When it is time to replace my TL, this car (lightly used, of course) will be high on my list of replacements. I look forward to driving one soon.
I appreciate the sense of financial stewardship that goes into buying used cars but it seems to me that the used car market prices cars like Camrys on the assumption that they possess some sort of mystical eternal life (even the tires on Toyotas don't wear out ya know?). Might be one of those contexts where the better value proposition is brand new.
Perhaps it might be case sometimes that buying new is a better proposition but having bought something like a dozen cars in my life (not including beaters!), I have found it financially prudent to buy a two year old, lightly used model and reap considerable savings. I felt confident that a two year old TL would stand up well and in the two years I have had it, this has been my experience. I saved 30% off a new one by buying a 2008 in 2010.Not many of the people in my life even had a inkling the car was used when the first saw it.
Judging by the metrics I see, a two year old Camry with 40,000 km on it would also be a good buy. The same would be the case for practically any of the family sedans on the market today. The money saved going to a used model would more than compensate for the cost of a comprehensive warranty. Not that I have ever bought one with a used car. On my 1996 BWM, I most certainly should have!
I might add, for cars like Civics and Fits, it doesn't make much sense to buy them used because the new ones are not a lot more expensive. One of my employees just leased a Civic LX automatic for like $260 a month all in. Hardly worth going used on that model. However, these cars are popular in Canada and are an exception.
I would also lease new German cars should I desire to drive one. The last German car I had I bought used and it was a real service nightmare.
