How to buy a used car

If you're a fan of used cars (and I know you are, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this) here's a handy dandy guide to buying a used car in five simple steps. This takes much of the guesswork out of buying a used vehicle, so if you follow these steps, there a pretty good chance you'll avoid buying a lemon.

How to Buy a Used Car

Not that you don't already know all this of course, but a little reminder never hurts...

Ten reasons to buy a used car

If you've ever wondered about some of the best reasons to buy a used car--aside from just saving money--Real World Used Car Reviews has a list of ten reasons to buy a used car.

While money is a good one, my main reasons for owning and driving used cars are to drive something I actually like, and to be able to do most of the work myself.

Plus...they don't make many affordable cool cars these days. Where are the cheap and fast turbo charged 2dr hatchbacks and affordable AWD coupes?

Modern Fun Cheap Cars: The Honda Fit

In some ways, the Honda Fit is in a class of its own. This is a small, sporty little car that is in many ways, huge.

From the level of refinement to the amount of cargo space and the innovative rear seats that fold any way you need them to, to the refined 1.5 liter V-TEC engine and the improved close ratio 5 speed gear box, to the overall quality of the package.

The Fit impresses. For a world car platform, the Fit seems to fit perfectly into every market it's sold into.

While today new Fits aren't particularly inexpensive cars compared to some of the used car bargains out there, for a new car they are reasonable priced. And, from the engine to the seating to the accessories, the Fit has the makings of a future fun cheap car classic.

The new Civic? Perhaps, though it's doubtful the Honda Fit will ever be a street or strip contender or darling of the import tuner scene (but, who knows it may yet be). But with typical Honda build quality, the Fit looks like it will be around for a while.

Five, ten years down the road fuel efficient, practical, and fun to drive little Fits probably will still be holding their value, depreciating slowly, and getting people where they need to go. You could wait that long, or...you could get a slightly used one now. Either way, if you're looking for a fun little car, the Fit is pretty hard to beat.

Modern Fun Cheap Cars: Hyundai Click / Getz

I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not, but the Hyundai Click, or Getz as it's also known, is available almost everywhere in the world except the United States and Canada. 

At first glance, it seems a pity: this little supermini would be a fine addition to the Hyundai lineup here in Upper North America. It's small, nimble, peppy enough, and Euro-stringent fuel efficient even in petrol form. The diesel version, even more so.

Introduced to the world market in 2002 the Click Getz doesn't have a lot of heritage--it's what I still consider to be a new car--it does have some cache. It's won the best small car of the year award in several countries, but it is also soon to be replaced by the Hyundai i20. 

Even if the Click turns out to be short lived, it's had an impact, bringing fun cheap car affordability to markets the world over--except North America, of course.