A Better Way in Naugutuck has the lowest prices on used cars and the biggest selection in New England. The car I got (a year old Hyundai Elantra with only 10k miles) was thousands less than it should have been, to the point the salesman told me to crash it into a tree and call the insurance to get more cash back than I paid.
I'm echoing many here on this one. I would stay away from an older used BMW. I'm admittedly biased here because I think BMWs are crap. Sure they drive nice and handle great but when they break your wallet hurts and when I go down 684 in Weschester County, NY in a snow storm I see BMWs in the median that spun out stranded and beat up. Nearly every snow storm or ice storm I see them. X drive my ass. Of course it could be that these folks drive them like idiots because they think they are bullet proof. If you don't live in a place that gets snow then you will just have the repair bills to deal with. You will look good and think you are as hot as molten lead but you will pay. My next door neighbor is a 30 something guy and has a young family. He bought a used 325i not sure of the year, it was pretty new, but he traded it in in about 18 months for a Nissan Rogue. His reason? It always had some problem that cost him major bank. If $15K is your target price point, forgive me if I read that incorrectly, I would go for a used Toyota or Subaru. My first Toyota never had a major problem, got 245,000 miles and I replaced the clutch twice I think. I have two Rav4s now, one with 108,000 miles and one with 195,000 miles and both drive like they are brand new and are great in the snow. They also have never had major mechanical issues. Subaru's AWD cars are also great for Northeastern driving. I've never been a Honda guy but some of my friends drive them and swear by them. The CRV and Accord are both good cars and I know a lot of people that enjoy them. Don't be lured in or overawed by a luxury car, unless you can afford to light it on fire and walk away. Or any car for that matter. It may look pretty, and have leather seats and all that stuff but the thing that gets you is the maintenance. If money is no object, get a Mercedes. The maintenance will still cost you a fortune, but they are far superior cars based on friends that have had both.
I love Mazdas and the new ones are really nice. My first car, the one I learned to drive on and eventually drove into the ground, was a Mazda GLC hatchback with a manual 5 speed. Great car. Biggest problem it had was it rotted away from road salt. The car makers have largely solved that now. I actually had two 2x4s and a stolen street sign holding my driver's seat up so it didn't fall through the car into the road. If I had been t-boned by a bicycle it would have cut the car in half. Again, they have solved that now.
True story. Lol.
As a BMW owner I'd second that.
I was doing a lot of research on getting used cars last year, that dealership has great inventory but literally does no prep work at. So buyer beware, they are just flipping cars. Get a used Japanese make, most have bullet proof engines.
In our mid-20s, my future wife & I each owned a used Saab, and learned a durable version of this.
Don't you need a wholesale license to buy there? They always come up cheapest on auto trader but I thought only dealers could buy there (and most of the cars were lemons).
The CRV is a reliabity legend but just about as boring as an engine 4 wheels can be. The newest model is a lot sportier though. I love what Mazda is doing and the CX-5 is great. Is this for a new baby? If so look at a bigger SUV. I worked at Babies R Us loading furniture and strollers into cars in college and you'd be shocked how little you can fit into those cars. My sister in law has a CX-9 and can fit two car seats and 4 adults and the two kids' junk.
BMWs value drops like a rock once they are out of warranty.
Nope. I just put cash on the table and told them to get my car.
This. Just something to go from A to B, safely, and never any unusual problems. I expect to replace tires, change oil, and do brakes.
