Posts Tagged ‘buy used’
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Hopefully, after digesting one of my previous posts, some readers have decided to explore the wonderful world of used cars. Congratulations on you big leap out of the man’s propaganda campaign and into the more sensible Franco’s Army…the frugal, non-football version (on a side note, I only joke about “the man” because I find it funny. I’m a true capitalist at heart). So what are the most important things to consider when buying a used car? I won’t pretend that my list is exhaustive, but here a couple things that have done me well over the years.
Buying a car is a difficult process and one that most people do not take lightly. There are so many variables and tradeoffs to consider…foreign vs. domestic, flashy vs. practical, new vs. used, cup holders vs. a car that parks itself (or something like that). Let’s explore the most important part (or at least it should be) of the decision making process…cost.
This post is really just an amendment to my last post as further elaboration is needed on the glory that is ebay.com and craigslist.com. Both of these venues offer great opportunities to get lots of stuff on the cheap and each has a unique advantage over the other.
Craigslist
The history behind Craigslist is quite interesting as it grew out of one man’s (Craig, believe it or not) house in San Francisco by word of mouth. The site has remained true to its grassroots with a pure text based website (no annoying, flashing banner ads), a skeleton staff of 24 people, modest profitability, and a refusal to sell out to the man (a la ebay…which actually acquired a 25% stake in Craigslist when one of the former principles decided that selling out to the man was the way to go).
How long do things stay new? It depends on your definition of “new,” but technically it is the moment right before you get your grubby little paws on it. So if that’s all it takes to label something “used” instead of “new,” people should consider buying discounted used products rather than their fully priced brethren. Sure, there is a whole litany of things that you don’t want to buy used (underwear, mattresses, and bathing suits come to mind), but many of the larger ticket items people purchase can be obtained at a bargain price in the used market.
