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Buying guides

14 articles in Buying guides. Search within this category, or browse every guide on the blog index.

14 articles
California's CARS Act Is Live: Your New 3-Day Right to Return a Used Car, and What It Doesn't Cover Buying guides California's CARS Act Is Live: Your New 3-Day Right to Return a Used Car, and What It Doesn't Cover California buyers now get a free 3-day right to cancel most dealer used-car purchases, plus total-price and add-on rules. Here's the fine print: restocking fees, mileage caps, and exclusions. October 2026 · 12 min read The Under-$15K Used Car Is Disappearing. How to Still Find a Good One in Late 2026 Buying guides The Under-$15K Used Car Is Disappearing. How to Still Find a Good One in Late 2026 The same $10K–$15K now buys a car about four years older with 40,000 more miles than in 2019. Here's how to shop the budget end of the market and avoid expensive mistakes. October 2026 · 9 min read The 2026 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist: What to Demand Before You Wire a Deposit Buying guides The 2026 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist: What to Demand Before You Wire a Deposit The difference between a bargain and a money pit is usually one independent inspection. Demand a cold start, lift time, scan report, and written findings before you commit. CarmaDeal Research · September 2026 · 11 min read CPO vs. Regular Used: The Premium Math Buyers Should Run Before Paying for a Badge Buying guides CPO vs. Regular Used: The Premium Math Buyers Should Run Before Paying for a Badge A CPO sticker is not a warranty by itself. Compare remaining coverage, deductible, in-service date, and reconditioning evidence against the same car non-CPO. September 2026 · 10 min read Tire Age and DOT Codes: How Week-Year Marks, Dry Rot, and Mismatched Sets Change the Deal Buying guides Tire Age and DOT Codes: How Week-Year Marks, Dry Rot, and Mismatched Sets Change the Deal Deep tread on a ten-year-old tire is not a bargain—it is a countdown. Read DOT date codes, check for dry rot, and price a matched set before you close. September 2026 · 10 min read The “Indestructible” Myth: Buying a 2000s Body-on-Frame SUV Without Getting Burned Buying guides The “Indestructible” Myth: Buying a 2000s Body-on-Frame SUV Without Getting Burned A 20-year-old body-on-frame SUV can outlast newer vehicles and still be a bad buy if rust, timing-belt debt, or emissions hardware is ignored. August 2026 · 8 min read Private Party vs. Independent Dealer vs. Franchise CPO: Quantifying the Fair Price Spread Buying guides Private Party vs. Independent Dealer vs. Franchise CPO: Quantifying the Fair Price Spread Private-party, independent-dealer, and franchise-CPO prices are comparable only after you normalize fees, immediate repairs, warranty value, financing, and transaction risk. August 2026 · 8 min read The 20-Minute Workflow: Deal Score + History Analyzer, From Listing to Handshake Buying guides The 20-Minute Workflow: Deal Score + History Analyzer, From Listing to Handshake Score the price. Analyze the history. Let the two engines argue with each other before you argue with the seller. The complete 20-minute workflow, step by step. July 2026 · 7 min read The Average Used Car Now Costs $30K+. Beat the Market Anyway — Here's the Playbook Buying guides The Average Used Car Now Costs $30K+. Beat the Market Anyway — Here's the Playbook A 3-year-old used car now averages $31,548 — nearly the record. But averages aren’t prices. Percentiles, mileage bands, and a 15-second VIN habit beat the number. July 2026 · 6 min read Used Car Prices Jumped $1,300 in Six Months. These 5 Cars Are Still Underpriced Buying guides Used Car Prices Jumped $1,300 in Six Months. These 5 Cars Are Still Underpriced The market rose $1,300+ this half — unevenly. Five places the surge forgot, and why the value hides there. July 2026 · 6 min read The 15 Most Reliable Used Cars Under $20,000 in 2026 (Backed by Real Data) Buying guides The 15 Most Reliable Used Cars Under $20,000 in 2026 (Backed by Real Data) The average used listing just crossed $26,900. These 15 sedans, SUVs, and compacts still come in under $20k — with the reliability data to prove they belong. CarmaDeal Research · July 2026 · 8 min read Private Seller vs Dealership: The Honest Pros and Cons Nobody Tells You Buying guides Private Seller vs Dealership: The Honest Pros and Cons Nobody Tells You The same car, ~12% cheaper from a private seller — and 100% your problem when it breaks. The honest trade-offs, updated for 2026's rules. July 2026 · 7 min read The Complete First-Time Used Car Buyer's Roadmap: From Budget to Keys in Hand Buying guides The Complete First-Time Used Car Buyer's Roadmap: From Budget to Keys in Hand Listings average $27k and used loans 11.4% APR. The seven-step first-timer's path from budget to keys — with the 2026 numbers filled in. July 2026 · 7 min read How to Check a VIN Before You Buy — the 2-Minute Habit That Saves Thousands Buying guides How to Check a VIN Before You Buy — the 2-Minute Habit That Saves Thousands Those 17 characters know the car's real trim, its open recalls, and whether the listing is lying. Here's how to read them. July 2026 · 5 min read
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