Car Buying
How to read a used car listing before you call the seller
Mileage and price are the two numbers everyone checks. Four others tell you more about what you are actually buying.
Most buyers lose money before they ever walk onto a lot. They shop the monthly payment instead of the total price. They accept the first financing offer. They skip the inspection because the car looks clean.
The guides here work in the other direction. We start with what a vehicle actually costs to own over five years, then work backward to what you should pay today. That means fuel, insurance, expected repairs, taxes and depreciation, not just the sticker.
We cover new and used purchases, dealer and private sale, cash and financed. Prices, incentives and lending rules referenced in this section are United States figures unless a guide says otherwise. State rules on documentation fees, sales tax and title transfer vary widely, so we name the state when it matters.
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