I had never heard of USAA and had to google it. I don’t belong to Costco because I’m single and its silly to buy such stuff in bulk.
But I wonder if it might not be worth the membership just for this…
I have bought something like five used cars and had very good luck with them. My advice? If you can afford it, look for a car about two years old, with 25-30K miles. A car in this age and milage range is almost always a car that came off of a lease. Because of the penalties built into the lease agreements, leasers tend to take very good care of their cars. You can buy the two year old car, drive it for four to six years, and still have some decent trade-in value left.
Basically, you are letting some other sucker take the hit in value a new car takes the moment you drive off the lot.
Hi, Ms. Dough Ho,
I write about cars as a sideline. My $.02? Very good advice so far.
Add one more for edmunds.com. Really, everything you need on one site. And add one more for the Protege5/Mazda3 Touring. Mazdas really are fun to drive, and fairly solid cars – though the new “smiley face” grille of the last couple seasons leaves me cold. Gas mileage is OK, too.
Volkswagens tend to be overpriced, get sucktacular gas mileage and have abysmal quality control. YMMV.
Subarus are great vehicles, but pricey.
I always liked the Matrix/Vibe for looks and size, and while I have never been in one, a fellow auto writer gave it a heartful “meh” after testing one.
Definitely take your time – a month is not too long. I usually spend four-six months shopping when I can. I’ve dealt with new car dealers, used car dealers and private parties, and my most miserable experience recently has been from new car dealers. Follow your gut. Any pressure means walk away and don’t look back.
Cheers,
JK
Thank you, Joe!
If I had known four or six months ago I’d be needing a car, I would have started shopping then. But I’m not sure I want to use my friend’s Lotus for six months (nor might I think he would want to lend it to me for that long).
I’ve looked at pics of the Protege5 and it seems really cool. I guess I have a lot of investigating to do! The ones I am seeing around here are almost ten years old and I like the idea of getting something that is only a few years old. It seems the Mazda3 Touring is more easily available in this neighborhood and I like the looks of that too!
Avoid CarMax like the Clap. Waaaay overbook and won’t budge, because they cater to the wimps who will pay whatever they are told.
Figure out what you want (All wheel, 4 door, auto, whatever) and buy private party. Look around till you find what you want at a price that seems fair (according to your research) and make a deal. The best ones are the ones with original owners, paperwork intact and a clean history. Don’t be so paranoid that someone is "trying to F*** you over. Keep in mind the reason people sell cars…
They like new ones! They don’t mind taking the depreciation hit!
You can tell a well-cared-for car pretty easily. Buy private-party, and both buyer and seller get the best deal. There may be a small problem, but deal with it and pay accordingly.
Bottom line: Have confidence in your own ability to find a decent car. Plenty out there.