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Best Used Cars Under $20,000
March 28, 2013
If you've got a family, chances are good you're on a tight budget. So when it comes time to purchase a new vehicle, you want something that makes the most economic sense for you and your family.
Consumer Reports recently put together a list of what they consider the best deals available right now on used 2008-2010 family sedans for less than $20,000. Most of these vehicles are selling for between 29 to 59 percent less than retail price when the car was new. On the list - the 2008 Mazda6 i, 2009 Mercury Milan, and 2010 Nissan Altima S.
Be sure to check out the Used Car Classifieds to get an idea of what these vehicles are selling for in your local area.
| Vehicle | Dealer Avg. Price | MSRP (new) | Drop in retail value vs. MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Mazda6 i | $9,775 | $20,800 | 53% |
| 2008 Mercury Milan | $9,875 | $24,195 | 59% |
| 2008 Ford Fusion SE | $10,025 | $19,060 | 47% |
| 2009 Mercury Milan | $10,500 | $22,995 | 54% |
| 2008 Nissan Altima | $11,750 | $20,580 | 43% |
| 2009 Mazda6 s | $12,075 | $24,130 | 50% |
| 2009 Ford Fusion SE | $12,450 | $24,345 | 49% |
| 2010 Mazda6 | $12,625 | $20,470 | 38% |
| 2008 Toyota Camry LE | $12,700 | $21,075 | 40% |
| 2008 Toyota Prius | $13,175 | $22,475 | 41% |
| 2010 Mercury Milan | $13,325 | $24,320 | 45% |
| 2010 Ford Fusion SE | $13,900 | $20,900 | 33% |
| 2010 Nissan Altima S | $14,500 | $21,840 | 34% |
| 2010 Mazda6 s | $14,775 | $26,600 | 44% |
| 2009 Nissan Altima SL | $15,075 | $23,000 | 34% |
| 2009 Toyota Prius | $15,125 | $23,375 | 35% |
| 2008 Honda Accord EX | $15,200 | $23,860 | 36% |
| 2010 Toyota Camry LE | $15,350 | $21,900 | 30% |
| 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid | $15,625 | $26,150 | 40% |
| 2009 Honda Accord EX-L | $16,325 | $26,405 | 38% |
| 2010 Honda Accord EX | $17,525 | $24,630 | 29% |
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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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.
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