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Best Used Cars Under $20,000
August 2, 2012
If you're thinking about buying a car and have less than $20,000 to spend, you'll get way more for your money if you buy a reliable used vehicle rather than a small, less-equipped new vehicle.
Consumer Reports recently put together a list of the best used cars to buy for under $20,000. They all scored well in tests, have proven reliability, and perform well in crash tests.
Here's the list. It shows the average price dealers are charging along with the original MSRP and the average discount from original MSRP. Keep in mind you should be able to negotiate better deals than the "average".
| Vehicle | Average Price | MSRP (new) | Discount from MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 Suzuki SX4 | $10,025 | $16,099 | 38% |
| 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander RWD | $10,875 | $21,370 | 49% |
| 2007 Kia Sportage | $11,150 | $18,895 | 41% |
| 2007 Ford Fusion FWD | $12,300 | $21,085 | 42% |
| 2007 Mazda6 i sedan | $12,375 | $22,520 | 45% |
| 2007 Mazda6 s wagon | $12,575 | $26,180 | 52% |
| 2007 Ford Fusion AWD | $12,725 | $22,935 | 45% |
| 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD | $13,150 | $23,770 | 45% |
| 2007 Mercury Milan | $13,200 | $25,225 | 48% |
| 2007 Honda Accord | $13,475 | $25,300 | 47% |
| 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata | $13,900 | $23,390 | 41% |
| 2007 Toyota Avalon | $14,275 | $26,875 | 47% |
| 2007 Kia Sportage | $14,475 | $22,895 | 37% |
| 2007 Honda Pilot | $14,500 | $27,095 | 46% |
| 2007 Toyota Camry Solara | $14,625 | $26,905 | 46% |
| 2007 Toyota Tundra | $15,725 | $27,440 | 43% |
| 2007 Honda Accord Hybrid | $16,225 | $31,090 | 48% |
| 2007 Lincoln MKZ | $16,275 | $31,175 | 48% |
| 2007 Toyota Camry | $16,625 | $28,020 | 41% |
| 2007 Toyota Highlander | $17,075 | $28,965 | 41% |
| 2007 Acura TSX | $17,075 | $30,090 | 43% |
| 2007 Acura TL | $19,525 | $36,125 | 46% |
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Select Vehicle to Get Local Pricing
Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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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.
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