Would you rather spend $20-$25k on a NEW car equivalent to say a toyota sedan or would you rather spend the same 20-25k on a 2 or 3 yr old USED luxury car with around 30k miles...something like a BMW sedan
used but you better be prepared to have extra money for the maintenance of a luxury car, or get a certified used with a good warranty
when you can get bumper-to-bumper warranties with used cars that aren't the old after-market warranties...i can't imagine why you'd buy new.
what v3.0 said. You're talking two very different cars. Used makes sense -- but make sure you can afford the maintenance and operating costs of a more expensive car and possible out of warranty issues. Depending on how long you plan on keeping the car, the boring old toyota may even hold its value better then the older lux car. But the lux car will be more fun to drive.
I started a car thread about buying a mini cooper not long ago. I was always of the philosophy of buying lightly used until I starting researching for that car. The depreciation on that car is so small and the benefit I could get from financing offers were so good, the difference in price was actually biased toward buying new. For other kinds of cars (like the Nissan Altima Coupe, which I had considered), it made more sense to buy used. So, I vote you keep an open mind, look at both, and do the math to see what really makes more sense.
We were looking for a new SUV\Minivan now that we have 2 small kids, 2 big dogs, and my wife's car died. Almost bought a Sienna, but hated the dealer we were talking with. Wound up getting a used MDX for a cheaper price and have zero regrets.
If you get a used car that's certified and has a warranty, you're probably paying too much and Landlord Landry is right - you can probably get a new car for that price. Used cars that are two years old are good value if the price is low enough, and that usually means no warranty and not "certified". Buying new does not have as good value, but it has less risk. If you go through cars frequently, I'd recommend buying used. If you buy a car and drive it 'til it drops, I'd recommend buying new.
On the other hand, when you dont have cash the 0% financing most dealers are offering right now sure is tempting. With used cars, you can't get financing deals that low. I would buy a used 2004 Audi S4 Quatro sedan or wagon
If you have the income, buy new and keep it at least 10 years. Otherwise, a 1-2 year old certified pre-owned car is a good bet.
