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
March 2024
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- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Mar 28, 2024
- Nissan Rogue Special Deals Alert Mar 28, 2024
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Mar 28, 2024
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Mar 21, 2024
- Best Car Deals by Category Mar 21, 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars for 2024 Mar 21, 2024
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Mar 21, 2024
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Mar 14, 2024
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Mar 14, 2024
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Mar 14, 2024
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Mar 14, 2024
- Best 0% Finance Deals March 2024 Mar 07, 2024
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Mar 07, 2024
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Mar 07, 2024
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Mar 07, 2024
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Mar 07, 2024
February 2024
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Feb 29, 2024
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Feb 29, 2024
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Feb 22, 2024
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Feb 22, 2024
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Feb 15, 2024
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Feb 01, 2024