I totaled my beloved '04 Civic a few days ago, and as tempted as I am to fix it, I know that it will never be the same (or as safe) again. This seems to be the worst possible time to have totaled my car. Used car prices are ridiculous right now, and I don't want to pay vastly more than a car is worth (or get into a bidding war with other buyers). I'm almost thinking that I'm better off going with a new Honda or Toyota. Do you have any tips for getting a good used car that isn't overpriced?
1. Don't buy what's trendy - like a SUV or truck
2. Look for something that's mechanically sound, but has bad paint and a few scrapes - a basic paint job and a little body work are a lot cheaper than a transmission, but people buy on looks, not mechanical integrity
Do not buy from a dealer.
Your best bet IMO is to go on Craigslist under "owner" and look for something. Many times people sell older cars there when the dealer only offers peanuts on a trade in.
Bring a gun to the negotiations.
there are still some good deals but they go fast
do your research, know exactly what you want, i think that you can set an alert on craigslist to let you know if your car meeting your specs pops up
