Written by the AR Motorsports Team · February 5, 2020
The wrong question and the right one
"What is the best used car?" has no honest single answer, because the best used car for a Long Island commuter is not the best one for a family of five or a first-time driver. The right question is what is best for you, and that comes down to three things buyers consistently rank first: price, reliability, and the cost of keeping the car running.
Price: the budget behind the budget
The purchase price is only the entry fee. Insurance, fuel, and repairs decide what a car actually costs to own, and they vary far more between models than sticker prices do. Before falling for any specific car, put a number on the monthly total you can carry. Our payment calculator turns a price into a realistic monthly figure in about a minute, with no credit pull.
Reliability: buy the maintenance history, not the badge
Brand reputations exist for a reason, and models from Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and other high-volume brands earn their reputations honestly. But a well-maintained example of an average model beats a neglected example of a legendary one every time. Judge the individual car: its history report, its service records, and how it has been treated.
Cost of maintenance: the quiet differentiator
Two cars at the same price can cost wildly different amounts to keep on the road. Parts availability, typical repair bills, and known weak points for that model year matter more over three years of ownership than a thousand dollars of purchase price. This is worth twenty minutes of research on any model you are serious about.
Finding yours
At AR Motorsports we inspect every vehicle before it is listed and sell at the listed price with no dealer fees, so comparing cars is arithmetic instead of negotiation. Browse the current inventory, sort by what matters to you, and come take the shortlist for a test drive. The best used car is the one that fits your life, and driving it is how you find out.