2025-model used cars sold in the fourth quarter of last year went for $6,370 less than their average new car transaction price. That's already substantial savings, but the numbers are even better for EV and PHEV shoppers. Models like the Dodge Charger Daytona and Jeep Wrangler 4XE have truly staggering discounts after less than a year on the road.
For Tesla Inc. ( NASDAQ: TSLA) and other popular electric vehicle (EV) makers, the primary competition is not with one another. It is the used versions of their own cars. One analysis showed that a Ford Mustang Mach-E, which sold for $55,000 new, sold for only $33,000 when it reached its first birthday. It had less than 10,000 miles on its odometer and not a single scratch.
Everyone knows (or hopefully knows) that as soon as you buy a car and drive it off the lot, you've already lost a certain value of the vehicle. It's a frustrating but true reality of vehicle ownership, and it doesn't matter how much the car is or what brand it is. Once you drive it away, its value decreases. For this Redditor, purchasing a $67,000 Jeep Wrangler proved to be a financial disaster.