'That is a Great Deal:' Car Buying Expert Says This Little-Known Trick Can Get You a Car at the Lowest Price. What Is it?

What if you could get a used car at a great price, like thousands less than its gas-powered equivalent, but there’s just one catch: it’s electric.

That’s the trade-off many shoppers are weighing right now as electric vehicles flood the used market at steep discounts.

For some drivers, it’s a no-brainer with cheaper payments, lower fuel costs, and less maintenance. For others, the hesitation is real. Charging stations aren’t always easy to find, long road trips can be stressful, and older EVs may not have the range or features of newer models.

The debate has split car buyers: are EVs a smart bargain, or an inconvenient gamble?

How to Get a Cheap Car

In a viral video with more than 165,000 views, car content creator Deshone (@deshonetheautoadvisor) shared that if you want a car with the lowest monthly payments, your best bet is electric.  

“The absolute lowest car payment you are ever going to get on a brand new car can be had right now,” Deshone says.

He explains that some electric vehicles can be leased for under $200 per month with some deals dipping to under $100 per month. These unusually low rates, he says, are driven by declining resale values that have left manufacturers offering steeply discounted leases.

“These cars have deteriorated and plummeted in resale value,” Deshone says. “That means they are almost worthless, but dealers have to sell them. So manufacturers are leasing them at ridiculously low rates.”

For drivers carrying significant negative equity (like $10,000 to $15,000 on a current loan), leasing an EV could be a way to roll over that debt while securing a dependable vehicle.

He also emphasizes that consumers should avoid walking directly into dealerships and instead shop from home by email, gathering multiple offers (at least five) to secure the best price. 

“You may not get these prices walking into dealers,” he says. 

Deshone adds that his platform, Carsfromhometoolkit.com, provides resources to help buyers navigate the process. 

But he cautions that the window for such low payments may only last “a year, maybe two years,” 

“Do not look back on this five years, ten years from now and say, I missed that,” he says.

Why Used Electric Cars are Cheaper

Used electric cars are in fact some of the cheapest options on the market. Prices have fallen so sharply that many pre-owned EVs now sell for less than similar gas models, the New York Times reports. 

Sales jumped 40% in July compared with last year. Buyers are finding steep bargains, from a Nissan Leaf bought for just $1,000 after rebates to luxury models like the Audi e-tron GT selling for less than half their original sticker price.

The drop is tied to two things: new EVs are getting cheaper with longer ranges, and a federal tax credit of up to $4,000 applies to used EVs under $25,000. Together, those shifts have made secondhand electric cars more accessible to everyday drivers.

On top of low prices, owners save money on fuel and upkeep.

People who watched Deshone’s TikTok were impressed and curious.

“Paid $7000 for a used vehicle in cash. I did spend another $1000 in repairs. No car payment,” a top comment reads.

“What if my credit sucks big time?” another asked.

“I have no interest in sitting at a charging station ... Not gonna get that battery installed at the house... But, that is a great deal,” another said.

Motor1 reached out to Deshone for comment via TikTok direct message and comment. We’ll update this if he responds.