New, used or leased car?

Buy a 2 year old car. No brainer. Took me years to learn this, but I finally did.

 

Depends on what you are buying. High MPG vehicles like Corollas, Civics, Fits, Echos, Prius... the demand is so high that even second hand vehicles are being sold at a premium. A Fit with 18,000 miles was less than $1000 cheaper than a brand new one, and the interest rate would be higher on a used vehicle which sorta defeats the purpose.

Hell, I have kids lining up to pay $1200 for my '95 Honda Civic Hatchback because it gets 40MPG, and the blue book is less than $850.

These pump prices make folks do crazy things... (like buy butt ugly cars)

 

If that's true, it makes perfect sense.

 

Those certified pre-owned cars you can get at the dealership seem to be good deals. You still get a good warranty but you skip the new car depreciation.

Sounds like you need to talk her into driving the Civic two days per week...

 

Believe me, I really tried! But the car is so dang low to the ground it's like sitting on the asphault. The shocks/suspension don't do much to smooth out the ride, and the car has no power options (manual steering, manual locks, and manual windows). She flat out refused.

The Fit is basically the same car as my Civic, but brand new and with all of the power options and many more safety features.

 

Is it a stock Civic or has it been "pimped". It should not be that unpleasant to ride in if it is stock.