The Car to Buy
The best way to get a great deal on a car is to buy a late model with low miles. I have had great success with this in the past and I just tried it again. My 1976 Chevrolet Nova was the best car I have ever driven, and I hope to have the same luck with a 1993 Buick Skylark I just purchased. I will keep my readers informed of how I do with my Buick.
As with millions of Americans, during this Great Recession, during these economic hard times, buying a new car means buying a used car that is new for me.
Sources of Information
When shopping for a new car I use the same sources that most people use. I check the advertisements in the local newspapers, and I check out Paper Shop Magazine. Lately, I have gained a great deal of respect for a local magazine that the local automobile dealers publish called Deals on Wheels. It is free of charge and delivered to numerous news stands in my area. I am sure there is a similar publication where you live. I found my latest car in this magazine as it is distributed at the supermarket where I work.
Economics
I enjoy simple reliable cars that get me from point A to point B in an economical fashion. I want a car that starts and runs the first time and every time until I junk it. Based on my research and my personal experience, I believe the most economical way to drive a car is to continually repair it until it cannot be repaired anymore and then junk it. The primary expenses in owning a car are initial costs at trade in time, monthly payments, depreciation, and insurance. Driving an older car until it becomes junk eliminates or minimizes all of these expenses. For example, newer cars depreciation a great deal every year and collision insurance costs a small fortune. Older cars depreciate very little, and they do not require collision insurance. As a matter of fact, collision insurance is practically a waste as the insurance company will usually offer only the Blue Book value on an older car and advise the insured to junk the car after an accident.
Reliability
I enjoy simple cars that are extremely reliable. I rely on Consumer Reports and personal recommendations for this information. The frequency of repair articles in Consumer Reports are probably the best source of information on how reliable a car is. Consumer Reports also publishes reports on specific cars that explain how much it should cost to maintain and drive those cars. Personal recommendations are very important, but they can be very risky if not backed with information from a major publisher. The first car I ever bought was probably the worst car ever made. It was a 1972 Chevrolet Vega . It was a beautiful car and a good friend of mine owned one and recommended it. I did not check the car out with Consumer Reports or any other publication, and it turned out to be the worst car I ever owned. The 1976 Chevrolet Nova which is the best car I have owned so far had a documented record of great reliability and came highly recommended. The 1993 Buick Skylark that I bought was recommended by a mechanic who examined it, and mny brother told me his Buick was probably the best car he ever owned. Buicks have a documented record of good reliability.