A recent article in the Denver Post discussed the realities of today’s car-buying market. Their point was that advice that held true yesterday, when your Dad was buying cars, doesn’t necessarily apply today.
Examples of Yesterday’s Car Buying Truisms that Maybe Today’s Falsisms 😉
- Buy Late Model Used Cars...
Buying a car that’s a couple of years old might still save you a buck or two but your savings won’t be nearly as great as they used to be due to an overheated used car market, particularly for those vehicles that’ve been well-maintained and get good gas mileage. - Don’t Trade Your Car In
See the first point. With the used car market being hot you might actually get more for your used vehicle if you trade it in instead of sell it yourself. Forget what the Blue Book says, have a dealer make his best offer first (particularly if your trade-in has low mileage) before going the Craigs List route. - Leasing Sucks
Or at least that was my experience but today you may find your car leasing experience entirely different. Experts say that deals today are better particularly if you frequently replace vehicles. Still make sure you fully understand all the particulars of your lease agreement before signing your Henry Ford on the bottom line. - If You Want a Quality Car, Buy Japanese
Not necessarily true with the ascendance of their Asian brethren (sisteren?) in recent years. Kia and Hyundai are rocketing up the quality charts and Ford and GM ain’t no quality slouches anymore either!
So if you’re in the market for a new automobile (or gently used recent vintage) our best advice is to do your homework. Take plenty of test drives and leave Dad at home when you go car shopping.
