Buying a used car can be one of the smartest financial decisions you make, but only if you know what you're buying. A pre-owned vehicle can deliver exceptional value, modern technology, and years of dependable transportation for significantly less than the price of a comparable new vehicle. However, not every used car has been maintained properly, and appearances don't always tell the whole story.

You find a used car with the right features and an attractive price. Then you notice the odometer: 104,000 miles. Should you keep looking, or could it still be a smart purchase?

There is no universal mileage limit for a used car. The right decision depends on its condition, maintenance history, age, price, and the miles you expect to drive. Reaching 100,000 miles does not automatically make a vehicle a poor choice. At 150,000 or 200,000 miles, the details of its condition and your ownership budget deserve closer attention.

If you are shopping for a used vehicle, there is a good chance you will eventually come across one with a rental history.

That can raise an immediate question:

Should you buy a former rental car?

The answer is not automatically yes or no.

Buying a brand-new vehicle has obvious appeal.

You get the latest styling, the newest technology, full factory warranty coverage, no previous owner, and the satisfaction of knowing every mile on the odometer is yours.

But if your primary goal is getting the most value for your money, a brand-new vehicle is not always the best financial choice.

For many buyers, one of the smartest places to shop is the one- to two-year-old used vehicle market.

How long should you keep a car?

Five years?

Ten years?

Fifteen years?

There is no single number that works for every driver, but the length of time you keep a vehicle can have a major impact on your total transportation costs.

When it is time to replace your current vehicle, one of the first decisions you may face is whether to trade it in at the dealership or sell it privately.

At first glance, selling the vehicle yourself may seem like the obvious financial choice.

Private-party buyers may sometimes be willing to pay more for a used vehicle than a dealership offers as a trade-in.

But that does not automatically mean selling privately is the better deal.

If you have two vehicles sitting in your driveway but really only need one, you may be wondering whether you can trade both of them toward a single new or used vehicle.

The answer is generally yes—you can trade in two cars for one vehicle.

In fact, trading multiple vehicles toward one purchase can sometimes make a lot of financial sense.

If you're thinking about trading in your current vehicle but still have a loan on it, you may be wondering whether you need to pay the car off before visiting the dealership.

The good news is that you can usually trade in a car that isn't paid off.

In fact, dealerships handle trade-ins with outstanding loan balances every day.

The important question isn't necessarily whether you still owe money on your car. What matters more is how much your vehicle is worth compared with how much you still owe on the loan.

Buying someone a car can be an incredible gift. Maybe you want to help your teenager get their first vehicle, surprise your spouse with a new Ford, help an aging parent replace an unreliable car, or purchase a vehicle for another family member.

But buying a car for someone else isn't always as simple as choosing the vehicle, paying for it, and handing over the keys.

For years, one of the biggest problems with the electric vehicle market was simple:

There weren't enough affordable used EVs.

Consumers interested in electric vehicles often faced a difficult choice. They could spend considerably more for a new EV, buy one of a relatively small number of older used models, or stay with a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle.

That situation is changing quickly.