Used cars can be categorized into two distinct groups which you should be familiar with before making a purchase decision. First there are the cars that are only 2 or 3 years old. The probably had one owner. These care may have the remainder of the manufacturers warranty remaining. These autos are often called pre-owned vehicles. They are often hard to distinguish from new cars, especially when they are washed and polished, sitting at a dealer lot.
The other type of used cars could be called second hand cars. There are older models, often 5 to 15 years old. Before you are lured by the inexpensive second hand cars price, you should be aware that there are more problems associated with buying a second hand car as opposed to a pre-owned vehicle.
Most problems with second hand cars are maintenance problems. Even with a careful test drive, troubles in the engine can be difficult to spot. These are also very expensive problems to diagnose and repair. Mechanical problems are associated with older second hand cars because they have typically had more owners. More owners means a greater chance that a person drove the car roughly or ignored important maintenance.
You will see more pre-owned vehicles at dealers, when leases expire. Private sellers often have the older second hand cars available. Buy the newest auto that your budget will allow.