But new cars cost more than used cars and the difference between brand new and just two years old with 25,000 miles on the odometer can be significant. This is a good time to be in the market for a clean, late model used car. Those well-equipped and often pampered vehicles are starting to come off lease right now. With all those cars flooding the used car market, prices are down. That is bad news for the automobile companies and the large lease companies, but it can be good news for the savvy car shopper.
Some vehicles can be both.
You will pay more for a certified used or an off-lease vehicle, but in most cases the extra cost is worth it. In many cases the remainder of the factory warranty in place and in some cases the auto manufacturer extends the warranty for a certified used vehicle for an agreed period of time. Take, for example, one of the best selling cars in the U.S., the Honda Accord. Your nosy neighbor or jealous coworker would not be able to tell the difference between a clean 1998 model and a brand-new 2001 model. There are lots of consumer incentives on new cars right now, but the clean, late model used car is still the best bargain.