Buying a used car can save you money, but buying a used car that can save you money and also prove to be reliable and dependable without a lot of major repairs takes time and a fair amount of research.  In April, Consumer Reports came out with their picks for best and worst used cars which fell between 1998 and 2007, and which is based on their Annual Car Reliability Survey, which was conducted by Consumer Reports National Research Center.  

The vehicles, which were chosen based on previous Consumer Reports lists, is a great referense tool to use if you’re in the market for a good used car with solid dependability.  Consumer Reports based their findings on owner satisfaction – and dissatisfaction - of the vehicles which were owned by motorists for at least a year.

I was glad to see the Nissan Altima made their Best Used list because as most of you probably know by now, I recently purchased one and absolutely love it.  If I had found this list before beginning my quest for a used car, it would have made my search so much easier and saved me a lot of time.  Going from dealership to dealership is indeed time consuming, and although I had narrowed my list down considerably before I even hit the street, finding a starting point proved to be somewhat difficult.  Do you start with  with what you like or do you choose based on make alone?   Do you begin eliminating based on model or advice from friends and relatives?   The early stages of a used car search can be just as overwhelming as the actual test drives, and Consumer Reports has made it easy by at least giving potentional owners a nice list to start from.

Which cars made the Best and Worst lists?  I was surprised to see the Chevy S-10 4WD on the Worst list, as well as the Volkswagen Jetta sedan (both the V6 and the Turbo), but not surprised to see that so many models by Honda, Toyota and Subaru made the Best of the Best list.  If anything, I was surprised to find the Subaru Baja here, and only because although it’s one of my favorite vehicles, I don’t see it on many lists these days – good or bad.

Others who topped the Best Used Car list were the Acura Integra, Lexus RX, Mitsubishi Outlander, Pontiac Vibe, Scion xB and the Volvo S60, while the Buick Rendezvous, Mercedes-Benz SL, Nissan Armada and the Oldsmobile Bravada were among the vehicles that ended up on the Worst of the Worst list.

You can view the complete Consumer Reports Best and Worst Used Cars lists by following this link.  It’s a good place to start if you’re in the market for a used car.

Tags: Car Shopping, General // Add Comment »