Best place to buy used cars?

[sheetswannabe]

So I have been looking to buy a used Jeep, and havent had the best luck. Craigslist isnt bad, but you never know what you will get.... and used car sites seem to be over priced. Any ideas? If it helps I live in Racine.... Thanks!

[Teatoe993]

For something like a Jeep you should be able to find some good Jeep enthusiast group forums out there. You will learn a lot of info about buying used and what problem areas to look for. The people is these groups can be quite helpful and some are even willing to inspect vehicles if you're interested in something not in your area. Usually these forums will have a For Sale section for parts and cars. This is usually where you find the good stuff because enthusiasts prefer to sell to other enthusiasts and they are typically more realistic with their asking prices.

I just bought a BMW that I found on one of these sites. The seller didn't even advertise the car anywhere else. I paid a bit of a premium, but it is one of the best examples I would ever find of a 20 year old bimmer. I did a lot of research on the car and the seller by asking other BMW enthusiasts I knew and both had nothing but great reviews. Sunday I'll fly to Tampa to pick up the car and drive it back.

As far as other routes to find a good used car, try to find private sellers on autotrader.com. Craigslist and ebay are shady but there are good finds out there once you weed through the crap and scams. The people on the forum groups are helpful in sorting that stuff out.

Used car prices are going through the roof and it's getting more difficult to find a good deal on popular vehicles. My father has a dealers license and sells cars on the side to our customers who are looking for something specific. He only marks the vehicles up $500 but still struggles to find good vehicles within the price range of our customers. You may want to consider buying new if it's an option.

[WV Brew]

Most of the increase in used car prices is in compacts and midsize cars. He should be okay with the Jeep.