**The Best and Worst States to Buy a Used Car**

When it comes to buying a used car, there are many factors to consider. In this article, we'll explore the best and worst states to buy a used car, taking into account cost, condition, inventory, and more.

It's Simple: Flooding is the Main Reason

To put it simply, it's because of flooding. Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy ripped through these states, damaging hundreds of thousands of cars, which caused title washing to surge about a decade ago. It's estimated that there are approximately 800,000 cars on the road in the US with salvage titles that have been washed.

When in doubt, your best bet is to check the CARFAX and steer clear of flood-ravaged areas. Unless you're building a race car because you'll probably rip out all the damaged stuff anyway. That's actually not a bad idea. I think a salvage title neon SRT-4 is probably the dopest thing ever.

**The Third Factor to Consider: Inventory Variety**

The third factor to consider when choosing where to buy your used car is the variety of inventory in the state. This is less a matter of good and bad, it's more of a matter of what type of car you're looking for. Heavily populated states like California, Texas, and New York will have a wider variety of vehicles to choose from, purely because there's a wider variety of people that live there.

Conversely, lower population states will probably not leave you as much of a choice. Good luck finding a Maserati in Idaho. There's probably a few out there, I don't know. For instance, if you're looking for a classic car, your best bet is to stick to southern states like Kentucky or South Carolina, where vintage Americana is king.

**The Cost Factor**

If you know exactly what make and model you're looking for, research where that car is made. If you buy from a state where it's manufactured, you'll see an increase in availability and a steep drop in price.

Now that we've covered cost, condition, and inventory, we're just about ready to determine the best and worst states to buy a used car in. Which states are you thinking? Alaska, Delaware, you must be kidding.

**The Fleet Vehicle Factor**

Before we reveal the best and worst states, there's just one more thing to consider as you embark on your fruitful used car journey. Fleet vehicles. A fleet vehicle is a vehicle that was leased by a business or organization rather than an individual. More often than not, these are also rental cars.

If the car you're considering was a fleet vehicle, it'll be significantly harder to determine the condition of said vehicle. Some people think that rental cars are driven with reckless abandon, while others think that people drive them more carefully. And there's actually not a ton of data to suggest either way.

But if you're buying a used rental car, several other people have driven it, and the chances of irresponsible driving is exponentially higher than with a non-fleet car. Non-fleet cars are not subjected to regular inspection and mandatory maintenance that rental companies put in place.

**The Best States**

It's finally time to reveal which state is the best. It's a tie for first place: Florida and New Hampshire. Both states hit it out of the park with initial price. Florida had a slight edge from not being part of the salt belt, and New Hampshire's low TT&L fees brought it home.

**The Worst States**

And which is the worst? It might be one of the best states to drive and shop in, but California is among the worst to buy a used car in. With a harsh market for buyers and a huge cost of ownership, the used car buying experience is difficult and more pricey in beautiful California.

Mississippi, we love you, but you also get a dishonorable mention for the oversaturation of title-washed cars. Look, I know a lot of you probably aren't able to go out of state to buy a used car, I probably wouldn't actually either. So, do your research, know what you're getting into. Don't be impulsive.

Make sure you're buying a good car, not just a cheap car. And you can do that with help from us by watching our episode on the subject, and just buying a cord (chuckling). We put out a video almost every day. So if you don't wanna miss that, please subscribe to the channel.

We really appreciate it, and our videos are really good. It's like a win-win. Check out our podcast, Past Gas. We put a lot of work into that, and I think you'll enjoy it as well.

Follow Donut on all social media, at Donut Media. Follow me @nolanjsykes. Be kind. I'll see you next time.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Finding a used car can be a gamble.But if you find theright one that's cheap,low miles and in good condition,oh boy, it's exhilarating.When buying used, you've gotto know what you're doingor you can end up witha lemon on your hands.There's gold in themthere pre-owned hills.And lucky for you, I've takenthe time and done the researchto give you the treasure mapof which state has the best used cars.Do you think you know thestate with the best used cars?The real answer might surprise you.(dramatic music)Before we get into it,you might be thinking,what exactly do you meanby best used car Nolan?Fair question, I will explain.When talking about the bestthere are three main componentsthat we're gonna consider;cost, condition, and inventory.So let's start with cost.When talking about cost,there are three areasof spending to consider.The first is the initial price.This is the bulk of theoutdoor costs of your car.We're talking about thenumber on the sticker,or if you're savvy haggler,the number that younegotiate down during a sale.The initial price is going to be affectedby the age of the car,any existing damage,popularity of the model,cost of living in the area,and so many other factors.Just like anything that youbuy in a capitalist society,that's just part of it.The second part of the cost is the TT&L.Taxes, title and licensing.These fees will probablymake up about eight to 10%of the price of your car.There are auto salestaxes, property taxes,DMV fees, license and documentation fees,title transfer fees,and sometimes admissionand inspection fees.And as you can guess, everysingle one of these chargesvaries from state to state.So when it comes to cost,TT&L is where geographical locationis really gonna start coming into play.The third thing to consideris the ongoing cost of the ownership.This means insurance prices, maintenance,gas price, et cetera.It's a little obvioushow location can affectthis aspect of the cost of your used car.More heavily populated areas are typicallythe more expensive places to own a car.And the age and make ofyour vehicle will affectthe amount of money it takesfor you to maintain it.So how the heck do statesstack up when it comes toall these aspects ofthe cost of a used car.As far as initial price is concerned,Florida blows all 49other states completelyout of the water.As of 2016 on average, theinitial price of used carsin Florida, were a whopping 10% lowerthan anywhere else in the country.When I learned this, I thought that numberwas so unbelievable, Ialmost demanded a recount.(booing noises)But it's true.Here's why.At 20.6% of residents over the age of 65,Florida is the oldeststate in the country.When you get old you tend to stop driving,which means you'll probably sell your car.In addition to the seniorcitizen population,Miami also touts wealthier residentsthat cycle through theircars at a faster ratethan your average Americanmiddle-class, American Joe.Average Americanmiddle-class, American Joe.All around, people in Floridasell a lot of used cars,making it the perfect buyers market.Cost-wise New Hampshirealso comes in closeto the top of the listfor used car shopping.It has some of the lowestfees in the country.If you buy in New Hampshire,you won't be dropping thousandson TT&L like you would elsewhere.And get this in New Hampshirethere is zero sales taxon vehicle purchases.Zero, that means you could besaving up to 10% on your vehicle upfront.It's one of only five states that don'thave this tax, alongwith Delaware, Oregon,Montana and Alaska.As of 2016 the one timefee added to the purchaseof a vehicle was only $25.What sets New Hampshire apartfrom these other taxless statesis the ongoing cost of ownershipthat we're talking about.The state has a very lowcost of gas and insurance.Premiums in New Hampshireaverage about $1,000 annually,less than any other state,and less than half of that of California.Which brings me to the worststates for buying a used car,when it comes to cost.You might have guessedthat the Golden Stateis the most expensive tobuy and own a used car in,and you would be right.For all its beautiful weatherand diverse landscapes,California is kind of a nightmarewhen it comes to the cost of the car.First off the cost of livingand unemployment ratesin California are sky high comparedto the rest of the country.This means that people areholding on to their carsfor a lot longer thanresidents of other states,making the market scarce and competitivefor buyers looking for a sweet deal.Plus, with its high population,California has almost doublethe amount of registereddrivers as any other state.More shoppers, less used cars for sale,and that means morecompetition for your dollar.Beyond the initial price though,California doesn't have thehighest fees in the country.The highest are in Alabama,Arizona, and Colorado,but they are still pretty priceyat around 1500 dollars on the low end.Which reminds me I still needto register, my Chrysler.What really puts the nail inCalifornia's cheapness coffinis the overall cost ofownership including gas pricesand insurance premiums.The other states withoutrageously high total costof ownership over a five year period are,according to a study by insurance.com are,Louisiana, Michigan,Oklahoma and Arkansas.But surprisingly, thereis only one other statethat has a higher cost in California,and it's drumroll please.(drumroll sound)Wyoming.Wyoming.This calculation is a combinationof many different factorsincluding, road conditions,average distance of travel, insurance.So it's really a number of factors.If I had to make a guess though,I'd probably say it's all a bison attacksin Wyoming as well,those things are vicious.Now that we've covered initial cost.Let's move on to thesecond determining factoron what makes a stategreat to buy a used car in.Its condition.Now remember, we're talkingabout used cars here.So most of these cars are gonna havea good amount of normalwear and tear on them,increasing with the mileage.So when buying a usedcar, chances are highthat you'll encountersome bumper scratchesor a stain in the backseatthat you can only hope it's coffee.I don't even wanna puta blacklight in my car.Just, you know what, I'm noteven gonna sell myself short.My car is clean, okay, nothingweird has happened in there.It's all good.I don't even know why you brought it up.What you really have to look out foris the type of damage that will affectyour car's performance in the long run.And that means anystructural or frame damage,you know, missing parts,large cracks, et cetera.And when talking aboutgeographical locationas it relates to damage, ofcourse you think of terrain,climate, and population that leadsto a higher chance of accidents.So where in the country areused cars in good condition,central and southern stateshave the perfect topographyand climate for cars tolive well into old age.Arizona, New Mexico, and Coloradoall have dry climateswith minimal rainfall.Most modern engines can handle the heatin these states, and they face littleto no weather related damage.One of the lesser knownelements of auto damageto consider is saltcorrosion and auto rust.This can affect states onboth coasts as ocean aircan reach up to five miles inlandand cause rusting on coastal cars.This type of rust is no match for the typeof rust that you'llfind elsewhere, however.Midwest people you knowwhat I'm talking about.There's a section of the countrythat is adversely affectedby this type of damage,and it's called the salt belt.You guys probably already know this,but I've never lived in thisarea, so this was news to me.The salt belt is a clusterof northeastern statesmade up of Connecticut,Delaware, Illinois, Indiana,Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, Michigan,Minnesota, Missouri,Nebraska, New Hampshire,New Jersey, New York,North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania,Rhode Island, Vermont,Virginia, West Virginia,Wisconsin, and Washington DC.That's, I feel like I namedall the states. (chuckling)That's a lot of states.Like, I know it's obviousthat snowy and icy conditionsare awful for cars and trucks.So in the salt belt,government trucks dump salton the road to lower thefreezing point of iceand also give some added traction.This is for drivers inthe moment, but over time,the chemical compoundcauses rust in brake lines,fuel tanks, struts,struts, struts, shocks,and pretty much anythingthe salt can touch,leading to corrosion that makes the car,a less than desirable purchase.Outside of the salt belt,another dangerous stateto buy a used car, is in Mississippi.Why?Because the Magnolia statehas the highest concentrationof title washed cars.We've gone over titlewashing in a previous episodeof WheelHouse and I'll drop alink if you wanna learn more.But basically, it's takinga salvage title car,moving it to a new state toregister it under a clean title,and it's very shady.So what's the worststate for title washing.According cars.com, the national averageis one in every 324.9 used carshas had its title washed.But in Mississippi,It's one in every 44.6.That's a ton of used cars.The second highest density oftitle washes is in New Jersey,with one in every 87 cars, for comparison.So why all the titlewashing in these states.Well to put it simply,it's because of flooding.Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy ripthrough these states damaginghundreds of thousands of cars,which caused title washingto surge about a decade ago.It's estimated that there areapproximately 800,000 carson the road in the US with salvage titlesthat have been washed.When in doubt, your bestbet is to check the CARFAXand steer clear of flood ravaged areas.Unless you're building a race car becauseyou'll probably rip out allthe damaged stuff anyway.That's actually not a bad idea.I think a salvage title neon SRT-4is probably the, wouldbe the dopest thing ever.So sketchy. (chuckling)The third factor to consider when choosingwhere to buy your used caris the variety of inventory in the state.This is less a matter of good and bad,it's more of a matter of what type of caryou're looking for.Heavily populated stateslike California, Texas,and New York will have awider variety of vehiclesto choose from, purely becausethere's a wider varietyof people that live there.Conversely, lower population stateswill probably not leaveyou as much of a choice.Good luck finding a Maserati in Idaho.There's probably a fewout there, I don't know.For instance, if you'relooking for a classic car,your best bet is tostick to southern stateslike Kentucky or South Carolina,where vintage Americana is king.Looking for more of a luxury model?Well, Miami is a hotbedfor your flashy used rides,and Oregon has a great classicluxury car scene as well.Surprisingly!If you know exactly what makeand model you're looking for,research where that car is made.If you buy from a statewhere it's manufactured,you'll see an increase in availabilityand a steep drop in price.Now that we've covered cost,condition, and inventory,we're just about readyto determine the bestand worst states to buy a used car in.Which states are you thinking?Alaska, Delaware, you must be kidding.Before we reveal though,there's just one more thing to consideras you embark on yourfruitful used car journey.Fleet vehicles.A fleet vehicle is avehicle that was leasedby a business or organizationrather than an individual.More often than not, theseare also rental cars.If the car you're consideringwas a fleet vehicle,it'll be significantly harder to determinethe condition of said vehicle.Some people think thatrental cars are drivenwith reckless abandon.While others think that peopledrive them more carefully.And there's actually not a ton of datato suggest either way.But if you're buying a used rental car,several other people have driven it,and the chances of irresponsible drivingis exponentially higherthan with a non-fleet car.But non-fleet cars are not subjectedto regular inspectionand mandatory maintenancethat rental companies put in place.That's just something to keep in mind.So which state is the best?It's finally at time withall factors consideredand all research conducted,I've decided that there needsto be a tie for first place.The Venn diagram of usedcar buying optimizationintersected most inFlorida, and New Hampshire.With both states hittingit out of the parkwith initial price.Florida had a slightedge from not being partof the salt belt, and NewHampshire's low TT&L feesbrought it home for the Granite State.And which is the worst.It might be one of the beststates to drive and shop in,but California is among theworst to buy a used car in.With a harsh market for buyersand a huge cost of ownership,the used car buyingexperience is difficultand more pricey in beautiful California.And Mississippi, we love you but you alsoget a dishonorable mentionfor the oversaturationof title washed cars.Look I know a lot ofyou probably aren't ableto go out of state to buy a used car,I probably wouldn't actually either.So, do your research, knowwhat you're getting into.Don't be impulsive.Make sure you're buying a good car,not just a cheap car.And you can do that, withhelp from us by watchingour episode of money pit on the subject,and just buying a cord.(chuckling)We put out a video almost every day.So if you don't wanna miss that,please subscribe to the channel.We really appreciate it andour videos are really good.It's like a win win.Check out our podcast, Past Gas.We put a lot of work into that,and I think you'll enjoy it as well.Follow Donut on all socialmedia, at Donut Media.Follow me @nolanjsykes.Be kind.I'll see you next time.