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USA Today
2 days ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
I'll never have a car payment. Here's my secret.
Driving a beat-up used car wasn't always a choice, but it became my preference. Older, beat-up cars aren't for everyone, and vehicle safety should always be paramount. But it's slim pickings here. Driving a beat-up used car wasn't always a choice, but it became my preference. During lean financial times in my life, avoiding a monthly car payment was key. That meant driving a paid-off SUV all the way into the ground, and then turning to the used auto auction circuit for a series of junkers that were surprisingly enjoyable to drive around. I'm lucky enough to have an uncommonly short commute, a complete lack of interest in modern vehicle aesthetics, a durable ego and a dependable auto shop in my neighborhood. Older, beat-up cars aren't for everyone, and vehicle safety should always be paramount. But it's slim pickings out there. Detroit Free Press autos writer Jamie LaReau reported recently that the average list price for a 3-year-old vehicle is now $32,635, an infuriating $9,476 more than it was six years ago. That's a lot of money. And for the driver who doesn't mind a little rust around the edges, there are affordable options out there. You might just need to dig up and dust off that old cassette tape collection to keep the cruising music playing. Here's my case for the humble clunker car: 1. Clunker cars save me money A couple of decades ago, Michiganders could lease a decent new car for $200 to $300 a month, often without a down payment. Sometimes even less. Those days appear to be behind us. So in 2021, after my 2008 Kia Sportage bit the dust, I shelled out $1,500 at auction for a bright red 1998 Toyota Camry. (Sorry, union die-hards. I do now own a Ford.) I dug some old cassette tapes out of my parents' basement – The Fugees, The Temptations, Michael Jackson, Fairuz. I spent another $1,500 on repairs and drove that thing happily for two and a half years. That comes out to $100 a month. And the insurance was dirt cheap. I sold it to a neighbor for $400 – a bargain because I like my neighbor – and purchased another, slightly better vehicle, again at auction. It's a formula I plan to keep following, gradually upgrading along the way, and flaunting my savings to anyone who'll listen. Opinion: I'm taking a stand against jacked-up airline fees by taking the middle seat 2. Older cars help me avoid touchscreen frustrations I like buttons and knobs in a dashboard. If I have to scroll and swipe and tap my way to turning on a defogger, I'm liable to curse and spit my way right into a distracted-driving tragedy. I've seen dashboard computer systems malfunction to the point where the driver was left stranded. I've had my behind uncomfortably toasted by heated seats. And I've spent way too much time trying and failing to get my phone to connect via Bluetooth to a modern car stereo system. Modern amenities aren't all they're cracked up to be. Certainly not at $500 a month. 3. Anything can go wrong. This keeps me ready. I like to keep close to the reality that just about anyone can go broke at the drop of a hat. A cancer diagnosis. A bad accident. A stock market crash. A sports betting addiction. There are 1,001 ways personal finances can go terribly wrong very quickly, necessitating serious lifestyle changes. I want to be sure I can handle it when catastrophe comes calling, and nothing says "ready for poverty" quite like having to reach through the window to open your car door. 4. Beater cars are easy to buy Compared with your typical dealership experience, which can be lengthy and stressful, buying a beater at auction or directly from another owner can be surprisingly smooth and quick. There are online and in-person auto auctions all over Michigan, just about every week. I've purchased two vehicles, and a whole lot of other fun junk, via a Kalamazoo-based online auction house with a warehouse and lot in Garden City, where vehicles can be inspected in-person before online bidding begins. (I didn't inspect either vehicle before buying them, but I'm a madman.) Opinion: Waymo cars get torched by LA protesters, burning Google – an immigration ally All it takes is creating an account, and using some restraint when it comes to bidding. It's easy to get caught up in the competition of trying to outbid everyone else, which can lead to overpaying. Going in with a maximum price in mind is key. Auction houses typically charge a 15%-18% premium on the final bid. Getting insurance and making a cash payment put the keys in your hands. Banks and credit unions won't likely offer auto loans for auction purchases, but they may provide personal loans. One key strategy when bidding in any online auction: Wait until the very end of the auction time frame to place your bid. That's when all the serious buyers make their bids. Jump in too early and turn away, and someone will swipe that bargain right out of your hands. 5. Owning a hooptie provides life lessons The first order of business after buying that hooptie is taking it to an auto shop for a safety inspection. Forcing myself through the process of finding a trustworthy repair shop, learning about the most commonly needed replacement parts and figuring out how to diagnose routine problems have seriously enriched my automobile knowledge. Opinion: When will we have flying cars? Trump should pump the brakes on testing air taxis. The experience has given me the ability to make some of the simpler fixes entirely on my own. Shopping junkyards for parts is next on my personal syllabus of Jalopy Maintenance 101. I grew up in Dearborn and live in Detroit. Not being much of a car enthusiast has always left me a bit insecure about my Motor City identity. Learning the basics of auto repair fixed that. Even if I may never fully appreciate cars. 6. Honestly? Driving a junker is a little fun. The SUV I drive now isn't a regular Ford Explorer. It's a 2014 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor with 157,000 hard-earned miles. And it was previously owned by the Westland Police Department. It has no back seats – plenty of room for activities. It has a pair of bright spotlights, which I've used to illuminate basketball hoops and outdoor work areas at night. It's also very fast. I've yet to find a safe way to really make use of that attribute. But speedy acceleration does come in handy when merging onto highways. And the CD player has given me an excuse to pull out the old library of 1990s and early-2000s treasures. 7. I flabbergast my friends and family My parents certainly don't get it. They know I could probably afford a somewhat nicer car, and I think they're embarrassed by my choice of vehicle. But the children in my family love playing in the old cop car. Traffic tends to slow down around me because the shape of my civilianized vehicle still fools a lot of drivers. It's big and intimidating, so I pull up slow and quiet on friends to give them a good scare. Dents and chips mean absolutely nothing, so a bump into a pole or a scrape against a tree branch are good for a laugh. The Camry may have been an even better conversation piece. It once left me briefly stranded on Belle Isle, refusing to start after a Free Press softball game. But after learning a quick tip via YouTube, I opened up the hood and used a softball to bang on the starter a few times. The delightfully unsophisticated trick had the everlasting Toyota engine purring like a kitten in minutes. It was an unlikely triumph that lifted my spirits for days. "That thing's gonna last you forever," I heard over and over at drive-thru windows and toll booths. It didn't. At least not in my possession. But the memories will. Khalil AlHajal is deputy editorial page editor of the Detroit Free Press, where this column originally appeared. Contact him at kalhajal@
STV News
2 days ago
- STV News
Car deliberately set on fire outside home in early hours
An investigation has been launched after a car was deliberately set on fire outside a home in Cumbernauld in the early hours of the morning. A white Kia Sportage was set alight on Spruce Road around 3am on Sunday. The blaze was extinguished by the fire fighters and no injuries were reported. Police are urging anyone with information on the incident to get in touch. Detective constable David Williamson said: 'Our enquiries are ongoing into this incident, and I am asking anyone who might have been in the area and saw something to get in touch. 'Similarly, anyone in the area with private CCTV or dash-cam footage that might have captured anything that could be useful in our investigation is urged to contact us.' Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 0599 of July 27. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Daily Record
Detectives appealing for information after wilful fire-raising in Cumbernauld
Around 3am on Sunday, July 27, a white Kia Sportage was deliberately set alight outside a property on Spruce Road. Detectives are appealing for information following a wilful fire-raising in Cumbernauld. Around 3am on Sunday, July 27, a white Kia Sportage was deliberately set alight outside a property on Spruce Road. The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and no injuries were reported. Detective Constable David Williamson said: 'Our enquiries are ongoing into this incident, and I am asking anyone who might have been in the area and saw something to get in touch. 'Similarly, anyone in the area with private CCTV or dash-cam footage that might have captured anything that could be useful in our investigation is urged to contact us.' Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 0599 of 27 July. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Car torched in 'wilful fire' outside Cumbernauld house
Officers say the car was set alight deliberately outside a home in Cumbernauld, and the fire service was called to tackle the blaze. The car, a white Kia Sportage, was reported to be on fire outside the home on Spruce Road around 3am on Sunday, July 27, 2025. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service extinguished the flames that engulfed the motor, and fortunately, no one was injured. READ MORE: Woman in city centre among several arrested at protests across Scotland READ MORE: Search to identify cyclist who died in Helensburgh - can you help? READ MORE: Police Scotland pays out £3million in compensation to staff after tribunal cases A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Detectives are appealing for information following a wilful fire-raising in [[Cumbernauld]]. "Around 3am on Sunday, 27 July, 2025, a white Kia Sportage was deliberately set alight outside a property on Spruce Road. "The fire was extinguished by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and no injuries were reported." There are no further details at the moment; however, police are urging anyone with information, including dashcam or CCTV footage that could help, to get in touch. Detective Constable David Williamson said: 'Our enquiries are ongoing into this incident, and I am asking anyone who might have been in the area and saw something to get in touch. 'Similarly, anyone in the area with private CCTV or dash-cam footage that might have captured anything that could be useful in our investigation is urged to contact us.' Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 0599 of 27 July. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
Used cars under $20K have almost vanished from the market: Here's what's behind the surge
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half the used cars for sale in the nation were 3-year-old vehicles priced for $20,000 or less. Today, those same type of vehicles comprise only 11% of used cars. In fact, most shoppers who are in the market for a used vehicle would be hard-pressed to find a 3-year-old model below even $30,000, forget finding one for $20,000. According to a new study from research website called: "The sub-$20,000 used car is almost gone," the average list price for a used 3-year-old vehicle is now $32,635, that's $9,476 more than it was six years ago. "There's very little negotiation going on for used cars because demand is so high," said Karl Brauer, executive analyst with which is based in Woburn, Massachusetts. "The price of used cars was dropping for the last two years, not dramatically, but going down a little bit every month. The last three months, it's gone up again.' In February, the average list price for a 1- to-5-year-old used car was $31,257, up 1% from the year-ago period. In June, it was up to $32,437, a 4.8% bump from a year ago June, Brauer said. Of course, that's still cheaper than buying a new car. According to the average manufacturer's suggested retail price in June was $50,523, but the average transaction price — which is what a customer pays for the car — was $48,261. 'Who knows what will happen in July. Maybe the trend will stop?' Brauer said of used car prices climbing. In case you missed it: Used car prices hit record highs in 2025: What buyers need to know What's no longer available for $20,000 Metro Detroit reflects what's happening nationally. Brauer said in 2019, 52.2% of 3-year-old used car inventory in the Motor City was priced $20,000 or less. Today, only 13% of the used car inventory in metro Detroit consists of 3-year-old cars priced for $20,000 or less. Brauer told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, that his company conducted the study in mid-June. It analyzed data on 2.6 million 3-year-old cars. They focused on 3-year-old cars because those are in the "heart of the age group in the used market," which are 1 to 5 years old, he said. The study showed that the bestselling 3-year-old used models that are virtually no longer available for under $20,000 include the Chevrolet Equinox, Honda Civic, Kia Sportage, Nissan Rogue, Toyota Camry and Toyota Corolla. For example, Brauer said in 2019, 97.6% of 3-year-old Honda Civic cars could be bought for $20,000. Today, 5.7% of 3-year-old Honda Civics are available at that price range at $20,000. 'That's 94.1% drop-off," Brauer said. "The Toyota Corolla, 99.9% were available to a $20,000 buyer in 2019 and now its 62.9% so they've lost about 37%. Chevy Equinox: 88.1% were available in 2019 for a $20,000 buyer and now 22.3% for a $20,000 buyer.' The study found that passenger cars saw the biggest price increase since 2019, up 48.7%. Prices for used pickups rose 28.8% and used SUVs prices are up 15.4%. Here's how that translates to dollars: How COVID drove up car prices The dramatic shift in used vehicle market pricing can be attributed to a few things, Brauer said. First there is inflation, which the nation saw rise after the COVID-19 pandemic. But a $9,500 average price boost can't all be due to inflation, Brauer said. He blames it more on the restricted new-vehicle production in the second half of 2020 as automakers idled assembly plants because of the pandemic. Even though they were back online in a matter of weeks, it takes time to get the suppliers and production back to full capacity. When they finally did, many automakers were then hit with the semiconductor shortage in 2021 that hindered new vehicle production again. "So you had a huge hit for new car production from mid-2020 to 2022," Brauer said. "We're now in 2025 and the cars that would be 3 years old would have been built around 2021 to 2022 and they are not there in terms of the volume the used market needs. It is because the supply of new cars in three-plus years ago are restricted." On top of that, prices have systematically been pushed higher by demand as a result of the pandemic, which saw people move from urban to suburban areas when they no longer had to come into an office. With no public transportation in surburban areas, those people now need to buy cars. "So right when you had new car production restrictions, you had new car demand go up ... and this is three or four years ago," Brauer said. "That pushed up prices of new cars and pushed people into the used market, which pushed up the prices of used cars." To add to the lack of available late-model used cars, he said, the people who leased cars three to five years ago, came off those leases and saw the prices of new and used cars and realized buying out their lease was the cheapest way to get another vehicle. So those leased vehicles are not going back into the used market, he said. 'So all these things, almost every variable that could or would affect used car pricing, has done so in a bad way," Brauer said. "That's made them more expensive.' Used car buying advice So where does this leave used-vehicle buyers? "They have to buy older cars with higher mileage," Brauer said. "When you look at what's selling, for $20,000, it used to be a 3-year-old car and it had like 32,000 miles on it. Now, $20,000 buys you a 6-year-old car with 71,000 miles on it.' The good news is cars are built better so the older used models with higher mileage will last longer, he said. "If you're forced to buy an older, higher mileage car, thankfully older cars are better than they used to be," Brauer said. "I used to consider 100,000 miles as: 'That's disposable.' That's not true anymore. You can get to 200,000 to 250,000 miles fairly easily.' Brauer offers the following tips for used-car buyers: If you have to take a bus or a flight it might not be a big savings, he said. But Brauer is a big believer in expanding your radius in where you're willing to get a car to save a few bucks. 'Sometimes a dealer will ship it and that can be the most economical," Brauer said. "It might cost you $800 to ship it, but if you're saving $2,400 on the price, then you're still getting a $1,600 savings.' Likely no retraction on prices Brauer said it is possible for prices to reverse, but unlikely unless there is a "substantial and unwelcomed turmoil" in the economy. The average used-vehicle prices had stabilized over the last year. But when President Donald Trump applied 25% tariffs to all imported vehicles and car parts this spring, buyers flooded the market to buy new and used cars out of fear that the tariffs would inflate prices. That sudden rush of demand with limited inventory actually caused prices to rise, Brauer said. "We've stabilized. But I think it's unlikely we'll see 1- to- 5-year-old vehicles available for around $20,000 like we did before the pandemic," Brauer said. "I don't think that's going to come back. We'll see ongoing stabilization, but no retraction in pricing." Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@ Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
