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Used Car Cost

How Much Does a Used Car Cost?


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To determine which car you want to buy, we recommend reviewing the list of best and worst used cars by Consumers Union, freely available in Road and Travel Magazine.
 
Typical costs:
  • Once you've determined which used car you wish to purchase, use multiple car pricing services such as Kelly Blue Book, Edmunds and VMR Auto Guides.
  • Next, you can review recent ads for used cars at vehix.com, in your local newspaper's classified ads, and at craigslist.org.
  • Once you've gotten several examples of local listings, you may want to consider comparing prices at your local car dealerships.
Shopping for a used car:
  • Tip: After you've chosen a car, have a mechanic inspect the car and the engine.
  • Tip: Review your state's lemon laws so you know your rights going in.
  • Tip: Get the car's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) to research the car's history.  Carfax offers a vehicle history report for $20.
Article updated November 2006
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Recent Posts
Amount: $9,000.00 before taxes and fees car
Posted by: donald johnson in lawrenceville, .Purchased: February, 2007
Car Make: vwCar Model: voltswagon
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Amount: $1,500.00 before taxes and fees used car
Posted by: bailey in norwood, OH.Purchased: June, 2001
Car Make: dodgeCar Model: avenger
Dealer: none
I had no mechanical problem's with my car. It really holds up when you hit a garbage truck in the left rear. Car was totaled, but I was just bruised up a little. Now I am get a 96 instead of a 97 which could not be found, Would recommed this car for anyone. Easy to drive.
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Amount: $17,000.00 before taxes and fees car 05 honda accord
Posted by: charles in philadelphia, PA.Purchased: July, 2007
Car Make: hondaCar Model: accord
Dealer: piazza honda
i paid 17000 and it already had 70000 miles on it tho... but it came w/leather int. and a sunroof
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Amount: $6,150.00 before taxes and fees car purchase
Posted by: Gene in Brooklyn, NY.Purchased: May, 2008
Car Make: NissanCar Model: 2002 Altima
Dealer: Auction
Bought 2002 Nissan Altima from the "dealer" auction. On the lot car looked amazing, drove nice too and I though I saved some money. Some time later.. ..turns out that car was buffed out and after couple of washes you could see all the scratches and stuff... than.. mechanical problems started to come up.. so far.. spend around 800 to fix stuff.. still have around 500 to invest in to that car to make it decent. Mechanical problems look like someone took all the good parts out and put shitty parts in .. .. example.. ALL struts had to be replaced! How often does that happen? on 2002 car? come on! paid around 700 in taxes.. on this car too! When I bough the car I looked it's price on Kbb and it turned put to be same thing that I paid for it.. .. meaning that I did not save anything! DO NOT BUY ANYTHING ON SO CALLED DEALER AUCTIONS! buy from private owner.
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Amount: $1,000.00 before taxes and fees engine gone
Posted by: t jones in virginia beach, VA.Purchased: February, 2009
Car Make: dodgeCar Model: intreptd
Dealer: private owner
purchased a car from private owner and they told me noting was wrong with car in good condition bought the car on a Monday it broke down on me on a Friday.
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Amount: $0.00 before taxes and fees all kelly blue books or internet car guide
Posted by: Weber.inc in any, Other.Purchased: January, 2009
Car Make: any makeCar Model: any
Dealer: all of them
Don't take any help from any car guides as they're just helping car dealers
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Amount: $11,900.00 before taxes and fees Extended warranty
Posted by: MB Coupe in Garfield, NJ.Purchased: March, 2008
Car Make: MercedesCar Model: c230 coupe
Dealer: MJTRADERS
After the fact realized, I could have got it from owner direct on Craigslist for $10000. Anyways, 3 days after I bought the car, 74000 miles, the sunroof wouldn't work. Car dealer says sorry, as is. Mercedes dealership wants a crazy $2500 to fix it. Extended warranty( I paid 2K to the car dealer for it)wouldn't fix it cos' it happened within 30 days. My mechanically gifted buddy opened that little panel on the roof, figeted with the wires a bit and now it works great.

The car runs beautiful but after a year the alternator gives up, spent $900 to replace, extended warranty won't pay, citing lack of maintenance records. That's cos' we did oil changes ourselves. Anyways,what's an oil change gotta do with the alternator? Their contract is iron clad though, so I lucked out.

Then we started thinking, how do extended warranty companies make their money? Every car will need repairs. They'll be underwater all the time! That's when we realised it's all a scam. And dealers get a cut for selling it.

My brother-in-law has a FACTORY warranty on his Dodge, they honor it everytime...no questions asked.

The whole experience has made me $4000 poorer (2K to the dealer and 2K to extended warranty) but hey, I'm a lot wiser.

Never ever, ever, ever buy an aftermarket extended warranty from a used car dealer - especially if they're called Autosource.
Like politicians, they're full of hot air and broken promises.
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Amount: $7,100.00 before taxes and fees used car in
Posted by: NarutoV2On my fisrt car in Mckeesport, PA.Purchased: July, 2008
Car Make: Chevy 2000Car Model: Monte Carlo LS
Dealer: Tom Clarks
On my first car purchase I used a wrecked town and county van to trade and got 450 dollars trade in according to blue book. SO now it was 6500 or so before plates, one month warranty etc, and total of 7100 AFTER TRADE IN, would have been 7600 or so. It has 85000 miles on it. Had everything the ls model would have. I found out I could have save a thousand if I waited a month or so in a different place for similar but without the sun roof. I really need a car at the time, so oh well, now the car could be brought for 5000 dollars or so. I guess it was just because I brought the car at the wrong time. I spent about 2200 dollars on this car in a year because it needed two water pump repairs, left mirror fell off, all 4 tire rods were messed up ,need new brake lines and 4 new brakes, like 3 or 4 oil changes, inspection, PC check and a shitload of labor costs. People say it could be just because I brought the wrong car or maybe it is just because it is getting near the 100k mark and the dealers probably knew about the starting of the wear and tear. So overall, FCK dealers, IF YOU WANT A CAR look in craiglist for private sellers because they probably had more recent fixes than a car dealer, and from research car dealers will only fix parts in major need of fixing and leave out the rest.
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Amount: $1,200.00 before taxes and fees buying another used car
Posted by: Dylan ABrunzo in Tampa, FL.Purchased: January, 2010
Car Make: hondaCar Model: crx
I purchased this car as my first car and for the first week it ran fine and evreything.Then a week later it broke down and has been sitting in my drive way for about two months now.So if I sell this car and get 1200 dollars back from it and bought another used car how much would I have to pay the tag office and my insurance company for switching everything.
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