Should You Buy a New or Used Car?
Not anymore.
Used car prices are the highest in years and will remain that way until 2013.
Currently there's a shortage of 2- to 5-year old used cars which makes them hard to find � and expensive.
Leasing hit a low point, which means lease returns will decrease over the next few years. Dealers depend on lease returns and trades for their used-car inventory.
While used car prices are higher, new car prices are lower.
Manufacturers are offering huge incentives (rebates, low-interest loans, special lease deals, etc.) on last year's models as well as brand new 2011 models. In many cases, these incentives actually make a new car cheaper than its previous year used model.
Still, if you're buying an older used car in good condition, the old rules still apply.
But if looking for a relatively new used-car, compare the price with the deal you can get on a brand new model. Even if the used model is cheaper, consider the full new-car warranty, lemon law protection, and updated features of the brand new car.
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
May 2024
- Biggest Price Drops on New Cars (Spring 2024) May 02, 2024
- Best Car Deals Around the Country May 02, 2024
- Real Prices of Compact Cars May 02, 2024
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy May 02, 2024
April 2024
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Apr 25, 2024
- Best Car Deals by Category Apr 25, 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars for 2024 Apr 25, 2024
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Apr 25, 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Apr 18, 2024
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Apr 18, 2024
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Apr 18, 2024
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Apr 18, 2024
- Best 0% Finance Deals May 2024 Apr 11, 2024
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Apr 11, 2024
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Apr 11, 2024
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Apr 11, 2024
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Apr 04, 2024
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Apr 04, 2024
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Apr 04, 2024