Used Cars

The spike in certified pre-owned sales in January (up 6% over last year) is news if and of itself - for as often as I report news on this blog but that's not the only reason I wrote about it.

I think the rise in certified pre-owned sales portends problems for the used car industry if it continues. Good, late model used cars are going to be sold more and more by franchised new car dealers as certified pre-owned because they are a huge profit center.

That's obviously bad for consumers who are going to have to pay more for late-model used cars. It's also bad news, though, for the independent used car dealers. I had one send me an interesting email in January that became the basis for an article on the plight of independent used car dealers.

It's made me that more sensitive to the challenges they face. At first, I was a little put off when he said it was become more difficult to maintain his upper-middle class lifestyle but then I became conscious of how difficult it is for a lot of Americans to maintain a decent quality of life.

Certified pre-owned has long been a concern of mine because I think it be an expensive security blanket that can be avoided with due diligence. Now it appears it's going to permanently change how used cars are sold.

As I have said many times before, there really is no such thing as a new car, at least not once it leaves the dealer lot. Then it instantly becomes a used car, which is sometimes why I interpret new car news for used car buyers.

Such is the case with the Cost of Ownership Awards that were announced by KBB.com earlier this week. They're focused on new cars but the information is really helpful for used car buyers because it reports on the cost of owning a car for five years after purchase.

The reason it works for used car buyers is a lot of the cars on the list haven't changed significantly in the last three to five years - so you can infer that newer used cars on this list are going to maintain their low cost of ownership.

In the article I wrote I mentioned being glad to see my 2008 Mazda5 on the list. Check out the article on cost of ownership [click link above] to see if your current used car or one you want to buy made the cut.

When I was fresh out of college, I was working two jobs and feeling a little flush with cash so I almost bought a used Mustang. I still dream about the car every now and then - maybe because I ended up buying a Dodge Omni.

What put that car back in my mind recently was a report on the most stolen used Ford Mustangs. I can't imagine what I would have done if I bought a used Mustang and it got stolen from me. It must be a horrible sense of violation when something like that happens.

The information was compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which comes up with all types of interesting information about stolen cars. (Yes, I am kind of geek on used cars, aren't I?) The good news is the number of used cars being stolen keeps dropping as cars become more sophisticated with their anti-theft technology.

Here's hoping no auto thieves come your way and attempt to boost your used Ford Mustang anytime soon.

So, I'm guessing I'm going to be receiving an email shortly that begins, "What a coincidence. I have just started a used car aggregating site." That always seems to happen after I write about one company - another one sprouts up.

Such is the case with the story I wrote about one website called Carsabi. (Now that I think of it they never did fully explain where the name came from.) Seems like no sooner that story was posted than the folks from AutoGlance contacted me to talk about their new website.

That made me write a story about AutoGlance. And, please, if you have started a new used car aggregator site, drop me a note. I will write about your website, too.

What's interesting about both sites is neither claims to be seeking the big bucks right now. It's my gut instinct, though, that AutoGlance might be cashing in sooner because it's seeking to patent the algorithm it uses to search websites.

It's good to know these sites are out there. Just like travel websites that do the same thing, I think they are a great place to start - especially if you are looking for easy ways to compare prices.

As always, be cautious when buying a used car online. There are scams aplenty and people willing to separate you from your hard-earned dollars.

Sometimes you have to root for people who just do something because it presents a challenge - and not as a quick way to make a buck. That's the case with Carsabi founder Dwight Crow.

Carsabi, at its most basic, is an enhanced way to search through craigslist used car listings without having to open up specific geographic areas. For example, you could, as I did, look for hypothetically a 2005 Saab 93 within 100 miles. There's no easy way to do that on craigslist that I know of.

I did an email interview about Carsabi and was most intrigued by the fact that Dwight kicked off this venture simply for the challenge. He said of him and his partner (his housemate Chris), "We're both nerds so its fun to build things like this."

As of now, Carsabi is just a venture with no money coming in. At some point it might target Google advertising as a means of revenue. Right now, it's a nice clean site with no ads, which means you have nothing to lose by checking it out. No spam awaits you.

Wasn't there once an advertising campaign along the lines of "You're not getting older. You're getting better"? A slightly revived version of that should become the new motto for used cars in the United States. Used cars are getting older but they're getting better.

That's my conclusion after reading the Polk report on the average age of used cars. The number for all used vehicles is 10.8 years and for used cars in particular it is 11.1 years.

My wife's 2002 Dodge Neon is coming up on 10 years this June. I'm hoping it hits the 11.1 years mark and then some because it's nice not having a car payment. Our second car, a 2008 Mazda5 hits that distinction this month.

I think lots of Americans are like me and my wife. We're keeping our used cars as long as possible to avoid having car payments. Heck, even a $350 a month car payment is an extra $4200 in the bank if you can go an extra year. Sure there are probably some additional maintenance costs but you're bound to come out ahead.

Last week I was at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show with an eye towards products that are going to enhance the value of your used car (plus I was on assignment for some other outlets that I write for).

The most intriguing technology for used cars I witnessed was MobilEye. It basically takes your used car and makes it as safe as anything new on the road. At its simplest description, it's a camera that reads the road ahead for you to make your driving experience as safe as possible.

It's nice to see the playing field made more level for used car owners when it comes to safety. MobilEye is going to make your used car as safe as any new car sitting in a dealership lot.

There will be other highlights from CES coming up in the next couple weeks. There are good products on the horizon that are going to make your used car a lot more pleasant - and safer - to drive. Plus, who knows? It might even increase your used car's value when it comes time to sell.

In the Internet world, the goal is to promote your own copy - the things you write. Here at About.com it's not for page views because we don't get paid just on page views. Many websites do, which is why you see bizarre headlines that don't necessarily have anything to do with the copy underneath.

Because I'm reader focused (which is why I answer all emails - at least the non-spam ones), I am going to do something unusual in a blog post and promote another writer's copy because it performs a valuable service for owners of used cars with salvage titles.

Emily Delbridge writes about car insurance and loans at About.com's carinsurance site. (We really do cover everything you need to know here at About.com.) She has written a nice primer on insuring a salvage title vehicle that is going to help those who swear by these cars for their value.

As always, remember that salvage titled vehicles can be a tricky thing. Unless you are a professional or a well-trained amateur, always have a vehicle with a salvage title inspected thoroughly. Also, do a vehicle history report whether it's CarFax or AutoCheck so you can learn more about the car.

Thanks to Emily for such an informative piece that's going to help a lot of people.

It's fun to look over the list of Top Selling Used Cars for 2011 and see how the list just seems to make sense. These are the cars I see all around me on a daily basis so Edmunds.com must have some pretty good information.

But, there's one surprising name on the list: the Chevrolet Impala. Am I missing something? How could this car be so popular? It's sure not for the quality. Except for 2009 and 2010 models, Consumer Reports says to avoid this car at all costs. (Black circles never being a good thing on a report from Consumer Reports.)

Check out the list of top selling used cars for 2011. How many have you owned on the list? I'm surprised to see I have only owned one of the cars, a 1995 Honda Civic. Otherwise, none of them have parked in my driveway with my name on the title.

Comment below. Share your thoughts on the list. Tell me I'm wrong about the Chevrolet Impala. Besides cops and taxi cabs drivers I can't imagine why anybody would drive one but that's just me.

Happy New Year!

It's that time of year when journalists like to look back and select the top stories for year and I'm no exception. I just gave mine a little twist and focused on the Used Car Winners and Losers for 2011.

Ever wonder why there is a proliferation of these lists at the end of the year? Well, timing is the obvious answer but it's also done so journalists can take time off. Year in review stories can be written well in advance (one reason you rarely see events from Dec. 15 on make it into end-of-year pieces).

Well, I'd like to say I wrote my article on Used Car Winners and Losers well in advance but I have this habit of not lying in print. I kind of took it easy leading up to Christmas so I'm toiling away this week.

Surprisingly, a lot of you appear to be as well because my weekly newsletter didn't kick back a high volume of "I'm Out of the Office" automatic replies. Sorry you didn't get the week off either.

And, yes, it's only Thursday as I write this. Like many of you I have another day left in my workweek. Here's to the end of Friday coming as soon as possible so a three-day weekend can commence!