Cities with the Best Deals on Used Cars

Buying a car can be one of the biggest purchases a person makes in their life. While buying a used car can offset some of the cost, it can sometimes come with problems that leave you feeling less than confident in your purchase.

From engine problems to faulty brakes, it is not uncommon for a consumer to believe they found a good deal, only to find their car is a lemon.

As Lemon Law Experts, we pride ourselves on understanding the law and are dedicated to quality and ensuring our clients find economic solutions to their car troubles.

Although we are here to help those with lemons file claims, we wanted to take a look at used car sales in the U.S. to determine where people are most likely to find a good car and avoid a lemon.

To do this, we collected data on more than 700,000 used cars across the country from Cars.com.

Using the website’s DealGauge, we calculated the percentage of “Great Deals” by city to learn where those in the market for a new car will have the best luck finding a good used car.

Read on to learn more about our findings.

Key Takeaways

• Miami, FL, Mesa, AZ, and Fort Lauderdale, FL, are the best big cities to find great deals on used cars.
• Minneapolis, MN, Montclair, CA, and Sterling, VA, are the worst big cities to find great deals on used cars.
• Used Pontiacs, Hummers, and Saturns have the highest chance of being a great deal among used car brands in the U.S.
• A used BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE 450e have the highest chance of being a great deal among used cars in the U.S.
• Fairfield, OH, Hollywood, FL, and Philadelphia, PA, have the cheapest used cars for sale on average.
• Costa Mesa, CA, Long Island City, NY, and West Palm Beach, FL, have the most expensive used cars for sale on average.

The Best Big Cities to Buy a Used Car

Whether it’s simply time for something newer or your current car is giving you trouble, buying a used car can offer you just what you need without breaking the bank. Not all used cars are listed for a fair price, though. That’s why Cars.com’s DealGauge is such a useful tool.

Sure, some people are experts when it comes to all things cars, but for many Americans, it can be difficult to determine if you’re getting a good deal or scammed when shopping for a used car.

Using the DealGauge, we discovered which large cities offer the best deals on used cars. And leading the way with 27.55% of listings being dubbed as a great deal is Miami, FL.

In addition to leading the way for great deals, Miami also claims the top spot for the least fair deals, leaving 85% of cars for sale as good or great deals.

Next up is Mesa, AZ, where 27.38% of used cars for sale are ranked as a great deal. With a large population of retirees, it is possible that many of these older residents are selling their cars due to a lack of use, and this is creating a larger inventory of well-maintained, low-mileage cars for sale.

In third place, we have another Florida city, Fort Lauderdale, FL, where 27.02% of used cars are ranked as great deals.

It is possible that these Florida cities rank high for used car deals due to the heavy presence of rental car companies, due to tourism.

Typically, after a few years of wear and tear, these cars reach higher mileages, leading to rental companies offloading their vehicles.

While these cars are sold in various ways, it is common for them to be sold to local dealerships. This influx of inventory can help create supply and ultimately drive down used car prices in the area.

Where to Find the Best Deal on Used Cars

In addition to the largest cities ranking, we did a separate ranking for all cities with 1,000 or more used cars for sale. Topping this list is Arlington, VA, where 41.86% of vehicles for sale are ranked as a great deal.

Due to the city’s close proximity to the nation’s capital, it is possible that military residents’ frequent relocation has boosted the used car market in the area.

In second place is Bronx, NY, with 38.22% of used cars giving shoppers something to be excited about. One possible reason for this area’s stellar used car selection could be the primary usage of public transit.

With more people opting for a bus or taxi, many cars find their way to dealership lots as opposed to sitting unused on residents’ property.

For third place, we travel to the West Coast, where Norco, CA, ranks with 33.59% used cars labeled as great deals.

Here, it’s possible that the close proximity to larger cities like Los Angeles means more dealerships in the area, which could lead to more competitive pricing, giving consumers a better chance at a good deal.

Aside from checking Cars.com for a car’s listing, how do you know you’re getting a good deal? As experts in lemon law, we encourage buyers to seek certified pre-owned vehicles as they can offer shoppers peace of mind while saving their wallets.

In some cases, a certified pre-owned car can be safer and more reliable than new or traditional used cars.

Cities with the Cheapest Used Cars for Sale

Overall, used cars are cheaper than buying a brand new car from a dealership, but you might be surprised to find what types of vehicles end up on used car lots in some cities — like a nearly $5 million Ferrari LaFerrari 2dr Cpe for sale in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Most of us on used car lots are not seeking a pricey supercar, however. That’s why we set out to learn which cities have the cheapest cars for sale.

On average, used cars for sale in Fairfield, OH, offer the lowest price, with cars in the area selling for an average of $22,786.80.

This is followed by Hollywood, FL, with an average price of $23,808.26. The average cost remains below $25,000 for our next two cities as well with Philadelphia, PA, used cars ranking at $24,092.36, and Lilburn, GA, cars averaging at $24,540.73.

On the other end of the spectrum, we found Costa Mesa, CA, has the most expensive used cars on average pricing at $78,870.24.

This is followed by an average price of $72,415.83 in Long Island City, NY, and $70,349.50 in West Palm Beach, FL. Overall, four Florida cities sit in the top 15 for the most expensive used cars.

The Best Makes and Models for Used Cars

So now you know the best places to start your used car shopping, but which cars offer the best chance at a good deal?

To find out, we analyzed more than 700,000 used car listings to find which car brands and models are most frequently ranked as a great deal.

Leading the way for makes are Pontiacs, with 44.86% of all their listings being dubbed a great deal. Since being discontinued in 2010, no new cars have been made in more than a decade, leading to a drop in resale values, which is likely part of the reason for their high ranking.

Next up are Hummers at 38.81%, Saturns at 38.61%, and Mercurys at 38.02%. Similar to Pontiacs, Saturn and Mercury were both discontinued, leading to cheaper prices on used car lots.

On the other end of the spectrum, we find used Rivians to have the lowest percentage of great deals at 8.01%.

Considering Rivian is both a newer car brand and an electric-vehicle manufacturer, it is no surprise that any used cars on a lot are likely still on the pricier end, making them less common to be labeled as a great deal.

Second for worst deals among used car brands is Lexus, which is typically considered a luxury car brand, once again bringing price into the equation for why it may lack great deals on used car lots.

We see a similar trend with our third-place brand, Lotus, which is another luxury brand. Overall, only 11.67% of used Lotuses are considered a great deal.

In addition to analyzing used cars by brand, we also dove deeper, identifying the models with the best and worst deals.

In first place for the best model to find a great deal on is the BMW i5, which is an all-electric, midsize sedan.

Across all listings, 87.04% of BMW i5s are labeled a great deal. This is followed by the Mercedes-Benz GLE 450e, with 84.38% of listings being a great deal.

On the other hand, we discovered the models with the lowest percentage of great deals on used cars.

Topping this ranking is the Lexus RX 500h, a hybrid SUV, which has less than 1% of its listings labeled as a great deal.

Moving up slightly to 1.72% of listings is the Audi e-tron GT, which has the second-lowest number of listings considered a great deal.

Whether you are on the lookout for a used car or you are simply curious how your current car ranks among the rest, check out the interactive table below to see a full ranking of car models included in our study.

Conclusion

Buying a used car can be a great financial decision, but if a deal turns out to be a lemon, you can be left facing repeat vehicle repairs. Not only is this an inconvenience, but it can be a financial setback.

So rather than saving money by picking a used car over a new one, you still find yourself pouring cash into constant repairs.

A lemon goes beyond that, though, as these cars can be unreliable and in some cases unsafe. As Lemon Law Experts, we believe that buying a car should bring peace of mind, not daily stress.

Our team of lawyers specializes in securing substantial settlements and jury awards to ensure you receive the maximum compensation possible for your lemon.

If your car has continued to need warranty repairs, let our team help you navigate your case and relieve you of the headache that goes along with a lemon.

Get started today by learning more about lemon laws for all manufacturers and see if your car is available for a claim.

Methodology

In this study, we scraped Cars.com for used car listings in 1,500+ cities and towns across the country. We then cut down this list into two categories: big cities, which only include locations with 2,000 or more used cars for sale, and all citie,s which only include locations with 1,000 or more used cars for sale.

We then calculated the percentage of used cars for sale listed as a “Great Deal” based on the website’s DealGauge. We then ranked cities in both lists from the highest to lowest percentage of “Great Deals.”

In addition to our city ranking, we also ranked the top car makes and models based on the percentage of “Great Deals.”

Finally, we also collected average price data to determine which parts of the country have the cheapest and most expensive used cars.

When ranking by car make and model, only makes and models with 50 or more used car listings were included.