and just paid a pre-inspection for. It only came with a soft top; a hard top is looking to be about $2,500 brand new but I could potentially find a used one around $1,000. It had tires that had dry cracks in them and really rough wear on the front ones; so there's about $1,000 right there. Bad tires are a safety issue especially with winter driving. I could potentially just rotate the tires after buying to get a little more use out of them. My mechanic did a thorough pre-inspection and the bare minimum of shop work I would have wanted to do was looking to be about $1,200 e.g. there were several leaks which I hear Jeeps are prone to. To drive the vehicle safely in the winter I was looking at $3,200 to $4,700 right off the bat after purchasing it. Yes, it could primarily be a 2nd fun summer vehicle which I initially envisioned but I see a lot of Jeeps driven in the winters here so no reason why I couldn't have gotten it prepared for winter driving. It was insulting when they said "what's wrong with the tires?" I'm not stupid. I know bad tires when I see them. Not that I needed a 2nd opinion on the tires but my mechanic confirmed the tires should be replaced ASAP.

I did a trade-in there in summer 2022 and I was able to negotiate the price of a vehicle they were buying from me but apparently they do not budge on the prices of the vehicles they are selling. I can't recall if they lowered the price at all of the vehicle I purchased in summer 2022. The vehicle I purchased in 2022 was nearly brand new and it was in really good condition so I felt their asking price was more than fair. I definitely recall they were willing to negotiate on my asking price of the vehicle I traded in.

Long story short, I won't go there...

I am very very cautious when it comes to used car sales. I think everyone can agree that it can be a very negative and daunting experience. My experience at Affordable Used Cars was the opposite of my expectations. I had the opportunity to work with Dave, and I felt very comfortable, never pushed or rushed into buying, and I felt comfortable saying no if I didn’t like a certain car. This was my first time ever buying a car like this, and as a young woman, it can be very intimidating walking into a dealership where you know for a fact that people are going to try and steam roll over you any chance they get. Dave was nothing but kind, patient, and respectful to me. He was honest about the cars, listened when I was worried about something, and allowed me to drive a lot of cars before settling on a car that I feel will be a good and reliable vehicle. My dad was actually the person who suggested I talk to Dave, and my dad has also encouraged my sister to buy her vehicles from him, which have all been great cars. He is even super understanding and will request a mechanic the get the car looked at before you decide to purchase. I really appreciate the comfort that he gave me when making this huge choice for myself. I would definitely suggest this company to anyone who is nervous about buying a new car! (And to add- my insurance company even said they had heard nothing but good reviews about this place!)...

I was buying a new car at a different dealer here in Fairbanks, and the trade-in value for my (not so old) old car was extremely low. So I called Affordable Used Cars, and got to talk to Shorty. He told me to drive my car over there, and he would be able to quote me a price within 10 minutes. So I did. The whole process was perfect, and exemplar excellent service. After taking a quick drive of my car, Shorty was able to offer me a price that was fair and reasonable, way better than the other dealer's offer. He was also very polite, professional, straight forward (no hassle or bluff), and humorous. The process was quick and pleasant. We needed to drive to the other dealer to get our new car. Shorty gave us a couple of days to work on the transition. Two days later, we took the car to Affordable Used Cars, and Shorty kept his promise, and wrote us a check within a few minutes. (P.S. The other dealer learned that we were selling the old car to Affordable Used Cars, and offered a higher price for us to trade in. We refused instantly. We'd rather deal with Affordable who was straight forward and hassle free.) I often find the quality of services in Alaska (especially in Fairbanks) under national average, as there is less competition here in a small town. But the experience with Affordable Used Cars really changed my impression. I will definitely recommend them to all my family and friends for...