Been looking at getting a reliable second-hand sedan for about $15k, but the prices seem nuts compared to a few years ago. I'm in the market now because my old Honda finally gave up. Should I just bite the bullet and buy used at these prices, or is there any chance things will get better soon?
Used car prices have come down from the absolute peak a couple years back, but they're still pretty elevated compared to pre-2020 levels - $15k for a reliable sedan is definitely doable if you're patient about which model, but yeah, you're not gonna find the bargains people remember from way back. Since your Honda's actually dead, I'd say start shopping now rather than waiting for some magical price crash that might not happen; get what you need, make sure it's got solid maintenance history, and you'll probably be fine.
Market's definitely settled from those pandemic crazy days, but yeah you're still looking at higher prices than like 2019 or so. Thing is, $15k is actually a solid budget for finding something dependable if you're not picky about age or miles. you'll find plenty of 2015-2018 sedans with reasonable mileage in that range, especially if you skip the brands everyone's obsessed with.
the real question is whether to wait - honestly probably not worth it. prices aren't going to tank anytime soon, and holding onto a dead car costs you money in uber rides or whatever. if you find something that checks out mechanically, that's the bigger win than trying to time the market. get a pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic before you hand over cash, and you'll know what you're getting into.
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