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Doug Miller

In article , wrote:
Have you factored in maintenance?

Yes.

The maintenance costs for a used
car can go up exponentially; particularly if it has a timing belt
instead of a chain.

Which is one *major* reason I bought the Saturn... g

However, given the scenario posed by Chris (buy new, drive it till it drops)
you're going to pay for a timing belt eventually anyway.

With most new cars requiring _no_ significant
maintenance (aside from oil changes, rubber & radiator fluid at 50k),
until about 120k; the maint charges after 120k add up quickly.

Do the math. You can pay for a lot of maintenance and repairs with the money
you save on the purchase price by buying a used car, in good condition, on
which someone else has already eaten the depreciation.

My secrets a
1) Buy used cars from new-car dealers -- the vast majority of new-car dealers
cherry-pick their trade-ins; the crap goes to the auto auction, and the good
ones go to the dealer's used-car lot. So far, I'm 5-for-5 with this approach.
2) Know the value of what you're buying, and don't pay a penny more for it. Be
prepared to walk away.
3) I keep my maintenance and repair costs down by doing most of the work
myself.