Here is a list compiled by Consumer Reports on what to buy and what NOT to buy....

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=435706

The most imporatant thing that anyone needs to remember when buying a used vehicle is:
NEVER BUY A USED VEHICLE WITHOUT RUNNING A CARFAX REPORT ON IT!!!!

Taking it for a test drive is good idea too.


I subscribe to Consumer Reports (a left wing rag, no doubt) but I have reservations about the way they judge cars . . . for one thing, BUTT UGLY cars always leads their lists. There is no way I will pay $25K for a BUTT UGLY anything.

They should consider overall design (I know, its really hard to do this, but BUTT UGLY is BUTT UGLY!) in the rankings to force carmakers to design better looking cars (thats YOU Toyota!).

Pontiac Aztek is the ugliest car ever put into production.
The GM that gave this the green light should have been fired.

If you do not know a lot about cars check with a local shop. They will often have a used car pre-purchase inspection service that can wind up saving you big bucks down the road. Tip for cars with automatic transmissions, pull the dipstick and see if the color is red or brown. Red is good and brown fluid would be from worn friction plates. Motor oil should be brown in color as well not BLACK. Pop the radiator cap and check the color of fluid in radiator. A bad head gasket will cause rust and discoloration in the cooling system. If a film of oil is floating in the water be vewy vewy caweful. With the water level full and the cap off, if you start the car and water squirts out of the radiator, you've got a blown head gasket leaking compression into the cooling system. **CAUTION** Never remove a radiator cap if the engine has been running and the cap is super hot to the touch. It can spray you with scalding hot water. If warm you can generally turn it half a turn to relieve the pressure before removing.

One of my favorite tests for older cars is to drive a mile or so, high RPM, second gear, low load. All sorts of minor league, but annoying problems tend to show up that way.

The US car manufacturers should take note.

On the "Best List" there are only 4 American vehicles. The rest are imports.

On the "Worst" list, there are only 9 imports the rest are American.

By imports, I mean foreign manufacturers. I know that most of the cars are made here.