Congratulations on considering a used car purchase. Used cars are the way to go when you’re looking to keep money in your pocket, and all it takes to find a good one is a little time and effort.

Why Buy Used?

Cost - Used cars cost far less than new cars, which lose around 30% of their value as soon as they’re driven off the lot, and up to 50% of their value by the end of their first year.

Established Reputation – Used cars have track records that can be referenced by you, the potential buyer. When you buy a new car, you really don’t know how it will perform.

More for Less – Buying used means that you can get a better car for the same (or less) amount of money you’d pay for a new one. If your budget allows for a new Tercel, it will allow for a used Camry.

Dings – Yes, dings! Used cars invariably have a few cosmetic blemishes, which frees you from obsessing about that first scratch or dent. Tom and Ray of National Public Radio’s Car Talk have suggested that new cars should come “pre-dinged” so that their owners won’t fuss too much about maintaining a perfect finish.

My Experience With Used Cars

One used car of mine stands out for performing better than I ever imagined it would. The vehicle was a 1980 Datsun that I purchased from a Honda repair shop in 1997. I figured that the car had to be in decent shape because it was being driven daily for runs into a neighboring city to pick up parts. I bought the car for $800, and drove it for thousands of miles and a couple of years with only minor problems before having to send it to that great junkyard in the sky. I’d say that I got my money’s worth, and more.

I purchased my current car, a 1991 Mazda 323, in 2001 for $1500. I bought it from the original owner, who took excellent care of it and kept complete repair records. At fourteen years old, the car still runs like a top, gets terrific mileage, and is virtually trouble-free.