Cars
- It is the Season to Save Money
by Kyle Busch
Get
Kyle's Book from Amazon.com Here!
Summer
is the season when many people purchase
transportation. The weather is warm and there is plenty
of sunlight.
The cost of new transportation is expensive. However,
there are several used vehicles that you might want
to
consider. The following vehicles all have good ratings
and current market forces have made them available at
very reasonable prices.
Four vehicles worth your consideration:
1. The Toyota Camry has been one of the best vehicles
in America for years. New Camry LEs cost $18,500-$25,000.
Now that the redesigned 2002 Camry is circulating in
the market, you can buy (if you shop carefully) a used
2000 Toyota Camry LE with 25,000-30,000 miles for about
$10,500-$11,500. I consider this car to be an excellent
value for this price. The vehicle should still have
at least 6 months remaining on the manufacturer's bumper-to-bumper
warranty and 2.5 years remaining on the power train
(engine and
transmission) warranty. This vehicle can be driven for
hundreds of thousands of miles.
2. The Honda Accord has also been one of America's best
selling automobiles. New Accord LXs cost $18,500-$26,000.
The Accord will be redesigned for 2003 (due out in about
September 2002).
You can buy (if you shop carefully) a 2000 Accord LX
with 25,000-30,000 miles for about $11,500-$12,500.
This vehicle should also have at least 6 months remaining
on the manufacturer's bumper-to-bumper warranty and
2.5 years on the power train. This vehicle can also
be driven for hundreds of thousands of miles.
3. The Mazda 626 has also been a reliable vehicle. New
626 LXs cost $17,500-$24,000. The 626 will be redesigned
for 2003 (renamed the "6").
Mazda does not quite have the name of the Toyota or
the Honda.You can buy (if you shop carefully) a 2000
Mazda 626 LX with 25,000-30,000 miles for about $9,000-$10,000.
This vehicle should also have at least 6 months remaining
on the manufacturer's bumper-to-bumper warranty and
2.5 years on the power train. This vehicle can provide
many years of dependable transportation.
4. The Nissan Altima is also a pretty good value. New
Altima 2.5s cost $17,000-23,000. The 2002 Altima was
redesigned to be a much larger car than the previous
model.
If you are on a transportation budget, you can buy (if
you shop carefully) a 1995 Altima GXE with 60,000-75,000
miles for about $3,500-$4,500. At this age and mileage,
the vehicle will likely not
include any remaining manufacturer's warranty, however,
the Altima is quite reliable and economical to drive.
This car can provide a number of years of good transportation
service.
If you are in the market for a vehicle, do your homework.
Consult Consumer Report's automotive issue (April).
Also, be sure to read a couple of archived new vehicle
road tests (review road tests that
were conducted at the time the vehicle was new) on the
used vehicle of interest in auto magazines (many are
archived at your local library) or Internet sources
such as Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track,
or MotorWeek. Information from the road tests will allow
you to zero in on which of the vehicles discussed above
will be the best for you.
For example, if you prefer a softer ride consider the
Camry; if you prefer a stiffer more European ride, consider
the Accord; and if price is the major consideration,
consider the Mazda or the Altima. Last,
but not least, if you are going to buy a 2 to 3 year-old
vehicle, try to get the 2000 model rather than the 199...
model. Years down the road when you sell the vehicle,
the 2000 model will be worth more than the "past
century" vehicle.
Buying a Used Vehicle
For information on buying a used vehicle and saving
money, a new book is available: Drive the Best for the
Price: How to Buy a Used Automobile, Sport-Utility Vehicle,
or Minivan and Save Money. Information about the book
is available at: 1 800 839-8640 or www.drivethebestbook.com
In 1991 the book's author, Kyle Busch, purchased a used
vehicle for $2,600 that a private owner had driven 82,000
miles. He has driven the vehicle for over nine years
and the odometer now reads over 292,000 miles. The vehicle
continues to provide for his daily transportation needs.
