One analysis found that a six-year-old car should be your target if you're in the market for a used car.Credit: Mario Tama / Getty ImagesKey TakeawaysA six-year-old used car may be the best bargain, according to a new analysis by Bumper.com.The analysts recommend buying older than the three- or four-year mark that many experts advise.Six-year-old vehicles have already cleared the depreciation and maintenance "cliffs" that gut resale value and drive up repair costs.A new analysis has found that the ideal age for buying a used car is older than conventional wisdom holds. Newer, it turns out, isn't better.That's according to Bumper.com, a vehicle data website, which analyzed car prices alongside maintenance costs. Analysts at the site found that buyers get the most value for the least hassle by targeting vehicles around six years old—older than the three to four years many auto experts recommend.AdvertisementAdvertisementHousehold budgets have been stretched as inflation has climbed in recent years. New car prices averaged $49,855 in July, according to Kelley Blue Book. For anyone needing a replacement vehicle, used is the obvious way to save. The average used car listed for $27,027 in June, according to Cox Automotive, a 6% jump from a year earlier.What This Means For The EconomyThe average vehicle on the road was 12 years old in 2025, a record high, according to the Department of Transportation. That aging fleet shifts money from showrooms to repair shops and parts makers.But when looking for a used car, how old is too old for the best price? Many auto experts suggest that three or four years old is best because of the way vehicles lose value over time. Prices drop most in the first few years of ownership, then plateau. By buying a car a few years older, you can get a vehicle with nearly as much life as a new one, but for much less.But Bumper.com's analysis points out that the math looks different when you look at how much cars cost to maintain, along with how fast they depreciate. The analysis pointed to two key moments in a car's early years: a price drop at four years, and a maintenance cost spike at year five, when expenses jump 31%.Buying at year four means buying ahead of when the cost of brake pads and other repairs increases, Bumper's staff noted. But that only helps if ownership ends at the moment of purchase.AdvertisementAdvertisement"Within 12 months, the year-four buyer is the current owner living through a repair cost surge that was entirely predictable and is not a surprise to anyone who looked at the data," they wrote.Buy a six-year-old vehicle instead, Bumper researchers contend, and the previous owner will have already paid some of those costs. Those costs plateau before jumping another 59% in year eight, Bumper found, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data.The six-year mark is a guideline, not a rule, and it varies with mileage and the brand's reliability record. Still, it helps buyers find the window when car values have stopped falling fast and repair bills haven't started climbing again."Year six is where both problems are behind you," Bumper.com staff wrote.Read the original article on Investopedia
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