Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
Best & Worst Cities to Buy a Used Car
February 21, 2013
If you're in the market for a used car, the city you purchase
in may have an impact on the price.
According to Forbes,
there can be quite a difference in car prices between US cities. For
instance, cars sold in Miami, FL are nearly 7 percent less expensive
than the national average, while used cars in Jackson, MS may make you
fork over 9 percent more than the national average.
Here's a look at the top 10 most affordable and least affordable cities
in the US when it comes to buying a used car, based on the national
average transaction price.
10 Most Affordable Cities
| City | % Below National Average Price |
|---|---|
| Miami, FL | -6.6% |
| Cleveland, OH | -5.7% |
| Rochester, NY | -5.4% |
| Detroit, MI | -4.7% |
| Stamford, CT | -4.7% |
| Akron, OH | -4.4% |
| Buffalo, NY | -4.4% |
| Toledo, OH | -3.7% |
| New York, NY | -3.7% |
| Minneapolis, MN | -2.8% |
10 Least Affordable Cities
| City | % Above National Average Price |
|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | 9.0% |
| Seattle, WA | 6.4% |
| Montgomery, AL | 5.8% |
| Little Rock, AR | 5.8% |
| Knoxville, TN | 5.5% |
| Mobile, AL | 5.3% |
| Fresno, CA | 4.8% |
| Memphis, TN | 4.8% |
| Wichita, KS | 4.8% |
| Lincoln, NE | 4.7% |
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
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter
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 2023
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Mar 16, 2023
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Mar 16, 2023
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Mar 16, 2023
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Mar 16, 2023
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Mar 09, 2023
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Mar 09, 2023
- Best 0% Finance Deals March 2023 Mar 09, 2023
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Mar 09, 2023
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Mar 02, 2023
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Mar 02, 2023
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Mar 02, 2023
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Mar 02, 2023
February 2023
- Best Car Deals by Category Feb 23, 2023
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Feb 23, 2023
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Feb 23, 2023
- Lease Deals with Loyalty & Conquest Rebates Feb 23, 2023
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Feb 16, 2023
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Feb 09, 2023
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Feb 02, 2023
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Feb 02, 2023
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Feb 02, 2023
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!
