# What's better for me: a new car or a used car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 13, 2005, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-for-me-a-new-car-or-a-used-car/312304 "2005-07-13T05:24:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-for-me-a-new-car-or-a-used-car/312304/21 "2005-07-22T07:28:59Z")
I’ve got a meeting with the bank on Tuesday! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-for-me-a-new-car-or-a-used-car/312304/22 "2005-07-22T08:07:03Z")
What’d you decide on? ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-for-me-a-new-car-or-a-used-car/312304/23 "2005-07-22T08:52:33Z")
Well, if I get the loan I’m probably going for privately traded 2-3 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-for-me-a-new-car-or-a-used-car/312304/24 "2005-07-22T19:57:23Z")
I’ve been looking hard at the Toyota Matrix. The weird thing is that I’ve been finding that it’s not depreciating for being used, or that some used cars are anti-deprciating! Here’s a hypothetical example of what I’m finding. 2003 Matrix, 30K miles. I figure that’s 10% of the usable miles on a new Toyata (300K being the estimated lifespan). That’s the best 10% too, as you’d think they’d be the least likely to have repair costs. Realistic price (not MSRP) for 2005 Matrix with same options, according to Edmunds: $15,800. Kelly Blue Book value of used example: $14,300. That’s a 9.5% reduction in price, and that’s ignoring that it’s the sweet miles that are gone, and the 2005 price is probably higher than the 2003 price. So what’s up with that? Are people just blindly paying this because most won’t number crunch like a big geek (me)? How can a car anti-depreciate? Is there something I’m missing? ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-for-me-a-new-car-or-a-used-car/312304/25 "2005-08-31T03:40:18Z")
On the off chance that anyone cares, I wound up getting a 2001 model Holden Barina. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-for-me-a-new-car-or-a-used-car/312304/26 "2005-08-31T06:52:52Z")
I was going to recommend the top rated small cars of 2003 - Hyundai Getz, Hyundai Accent, Honda Jazz, Renault Clio or Toyota Echo. Cleverly you chose one of the top rated cars of 2001 - Hyundai Accent, Holden Barina and Toyota Echo Sportivo. Good luck with the beast. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-for-me-a-new-car-or-a-used-car/312304/27 "2005-08-31T13:05:10Z")
> [@Silentgoldfish](#): > > On the off chance that anyone cares, I wound up getting a 2001 model Holden Barina. Congratulations on listening to good advice and buying a car that’s already taken most of its first big depreciation hit. May you enjoy it. … off to go look up a 2001 Holden Barina online, since he’s not an Aussie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-for-me-a-new-car-or-a-used-car/312304.md?page=1)