I totaled my 2015 Honda Civic in 2022, which I bought in 2019 for 15k. When I got my insurance settlement, my car was worth 500 bucks more than when I bought it four years prior and with an extra 80k on the odo. The car market has been insane for a while lol Answer from tehchuckelator on reddit.com
Carputty
carputty.com › posts › why-are-used-cars-so-expensive-right-now
Why are used cars so expensive right now?
Based on the laws of supply and demand, production shutdowns and other challenges for new cars have led to dramatically increased demand for used cars while there's a concurrent drop in supply due to fewer people trading in their old used cars ...
Capital One
capitalone.com › auto learning center › finding the right car › why are used cars so expensive right now?
Why Are Used Cars So Expensive Right Now? | Capital One Auto Navigator
July 9, 2024 - “The factory that makes used cars is new vehicle sales, and that factory has been underperforming the last couple of years due to supply shortages,” said Jesse Toprak, chief analyst at · Autonomy, an electric vehicle (EV) subscription service.
Is it just me or is the car market extremely overpriced right now
I totaled my 2015 Honda Civic in 2022, which I bought in 2019 for 15k. When I got my insurance settlement, my car was worth 500 bucks more than when I bought it four years prior and with an extra 80k on the odo. The car market has been insane for a while lol More on reddit.com
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September 25, 2025genuinely asking -- why are cars so expensive now?
There's a few reasons #1 (By far the largest) is inflation. The cost of cars evaluated with inflation coming into account isn't actually that much higher. Inflation simply has been higher than people realize (and from Covid onwards, it's been arguably misreported to make it seem lower, with housing costs being over-emphasized to make it look like food in particular hasn't risen at a ridiculous rate) #2 Regulations - lots of stuff has been regulated into cars, which you now have to pay for. backup cameras, a billion airbags, a lot of excessive tech to improve safety, nominal efficiency and emissions (arguably self-defeating in some cases) #3 Desirable features - People are willing to pay for cool tech and comfort. That's pushed the makers to offer those features as standard and adjust base prices to pay for them. #4 CUV's - People prefer these (at least in North America), but they cost more to make and cost more to buy than the cars they are typically based on. More on reddit.com
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September 16, 2025Why TF are used cars so expensive right now?
ELI5; for the past 3 years new car manufacturers struggled to meet demand for new vehicles. This did 3 things, it reduced the number of new vehicles being sold and thus the number of vehicles being traded in to become used vehicles. It also drove more people to buy used cars or keep their car for longer. All 3 combined to reduce the number of used vehicles on and entering the market thus raising values. More on reddit.com
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August 7, 2023Why are used car prices remaining stubbornly high despite low demand?
As with many things. People are quick to raise prices when there's demand, but slow to reduce them when that demand decreases.
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December 5, 2023Videos
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High prices keeping Americans from buying new cars - YouTube
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Quora
quora.com › Why-are-used-cars-so-expensive-right-now-in-2021
Why are used cars so expensive right now in 2021? - Quora
Answer (1 of 3): Used cars are so expensive right now because of the strong demand and reduced supply. The used car market is closely liked with the market for the new ones. High new cars prices forcing more and more people to choose second-hand cars. Because of this, stocks of used cars are decr...
Reddit
reddit.com › r/usedcars › is it just me or is the car market extremely overpriced right now
r/UsedCars on Reddit: Is it just me or is the car market extremely overpriced right now
September 25, 2025 -
Hello. I am in the market to buy a new car, budget of $7-$8.5k and max of $10k for sure. I just moved to Utah and currently drive an amazing 97 LS400, but i drive a lot for work and often go up to park city and am really nervous about rear wheel drive in the winter. if my lexus was AWD i would literally keep it forever. but here I am
after lots of research i am really liking the honda CRV, I like the EX-L the best. i prefer 2009-2015, im really not asking for anything brand new like im okay with a little wear and tear. but i feel like every CRV i come across has like 160k miles on it, is over 15 years old and is still listed for $13-$15k. kbb is listing these same cars for $7-$10k in EXCELLENT condition and im just defeated. i’m also super flexible with the year, and would even consider a subaru forester or crossover, ive looked at some toyota rav4’s too but i can really only find high mileage 160-200k ones on the market that are listed for like $10k+ which feels insane to me. even rebuild title CRVs are listed for over $10k.
if my calculations are correct ill be putting ~20k miles on my car per year for my job. i dont mind that. but id really like a car that is dependable, good on gas mileage, wont leave me stranded, feels nice and cozy on the inside, can idle well. something that i wont have to put thousands of dollars into repairs for the next few years. i just really want something used so i dont have a car payment.
are my requests absolutely insane? is anyone else struggling in this car market? does anyone know of any other types of cars that would fit my needs? thanks in advance
Top answer 1 of 89
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The car market has been fucked for about 5 years now. Even 1990s cars are rising sharply in value.
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It feels overpriced because you likely haven't looked for a car in a while. $15k is the new $8k car. Inflation, lack of production/new cars sold during Covid, and a lot of modern cars are throw-away unreliable. This has all led to a historically low nationwide used car supply (similar globally but EV adoption has helped most other smaller countries). It sucks, but what you're seeing is the new normal. I think you're looking at the right kind of car for how much you'll use it but keep in mind there are going to be maintenance costs with any higher mileage vehicle no matter how reliable it may be.
Biggers Mazda
biggersmazda.com › home › blog › why are used cars so expensive right now
Why Are Used Cars So Expensive Right Now
September 18, 2024 - Why is that? Well, due to a crunch in new car availability, used cars are in higher demand than before. Higher demand means higher prices, unfortunately. It’s not just that half of the market that’s affecting used car prices.
Business Insider
businessinsider.com › business insider › transportation › economy › why used and new cars are so expensive right now, explained in 3 charts
Why used and new cars are so expensive right now, explained in 3 charts
October 30, 2021 - As a result, prices of new and used cars have soared. Buying a new set of wheels used to be moderately stressful. Now it can be a nightmare. New cars are incredibly scarce. Used ones are absurdly expensive. Competition among buyers is fierce.
CarsDirect
carsdirect.com › home › deals articles › why are used cars so expensive?
Why Are Used Cars So Expensive? - CarsDirect
July 19, 2021 - Used car prices are expensive in 2021 largely because of a shortage of new cars. Although used car auctions shut down a year ago due to the pandemic, strong...
Brianstireandservice
brianstireandservice.com › home › auto repair insights › why are used cars so expensive?
Why Are Used Cars So Expensive? - Brian's Tire & Service
October 31, 2025 - Let me break it down simply, so you can understand what’s going on behind the scenes and decide what’s best for you. Used cars are expensive because there’s high demand and low supply, mixed with rising costs across the auto industry.
Vox
vox.com › money
Should I buy a car? Why used cars are so expensive right now. | Vox
May 12, 2021 - “If they’re looking for something cheaper and functional, not necessarily flashy, they might turn to the used car market.” · This increased demand, coupled with the still-recovering supply chain, means that even while sales are down, ...
Valdosta Nissan
valdostanissan.com › home › finance › car buying tips › why are used cars so expensive right now?
Why Are Used Cars So Expensive Right Now?
December 29, 2022 - There are many factors that affect the price of a used car in Thomasville, but the global chip shortage is the primary reason many used cars are so expensive right now. With the limited production and availability of new vehicles, private sellers ...
Bumble Auto
bumbleauto.com › blog › why-are-used-car-prices-so-high-2021-guide
Why Are Used Car Prices So High? (2021 Guide) | Bumble Auto
October 19, 2023 - It happens progressively over year, a month ago the prices jumped to 26.4% and in one month approximately 7% increase has occurred in automobile prices. The microprocessor shortage has resulted in exceptional price rises, for used automobiles ...
Aceable
aceable.com › blog › why-are-cars-so-expensive
Why Are Cars So Expensive in 2021?
In fact, some owners are now selling their vehicles for more than they paid. Used Dodge Challengers, for example, are selling for nearly $6,000 more today07 02 Business Money Used Car Prices Price Profit Feseries Index.html 2021 than when they were purchased new in 2020. When economists have always told us that vehicles “lose value the moment you drive them off the lot,” this shift is jarring. So what’s up? Why are cars so expensive ...
NPR
npr.org › 2023 › 03 › 18 › 1163278082 › car-prices-used-cars-electric-vehicles-pandemic
Why car prices are still so high — and why they are unlikely to fall anytime soon
March 18, 2023 - Meanwhile, because automakers cut production of cheap, no-frill sedans, people looking for cheaper late-model used cars are now out of luck. ... "We are firmly in the teeth of an extremely tight used-vehicle market, and that is directly a function ...
Reddit
reddit.com › r/whatcarshouldibuy › genuinely asking -- why are cars so expensive now?
r/whatcarshouldIbuy on Reddit: genuinely asking -- why are cars so expensive now?
September 16, 2025 -
not only in the US but also in Canada, both new and used cars are insanely pricy these days, is it because the pandemic or something else going on?
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People stopped looking at the actual vehicle amount and more on the monthly payments and how sick of a car they could get with those payments.
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There's a few reasons #1 (By far the largest) is inflation. The cost of cars evaluated with inflation coming into account isn't actually that much higher. Inflation simply has been higher than people realize (and from Covid onwards, it's been arguably misreported to make it seem lower, with housing costs being over-emphasized to make it look like food in particular hasn't risen at a ridiculous rate) #2 Regulations - lots of stuff has been regulated into cars, which you now have to pay for. backup cameras, a billion airbags, a lot of excessive tech to improve safety, nominal efficiency and emissions (arguably self-defeating in some cases) #3 Desirable features - People are willing to pay for cool tech and comfort. That's pushed the makers to offer those features as standard and adjust base prices to pay for them. #4 CUV's - People prefer these (at least in North America), but they cost more to make and cost more to buy than the cars they are typically based on.
Autodna
autodna.com › strona główna › unlocking the puzzle: why are used cars so expensive?
Unlocking the Puzzle: Why Are Used Cars So Expensive?
October 10, 2025 - Hot demand combined with limited supply has led to record-high prices for used cars, resulting in overpricing that experts now see signs of changing.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/whatcarshouldibuy › why tf are used cars so expensive right now?
r/whatcarshouldIbuy on Reddit: Why TF are used cars so expensive right now?
August 7, 2023 -
I’ve seen the memes, and the discussions of the car market being horrible right now, but never took it seriously until now when I actually need a car. Why are they so much more expensive than they were in previous years.
Top answer 1 of 93
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ELI5; for the past 3 years new car manufacturers struggled to meet demand for new vehicles. This did 3 things, it reduced the number of new vehicles being sold and thus the number of vehicles being traded in to become used vehicles. It also drove more people to buy used cars or keep their car for longer. All 3 combined to reduce the number of used vehicles on and entering the market thus raising values.
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Combination of things. During the pandemic “Just In Time” logistics collapsed. With supply chains damaged and disrupted , carmakers & suppliers had to figure out how to operate and thus couldn’t build enough new cars to satisfy demand. Since new cars inevitably become used cars, a reduction in new cars built between 2019-2021 (ish) means a commensurate reduction in used car supply. Which combined with increasing demand (more new drivers added each year) means higher prices. We’ll get back to the pre-pandemic days of haggling and cash incentives eventually, but only once production fully catches up in the used market.
Marketplace
marketplace.org › story › 2021 › 06 › 04 › why-used-cars-are-getting-so-expensive
Why used cars are getting so expensive
April 5, 2025 - Used car dealers rely on the new car market to drive our sales. We need the inventory. I can’t call a factory and ask them to send me additional used cars. We have to buy them at auction or trade-ins, and right now there’s very little inventory in the new car market.
NerdWallet
nerdwallet.com › back to nerdwallet homepage › auto loans › learn › are car prices going up or down?
Are car prices coming down? - NerdWallet
1 month ago - That growth has slowed dramatically, but the most recent data shows ownership costs grew 9% in the 12 months ending May 2026, owing largely to the increase in gas prices due to the war in Iran.
The AutoTempest Blog
blog.autotempest.com › home › you aren’t imagining things. used cars are more expensive
You Aren't Imaging Things. Used Cars Are Expensive - AutoTempest.com
February 6, 2024 - From a global pandemic to squabbles over international trade, several factors have played into skyrocketing used car sales. Here are two that help explain what’s going on. Thankfully, much of the world is beginning to climb out of the hole ...
Washington Examiner
washingtonexaminer.com › home › news › buying a new or used car is still shockingly expensive
Buying a new or used car is still shockingly expensive - Washington Examiner
January 25, 2024 - Prices of new and used vehicles have risen stratospherically over the last several years, putting many drivers who would normally be shopping for new or lightly used wheels in a bind. December saw average purchase prices of new vehicles at $48,759 per, according to Kelley Blue Book, the industry ...