Used Cars in the U.S

What would be a reasonable price to pay for a used car with fairly low mileage, nothing flashy or anything, just an all round reliable car and one that's not too big as I need to learn to drive it 

I know all States are different, but I just need a ballpark to be working with and would paying cash make any difference to bargaining?

Around here (NY suburbs), you could expect to pay about $10,000 for a reliable used car -- like a Honda Civic or Accord -- with relatively low mileage, that's about 4 or 5 years old.
A brand new Hyundai without many options will cost you about the same.
To get some ideas, you can have a look at the "buy" section at http://www.cars.com/go/.  You can get the ZIP code for the area where you'll be living by going to www.usps.com.
Good luck!

Another great resource is the Kelley Blue Book (http://www.kbb.com/).  It's one of the most reliable sources for resale values of cars in the US.  It's a great starting point before you start actively looking.

I agree with StuzGirl - you can get a decent car for around $10,000 that will last you for a good while.  If you're willing to do the research and aren't in a huge hurry to buy, you can probably find a good car for less.  Paying in cash can make a difference, but not always.  It really depends on if you choose to go with a private seller or a dealer.

Good luck in your search!

Guys- those links and info are brilliant thank you so much! I was hoping for a figure less than 10K to be honest (in CT) but thought it unlikely.

This will really help for when we get there

Guys- those links and info are brilliant thank you so much! I was hoping for a figure less than 10K to be honest (in CT) but thought it unlikely.

I sold my 4 year old Honda Accord in Rhode Island before I moved (in 2003) for $8000. There are a lot of factors to consider and one of them is that Hondas have a pretty good resale value. So you might be better off choosing something else. Kelly Blue Book is the way to go!! Check it out and I'm sure you'll find that you can afford a decent car. Best of luck to you!

Every spring Consumer Reports puts out a car issue and there is always a list of reliable used cars. The library should have a copy on hand. You can pick a few models to run a 'blue book' on, (meaning to check to see what the retail value is) and go from there. www.autotrader.com is a good place to look and you can customize your search. You may not need to spend as much as you think, but it will depend on your criteria. Good luck!

I sold an immaculate 2001 Ford Focus wagon for about $8000 in 2003....that was in NC.

Thanks again for more brilliant links and advice- I knew you guys would have all the answers! I have never needed a car where I have lived and the car thing will be such a change for me, but you guys are practically born car drivers!

Our only criteria will be good condition/reliable and reasonable price, make, model, colour doesn't matter- this is purely a transport thing (we used to have an old "New Yorker" - sorry, forget the "brand", but a big old  square chunky car, fabulous thing we bought off someone for $1000 it was immaculate and lasted us a good year or so before we left- but blimey, I could never have parked the thing, it was like a double decker bus to me!

Hubby & I are very grateful for all the links too- I have a lot to learn

Another site I have looked at quite often is http://www.carbuyers.com/

Primarily NY but they do list used cars from dealers in CT. Good luck with the search.

You may want to consider trying to go with a private seller instead of a used car service like CarMax.  Back in 2000, I bought my 1996 Oldsmobile for about $5000 from a private seller.  If you check Craigs List for the region you're moving to, and look at the used car/truck classifieds, you'll find a lot of people trying to privately sell their used cars, and you may just get a good deal.

H.Bird- I am only just becoming familiar with "Craigs List" through the mentions on this board, it's a sound idea.

I am concerned because we simply don't have 10k for a car outright, so we will be checking every avenue available to us.

Thanks very much!

H.Bird- I am only just becoming familiar with "Craigs List" through the mentions on this board, it's a sound idea.

I am concerned because we simply don't have 10k for a car outright, so we will be checking every avenue available to us.

Thanks very much!

No probs!  I think you should be able to find something very affordable and decent in the $5K-$7K range.  Just keep an open mind and you'll find the right opportunity