The Used Car Blog

We want consumers everywhere to feel confident about their ability to engage in the used car process on their own terms. We’re going to be posting articles about every aspect of buying used cars, from giving you tips on how to judge the condition of a used car to knowing your way around financing options to what you should look for when test driving a vehicle.

Used Car Buying Then and Now

Anyone younger than 30 might not realize how much things have changed around used car buying. For those who are Millennials or younger, we've assembled this used car buying and then and now so you can fully appreciate how much easier your life is these days when it's time to buy your next used car.

Fuel Economy Fact and Fiction

The highest prices for gasoline are almost always being paid by drivers in the state of California. Right now the average price of gasoline in the state is around $3.80/gallon, though it's well above $4/gallon in Los Angeles. Lots of people are looking for ways to get more miles out of every gallon of gas they buy. But this is when you need to bust myths and learn the truth. This article will separate fuel economy fact from fiction so you know what really works.

4 Things That Can Go Wrong with Online Used Car Shopping

Ordering stuff online that you know you'll always use on a regular basis makes sense, like your favorite brands of personal care products (shampoo, deodorant, soap, toothpaste, shaving products, and so on). You know what you like and you can search online for special deals and free shipping when you buy in bulk - all on your favorite device and without leaving the comfort of your home. But what about used car shopping online? The number of companies doing this keeps growing, but we strongly recommend thinking twice before taking the plunge. Here are 4 things that can, and often do, go wrong with online used car shopping.

How to Become an Educated Car Shopper

Auto City launchedThe Used Car Blogin July 2016 in order to start a revolution in the used car industry. The goal of our effort is simple:To help anyone become an educated car shopper. Why is this part of our mission? We know many used car dealerships and used car salespeople have created bad reputations by engaging in all kinds of bad practices. Meanwhile, people buying cars privately from their owners have also had all manner of nightmarish experiences.

Modern Car Quality: They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To. Or Do They?

When you see a post on social media about someone experiencing some kind of product failure, someone will inevitably respond by commenting, "They don't make 'em like they used to." Whether you're talking about toasters, computers, dryers, televisions, refrigerators or just about any other product you can think of, people often feel the quality is not just lower than it should be, but is lower than it was "back in the day." But what about vehicle quality? Are cars getting better or worse? Let's find out!

Used vs New Cars in 2019

If you need to replace a car in 2019, should you buy used or new? The used vs new debate is one that has been around for decades in terms of the basics and we already posted an extensive blog post onnew versus used cars. New cars take a major hit on depreciation for their first several years. Used cars run the risk of saddling you with higher maintenance and repair costs. But what about the big picture in 2019? What's happening in the larger auto market that might influence whether you choose used or new? Read on to find out!

Do We Really Need Car Dealers?

People love to hate used car salesmen and used car dealerships. Heck, plenty of people like to hate new-car dealerships as well. Anyone who has ever felt like they got "ripped off" or pressured into something they didn't really need or want probably has a pretty low opinion of the car-selling industry. And this kind of begs the question - Aren't car dealerships becoming obsolete? The short answer is no. Here's why:

Auto City vs Online Used Car Buying: A Head-to-Head Comparison

Younger people have a hard time understanding how people got anything done before the Internet and smart phones. In the digital age of the 21stcentury, more and more of life happens online. From communicating with friends and family to banking to all the things you can buy and have rapidly shipped to your home, it's incredibly convenient. In the rush to take advantage of all the opportunities for selling anything and everything online, we'd like to pause and recognize there are still some things best left to in-person, real-world transactions. We think buying a vehicle is one of those things. In this article we'll explain why we think you should avoid online used car buying.

Understanding Used Car Warranties

When you're shopping for your next vehicle, do you plan on examining the warranty that comes with it? If you're like most people, it's not something you've ever really given much thought. But if something goes wrong with your car soon after you purchase, you're going to suddenly want to know all the details about its warranty - if there even is one. And if you do have one, you could be in for a rude awakening about what's covered and what's not. This is one part of the used car shopping process you want to understand better for you buy, and this article will cover many of the basics you should know.

More Affordable Car Insurance

In our previous article,How to Buy Car Insurance, we mainly advised that you pay attention to the amounts of different kinds of coverage included to make sure you have enough insurance but not more than you need, and then emphasized the importance of shopping around to get the best deal possible in a very competitive market. Think of all those commercials you see from different car insurance companies all saying they can save you money - it's worth checking them out and comparing them to each other. But there are other ways to get more affordable car insurance. The ones we'll cover in this article include the kind of car you're insuring and whether or not you should participate in one of those driving habit tracking programs some companies offer.