by Ed Black
A used car that sold for $19,000 last year might sell for $21,000 today, even with more miles on it. That is not a typo. It is the strange math of the current used car market. If you plan to buy, sell, or trade a vehicle in 2026, understanding used car valuation is...
by Ed Black
The average American leaves between $1,000 and $3,000 on the table every single time they trade in a vehicle. That is not an accident. Dealers use a precise, behind-the-scenes formula to calculate your used car trade in value, and they have every reason to keep that...
by Ed Black
Nearly 40 million used cars change hands in the United States every year, yet many buyers still walk onto a lot without knowing if the asking price is fair. Overpaying by even a few thousand dollars is easy when you skip one critical step: knowing how to check used...
by Ed Black
Manual transmission cars now make up fewer than one in five new car sales in key markets, yet they remain some of the best value vehicles money can buy. For budget-conscious drivers, cheap manual cars offer a rare combination of lower purchase prices, reduced repair...
by Ed Black
Used car buyers who choose the wrong model spend an average of 40% more on repairs over three years than those who pick wisely. That gap is not about luck. It is about knowing which vehicles have proven track records before signing any paperwork. The good news is that...
by Ed Black
More than 60% of used car buyers in 2026 have a budget under $15,000, yet most still worry they will end up with an unreliable vehicle that costs more to fix than it did to buy. That fear is understandable, but it is also largely avoidable. The market for cheap...
