5 Cities Will Kill Your Budget With Overpriced Used Cars
Car shopping in today’s market can be stressful; high prices and unpredictable availability have the potential to cause some serious headaches for buyers. However, sedan sleuths and truck trackers can stack the deck in their favor by hunting for bargains, being ready to negotiate, and widening their searches. For instance, buying a car in one of the cheapest states or metro areas could save you thousands of dollars. In that same vein, you might want to avoid certain areas for used cars, like West Palm Beach, Florida.
What cities have the most expensive cars?
The most expensive used cars in America won’t be found in Los Angeles or New York. Instead, growing metropolitan areas like Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado, boast the most bloated prices for preowned rides.
| City and state | Average used car price |
| West Palm Beach/Ft. Pierce, Florida | $37,632 |
| Denver, Colorado | $37,233 |
| Austin, Texas | $36,827 |
| Seattle/Tacoma, Washington | $36,593 |
| Salt Lake City, Utah | $36,356 |
According to the latest iSeeCars data, some makes and models could have a range of nearly $8,000 between the priciest and cheapest states/metro areas to buy a used car. For instance, the RAM 1500, a very popular pickup truck, is one of the models with the most significant geographically-dependent price range.
Karl Brauer, an Executive Analyst at iSeeCars, outlined that buyers might not be aware of the potential savings. “Imagine a Ram 1500 buyer in Denver who doesn’t know about the $7,800 savings available on the same truck in Akron, Ohio. Even with a $300 plane ticket, plus two days spent driving 1,400 miles, a Denver shopper gets ‘paid’ $3,750 a day traveling to Ohio to buy that vehicle compared to someone who buys it locally in Denver,” Brauer said.
What is the most expensive city to buy a car?
The most expensive city and state combination to buy a car is the West Palm Beach and Ft. Pierce area of Florida. On average, West Palm Beach, Florida, demands around 9.9% more for a used car over the national average of $34,227.
However, West Palm Beach isn’t alone in its higher-than-average pricing landscape. Denver, Colorado, and Austin, Texas, charge around 8.8% and 7.6% higher than the national average, respectively.
What cities have the lowest car prices?
However, the cheapest metro areas to buy used cars in the United States might come as a surprise. In fact, the two top spots for the lowest average used car prices are in Ohio: Cleveland and Cincinnati. Further, buying a car in an Ohio metro area could save you nearly $8,000.
| City and state | Average used car price |
| Cleveland, Ohio | $31,458 |
| Cincinnati, Ohio | $31,622 |
| Norfolk, Virginia | $31,901 |
| Fresno, California | $31,912 |
| Orlando, Florida | $31,971 |
Is it worth it to buy a car from another state?
While it might be intimidating to try buying a car over a distance, it could save as much as $8,000. Even when you factor in the cost of travel or shipping, buying a used car from one of the cheapest states or cities, like Cleveland, Ohio, could be worth your consideration.
Of course, potential buyers need to prepare for the cost of shipping. On average, a cross-country transport could cost between $1,000 and $1,500. However, enthusiasts who opt for enclosed transport could pay well over $2,000. Still, it might be a better option than buying an overpriced used car in Florida.
Keep up with MotorBiscuit for the latest content about everything automotive, from sensible sedans to off-roading trucks!
