Edmunds.com has compiled a list of the top used vehicles from 2003-2008 based on safety, reliability, value, and availability.  These are the kind of lists that I really like. I like to see lists of good used vehicles.  These days people need and want used.  So, here’s the list of the top used vehicles.

Compact: Hyundai Elantra 2003-2008

Midsize Sedan: Toyota Camry 2003-2008 (before pedal problems)

Large Sedan: Hyundai Azera 2006-2008 - weird choice to me but what do I now I guess.

Coupe: BMW 3 Series 2003-2008

Convertible: Mazda Miata 2003-2008

Wagon: Pontiac Vibe 2003-2008

Compact SUV/Crossover: Honda CR-V 2003-2008

Midsize SUV/Crossover: Mitsubishi Endeavor 2004-2008

Large SUV/Crossover: Chevrolet Tahoe 2003-2008

Minivan: Honda Odyssey 2003-2008

Compact truck: Toyota Tacoma 2003-2008

Large truck: Ford F-150 2003-2008

Luxury: Infiniti G35-2003-2008

Hybrid - Toyota Prius 2004-2008

So, if you don’t have the money for a new car at this time, I would trust Edmunds and take a look at one of these used vehicles.

New Jersey has just passed a law that requires drivers younger than 21 to put a small red sticker (decal) on their license plate.  Well, parents and the teens are quite upset, with good reason.  Parents say it will target their children, especially girls to predators.  They are probably right. It is targeting.  I understand that something needs to be done to ensure that teens are obeying the law and not driving at night, or with too many passengers, etc, but there must be a better answer than this. If you get caught without the decal, there will be a $100 fine. Also, you have to pay for the decals and put it on all cars that you will be driving.  Nothing is free!  Several parents are saying that their teen will not be driving a vehicle with a decal.  “When hell freezes over, I’ll buy these stickers” one mother said about her teenage daughter that will be driving in the next 6 months. Some legislatures are concerned about the targeting and are trying to repeal the decal requirement.  Someone had a suggestion that teens should register all cars that they will be driving with the DMV then if a police officer feels that a driver may be doing violating a restriction, they could look up the license plate to see the deal.  I like that idea a whole lot better. I think I’m with many of these parents.  I don’t like the decal law at all, and personally I really hope it does get repealed. There are better ways to keep track of our teenage drivers. I’m sure of it.

Have a used car that you want to get some good money for?  We all want to get the most out of our cars, so forbesautos.com has asked the experts (autotrader.com and edmunds.com.)  I think many of the ideas are beyond common sense, but some you might not have thought about. I’ll take whatever advice I can get when it means a chance for more dollars in my pocket!

~Wash your car - obvious but necessary to even get someone to stop to look at your car.

~Detail it - if you don’t have a luxury car, don’t spend the $100-$300 to detail it professionally and just give your car a good vacuum.

~Empty it - again, obvious but get rid of all your trash including your trunk.

~Repair it - fix anything that isn’t functional or a safety threat.  Unless you want to get less for your car, make sure that the tires are good or buy new ones.

~Research it - make sure you do your homework so that you know what your car is worth.  Check out cars.com, autotrader.com, edmunds.com, kelly blue book.com to see what you should ask for your car.

~Check under your hood - make sure everything looks good under the hood before someone else checks it out.

~Get all the papers together - make sure that you have all of your paperwork together and in order, like service maintenance, insurance, title, and registration.

~Take lots of pictures - take pictures of your car from all angles, inside, outside, trunk, engine, tires, hood, and back seat.

~Make sure your ad is good with the right wording to try to sell it fast.

~Make sure all fluid levels are good.

Now, get going and sell your used car for top dollar.  Send me a cut!!

A lot of good stuff for some at the time but terrible when you like back happened in the 80’s. Horrible music, big hair, bad jeans, Miami Vice was awesome!  There were some great cars in the 80’s, and the good news is that you can still get some of these beauties!  Autoweek.com wrote an article about some 80’s favorites and their current prices according to Kelley Blue Book.  Of course even though autoweek included like 10 of these 80’s cars, tons of people commented on this article naming great 80’s vehicles that autoweek forget or didn’t include.  I’m going to just mention some of my favorites from that time and if you want to see more, check out the article.

1988-1989 BMW M3 - high price according to Kelley Blue Book $65,000 (for a car that’s 22 years old!) and the low price is $14,500 with the average being $24,417. It has a 2.3 liter 200 horsepower engine, which was big for that time.

1981-1989 Porsche 911 Turbo - high price $78,500, low $24,900, average $40,669

1987-1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am - high $22,900, low $4000, average $10,293. The 1987 Trans Am had a Tuned Port Injection V8 engine with only 210 horsepower.

1985-1989 Volkswagen GTI - high $5995, low $4100, average $4865 - My favorite!!!

The article is interesting and kindof cool to remind you of the different cars of the 80’s and the favorites for different people. Check it out.

It is a sad time for Pontiac lovers and anyone else who may have had a Pontiac throughout their lifetime.  Pontiac had one of the first “muscle cars.”  Anyone who had one of these cars and probably some still do, know how great they were.  So, it’s sad to see this car legend come to an end.  Some people that still have Pontiacs could possibly make some money on them in the years to come I bet. 

The big question is whether you should buy a new Pontiac or not.  Larry Printz of The Virginian-Pilot gives the pros and cons.  There are some good choices out there for Pontiacs right now. You have the Pontiac G3 hatchback, the G6, and the G8.  The pros are that if it’s a reliable model and you are the kind of person who buys a car and runs it into the ground, the cars will be cheap. Another pro is that there won’t be problems finding parts. Many of the Pontiac parts are in other GM vehicles as well.  So, here are the cons: the trade-in values will be “diminished immediately” and if you are the type of buyer that trades vehicles often, the Pontiac is not the choice for you.  

I know several people who have had Pontiacs and had no problems with them. I think if you like the models and you plan to drive it for awhile, go for it!  Buy a Pontiac. You won’t have the opportunity soon enough. 

You know what I find really annoying about vehicles….the limited editions.  There are many cars that have limited editions but all that can mean is ”new paint job, interior trim, and an engraved plaque,” according to autoweek.com.  Autoweek then gives their list of the worst “offenders” of limited editions.

1.  Chrysler PT Cruiser - according to the article there are at least 8 limited editions. Personally, I think the car is ugly whether it is a limited edition model or not. 

2.  Mazda MX-5 Miata- “nowadays, a new limited-edition Miata gets us about as excited as looking at a beige Toyota Camry.”  There are at least 10 limited editions of this vehicle.  I at least like the look of this car. I wouldn’t really want one, but I like how it looks nonetheless.  

3.  Ford Mustang  - You wonder why I unique car like the Mustang needs to have 100 different editions. I guess some Mustang lovers, probably buy the limited editions as well as the regular ones as well. 

4.  Scion xB - every limited edition of this car has “exclusive” paint color, optional rear spoiler, special hub cabs, and a numbered interior plaque.  There are 6 of these limited editions!  Alittle too many for me. 

5.  Scion tC - same as the Scion xB. Too many editions with not so many changes.  I really don’t like the car either way. 

So, here are 5 vehicles with numerous limited editions. I bet many people that read this blog have gone down the limited edition route and currently or have in the past owned one. I have not, but I think I’m more of the minority then the majority.  Let me know. 

It used to be that if you were short on cash and needed a new car, a used car was the way to go. That may not be true in many cases anymore. Kimberly Johnson of The Associated Press wrote an article that I found on detnews.com.  The reality is that dealers are so desperate to make a sale these days that they are offering rebates and incentives that may make the prices lower in many cases than used cars.  The interest rates are lower for new cars as well.  Here’s an example. According to Edmunds.com, the average cost of a used 2008 Honda Accord EX sedan certified by a dealership was $21,544 earlier this month, whereas a new 2009 Honda Accord  costs $80 less.  If you take an example of the difference in finance rates between new and used, you would see that many times it’s cheaper to buy new as well. For example, a $30,000 new car at 2.9 APR would cost $662.70 over four years. For a used car at $30,000 with a 7% APR, the cost would be $718.38, a total of $2673 more over four years. Why would you buy used then?  Obviously, this is not the case for every make and model, but if you do enough research when it’s time to buy a car, you can definitely find the new cars to buy instead of buying used. 

The last thing you want to happen to you when buying a used car is to get a lemon.  According to Consumer Reports, there are several things you need to do before you buy a used car to try to make sure that you don’t get a lemon. 

1.  Make sure that you select a model that with a good “reliability record” before begin shopping for a used car.

2.  Read the window sticker.  The information will let you know if the car will be sold “as is” or with a warranty.

3.  Check the exterior.  Look for any dents, rust marks, mismatched panels, etc.

4. Check the interior. Make sure that everything looks perfect. Certain smells, sagging seats, stains on carpets can mean that the car was in an accident or flood damage. You just have to make sure you inspect the interior.

5.  Check under the hood. The engine, radiator, and battery should be grease-free, and then check the transmission fluid and oil to make sure that everything is as it should be.

6.  Check the tires.  Heavy wear on the outside shoulder of the tire can mean that the car was driven hard, which in turn could indicate other problems with the car. Make sure the wear is even on the left and right sides.

7. Check the steering.  Make sure that the car doesn’t go to the right or left when driving on smooth roads at normal speeds. Some problems with steering are minor, but some are not and very expensive to fix.

8.  Check the suspension.  This can be done by pushing down on each fender hard and then let go.  The car should “rebound softly, once or twice.” If not, there could be problems.

9.  Check the tailpipe.  If any colored smoke comes out, beware of a problem.

10.  Step on the gas.  If the car revs excessively before it accelerates, this could be a sign of a worn-out clutch or damaged automatic transmission, which are REALLY expensive to fix.

11.  Check for recalls. Go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov to see if there are any for the car.

12.  Check the vehicle’s history.  Go to www.carfax.com or www.autocheck.com to check and make sure the information that you are getting about the car is correct.

13.  Check with a mechanic.  Before you buy a used car, have a qualified mechanic look at the car. This usually costs about $120, but it’s worth it if they find something that would cost a lot more than that. 

So, here is the information that will help you with buying a used car. For more details descriptions, you can go to consumerreports.org to help you make sure that a lemon is not in your future!