BEST CARS FOR BAD CREDIT

Platform Cars Explained

Car companies often produce different models from the same engine, chassis, frame, etc. If the only differences are in sheet metal and styling, you can compare models and save money.

Take, for instance, the Saturn Aura, named the North American Car of the Year at the 07 Detroit Auto Show. It's essentially the same car as the Pontiac G6 or the Chevrolet Malibu. True, the Aura has some differences in the suspension that designers say create better road handling performance -- but does that matter much to the average driver, and does it really matter to the tune of an extra $3,000 for it?

The mother of all platform bargains? Find a Chrysler Crossfire. It's essentially the discontinued Mercedes SLK -- for $15,000 or so less.

Best-Rated Used Cars Around $10,000 to $15,000

When it comes to the best used cars for bad credit customers, one trick is to look at award winners from a few years back and see which ones have dropped into our $10K-$15K price range.

When it comes to old Editors Most Wanted lists at Edmunds.com, for instance, look at the 03 Dodge Dakota, or an 05 Scion XB. When it comes to the Motor Trend Car of the Year, consider a turn of the century PT Cruiser. Remember, time is your friend -- the Escalade is the pre-eminent bling mobile, but you have to go back to the first year (99) to find one under $15,000.

Most auto sites routinely run features on best used cars, and the top selling cars of today -- the Honda Civic and Toyota Camry -- show up on all of them. Thing is, those cars generally need to be five years old to drop into our $10,000 to $12,000 range.

A recent feature on AOL Autos included the 97-02 Lexus as a top used value. Consumer Reports noted in this year's car issue that a 98 Lexus will have fewer problems than an 06 Mercedes. That's pretty impressive.

When it comes to more sensibly priced vehicles, experts have suggested the 99-02 Nissan Pathfinder, the 97-02 Mazda Miata and the 97-02 Ford Crown Victoria. Among trucks, the Ford F-150 remains the U.S. standard; models from 97-02 are quite affordable.