Let’s face it: new cars aren’t cheap. (The average new car price in America sits right around $39,000.) While you can often wait for the depreciation to kick in and save big by buying your ideal car used, there are some vehicles where that’s manifestly not the case. And as it turns out, many of our favorite off-roaders fall into the latter category.
These trucks and SUVs depreciate so glacially, there’s almost no value in buying a used one — unless you happen to catch someone trying to sell five minutes after leaving the sales lot. If you can afford it, it’s more economical to eat the upfront cost with those cars and let the resale value work for you on the backend.
Below are four off-roaders you should basically never buy used, unless you’re looking at them as super-cheap, high-mileage beaters. And, with the crazy financing deals manufacturers are currently offering, there’s never been a more opportune time to buy.
Toyota 4Runner
The 4Runner should be a case where buying used makes sense. Toyota last overhauled the SUV for the 2009 model year; there should be plenty of less expensive used models floating around that are more or less the same as the current SUV. But Toyota fandom is as indomitable as its build quality.
The 4Runner is not a cheap car; most buyers will end up paying more than $40,000. But it’s a car you can daily drive for eight years or so, put nearly 100,000 miles on, and still sell for around $20,000. It’s better to be on the front side of that transaction.
