Their prices are actually quite high comparatively for what you get. It has to do, in part, with how they buy their cars, particularly at auction. It is good to shop at (reputable) dealerships, though, because they usually do a good job at going through used cars before they sell them. Try and a dealer with a reputation for standing behind their used cars. Privately owned (or “family owned and operated”) dealerships are good because those businesspeople actually live and work in their communities and can’t afford to get a reputation for selling junk to unsuspecting consumers.
Carfax is a good resource but you’ll only know about any reported damage. When I bought my used car, I got a carfax report and it was squeaky clean. Fast forward several years and several rust-repair jobs on the driver’s door, which kept coming back worse and worse. A checkup at a body shop revealed that there was apparently very significant body damage to that side of the car at one point, which had been cleverly concealed but not very well repaired. He said he’d never have spotted the slight difference in paint colour if I hadn’t specifically pointed out that trouble spot.
Bottom line is, Carfax can’t report what they were never told.
And for what it’s worth, I vote for the no-car option…I didn’t have a car till I was 20, and only got it to move to Oregon. I am actually quite glad that I don’t have to drive anymore!
Actually, my car came in at slightly below Blue Book. It was really a very pleasant way to buy a used car…no pressure, no having to haggle with some guy whose kid’s college education depended on how much he could bilk out of you, etc. You just go in, enter your criteria into their computers, choose the cars you want to look at, compare them to the price research you’ve done and, if you find one you like, buy it. My Toyota was a one-owner vehicle in excellent condition and, as I said, it’s served us very, very well.
Sorry about the Forrester Em. I had a 2000 that I hauled mail from and used as our only car. It was wonderful and I never had to make anything other than routine maintence. I miss it. If they’d just put that steering wheel back on the right side Jeep would never sell another RHD Wrangler to a rural carrier.
As to buying a used vehicle, we’d never bought a used vehicle until our Toyota truck when it was a year old and it has been great. (bought from the dealer)
My daughter bought a 99 Rav, which she has since bashed several times and rolled once. It looks like!#%$ but still runs great and again, has never had to have more than routine maintence. None of her wrecks resulted in any but cosmetic damage. (bought from dealer)
I miss it. If they’d just put that steering wheel back on the right side Jeep would never sell another RHD Wrangler to a rural carrier.