A recent article by Forbes points out that while buying new has its advantages, buying used ultimately will get you the better deal – even though used car prices have jumped more than 4% in the last year.

The biggest reason you’ll get a better deal buying a used car compared to a new car is the depreciation.  A new car can lose up to 50% of its resale value within just three years of ownership.  This means that a three year old car could cost at least half the cost of an average new one. With a used car the depreciation rate is much, much slower.

When buying a used car make sure to have a trusted mechanic check the vehicle out before signing any papers. You may also want to run its VIN through a title-search service, like Auto Check to make sure the vehicle hasn’t been previously wrecked or flood-damaged.

This top 10 list (in no particular order) of used cars is currently the industry’s best used cars, based mostly on results from the latest J.D. Power and Associates U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study of three-year-old models.

- Honda Fit – performs well, gets great fuel economy and is reliable

- Scion xB – delivers athletic handling abilities, powered by a 158-hp 2.4-Liter four-cylinder engine

- Ford Fusion – agreeable performance, comfort, and utility

- Ford Edge – five-passenger crossover offers a quiet and comfortable interior, V6 engine

- Honda CR-V – great fuel economy for its class, 2.4-Liter engine with 166-hp, and impressive safety features

- Lexus RX350 – best-seller in Lexus’ lineup and most popular luxury SUV in the industry

- Toyota Sienna – 3.5-Liter, 266-hp engine, offers all-wheel drive, and available seven- or eight-passenger seating

- Mazda MX-5 Miata – peppy, nimble, best sports car value among new or used vehicles

- Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class – performs well, comfortable interior, contemporary look

- Chevrolet Tahoe – top pick for a large and powerful vehicle for hauling and towing

With the exception of the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class these vehicles are all available brand new, but for each of them there have been no major changes since the 2008 model from three years ago.

You would guess that owning a car in Hawaii or Alaska would be more expensive due to the all the shipping costs involved in getting the car there, then the price of gas is sure to be higher for the same reasons.  But if you lived in Connecticut would you expect owning a car in New Hampshire, which is only 100 miles away to be less?  Surprisingly, it is!

It all has to do with state taxes…New Hampshire doesn’t have them so the purchase of the car and the gas bought to put in the car will be cheaper. In fact, owning a car in New Hampshire will be almost $9,000 cheaper over five years than owning one in Connecticut.

Forbes.com did a study and found that New Hampshire, South Dakota, and South Carolina are the best states to own a car.  Hawaii, California, and Alaska are the worst.

Here’s the complete list with an explanation of why these are the best (or worst) states to own a car in.

Look for a dealer in your state.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how much is a video worth?

You’ve started thinking about your next new car purchase, but you’re just not ready yet to find an automotive dealership or take a test drive. You know you like the styling of the Suzuki Kizashi, Ford Fusion, and Hyundai Sonata from the pictures you’ve seen, but you still want to know more about each car before narrowing your choices. If only you could watch a video and learn more about each one.

CarLocate.com has the videos you need. In addition to the car photos and 360-degree exterior and interior views on our site, our Car Research section also includes professionally produced car videos*. Think of them as a “virtual test drive” of the cars you’re interested in.

These vehicle videos are filled with facts about the cars and can really bring to life the features you’d otherwise only read about.

It’s easy to get started watching car videos on CarLocate.com:

• Click Research.
• Select the Year, Make, Model, and Style of car.
• Click Photos and Colors.
• Click the Videos tab.
• Click Play!

CarLocate.com Car Research Page Showing Video and Find This Car Options

Once you’ve watched the car videos and are ready for a real-life test drive, use the “Find This Car” option, available from every Car Research page, to find the car you’re interested in at a dealership near you.

Vehicle videos… another way CarLocate.com is helping you “shop smart” for your next car.

* Videos available for most cars on the site.