What exactly is a cheap car? Here at Cheapcars.com we focus on quality cheap cars providing excellent value in the categories of reliability, performance, safety and comfort. Every good cheap car should also be priced right. A great cheap car is in excellent mechanical condition and has the features you need at a fair price.
The first question that usually comes up when shopping for a good value is whether to purchase that car new or used? New cars under warranty take care of issues concerning mechanical condition, but they are not always cheap cars. Buyers must face the fact that new vehicles can lose nearly 30 percent of their value in just the first year of ownership. That depreciation equals thousands of dollars considering the average cost of a new car is about $30,000. Buying a low-priced brand new cheap car is not the same thing as buying a good cheap car. A new economy car will still have a retail price tag, may not have all the features you really need and will depreciate very quickly.
The best cheap cars are likely to be used vehicles. Used car buyers don’t have to deal with the steep descent of initial depreciation and usually pay less than half of the original price to begin with. The savings associated with a good used car purchase can be used to get a roomier and better-equipped vehicle in the first place.
A good cheap car is also a reliable car. Trouble-free operation is of prime importance when considering a used vehicle because mechanical problems after the sale can make a lemon out of any car in short order. Reliability is the reason Japanese-made vehicles hold the top slots on any list of trouble-free cars and trucks. Japanese auto manufacturers have become known for dependable products and the reputation extends to used Japanese cars as well. The top three manufacturers of the most reliable cars on the road today are Honda, Toyota and Subaru. Ford and Chevrolet have a reputation for the most reliable domestic product and European manufacturers make some of the least reliable vehicles.
Some of the most expensive cars on the road are the least reliable, especially Mercedes Benz, Land Rover and Volkswagen. All three rank low in reliability and have high repair costs. Different models or years of cars from a single manufacturer may be more reliable than others, but shopping for a good cheap car today often translates to shopping for a used Japanese or domestic car.
Good cheap cars are often not on any “best seller” lists. The best selling cars command higher prices than less popular counterparts from other brands. A Nissan or Mazda can deliver nearly the same features and performance as Honda and Subaru cars, but at a lower price. Once you have a good idea of the best cars that suit your needs and know what you can afford to pay, you’ll need to narrow your search to find the one car you want with the options you need. If you have done your research, and use the tools on this website, you can get the right cheap car at the right price.
