Quote:
Originally Posted by glatt
My grandfather's philosophy was that every used car on the market is on the market because the previous owner thought there was something wrong with it and didn't want it any more. Why would you buy a car from someone when they don't want it any more?
I don't completely agree with his philosophy, but he has a good point. You just have to figure out what is "wrong" with the used car you are buying and if that "wrong" thing is something you can live with. But every used car has something "wrong" with it from the perspective of the previous owner.
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A LOT of newer used cars are on the market, especially at the dealer's lot, because the previous buyer couldn't afford the car payment anymore. Additionally, a lot of them are on the market because the previous owner is one of those "trade 'em in every three years" types. Then there are the cars that were leased for a couple of years. The only thing wrong with them from the previous owner's perspective is that they weren't "new enough" anymore.
Every car has something wrong with it, or will have something wrong with it... buying new is no guarantee that it won't need constant repairs. My neighbor's new car is in the shop more than my 20-year-old monster... plus my monster gets better gas mileage than most new cars.
Call me frugal, call me cheap, call me whatever... I just don't get the new car appeal. It seems like throwing away money.