Used Car Bargains

For some people, their car is a status symbol, to show the world how rich and successful they are. Everyone has heard the stories of celebrities with huge car collections and private, custom-built garages to house them. But not everyone feels this need to express themselves with big expensive vehicles. Some people care more about value than status, and for these people, inexpensive cars that still offer good quality are the way to go.

Probably the best way to get a quality car at a low price is to buy a used car. Even top of the line luxury models are a lot cheaper when they are a year or two old, or even older. This type of quality used car has found a niche in the car market in the past decade, and a new term denoting such vehicles has emerged - pre-owned. Pre-owned vehicles have even managed to turn the heads of established new car buyers, bringing them into the used car fold, especially in these difficult economic times. Some good examples are luxury cars like Mercedes or Lexus that are so well built that even 10 year old models can still be in excellent condition. In fact, many families have generations of car buyers who always purchase higher end used vehicles.

There are also new cars that are very nice but less expensive. There are a number of companies that make excellent cars sold new for under $12,000. A car like the Honda Civic, which sells for about $15,000, is one of the best engineered cars available today. It gets great mileage, lasts a long time, and retains its resale value very well. A car like this is also much less expensive to maintain than a luxury car that may require more expensive parts and even premium gas to run well.

For those who want new and luxury but don't want to break the bank, another area to look is less expensive luxury cars. Audi makes luxury cars that compete with Mercedes and Lexus in quality and features, but are usually at the lower end of the price spread for such vehicles. Audi can also boast the top engineered cars in the world. This includes the Audi TT which, though it isn't cheap, is a nice sports car with a lot of power and speed that costs less than its equivalent with other luxury brands.

Of course, there are always some who just want the cheapest ride available as long as it gets from point A to point B. They turn to the clunker, the late, late model car that was probably old when their parents first bought a car. This type of car is a good first vehicle for a teenager. It will get them around and provide practice for a life time of practical mechanical knowledge. Just be careful, because you do get what you pay for, and it may not seem like such a deal when you're running late for work one morning and your car won't start.