Before the pandemic, more than half of used cars sold were three years old and selling for under $20,000 according to The Detroit Free Press. Just a few years later, only 11% of used cars fit that description.
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Still, some used cars have grown more overpriced than others. Watch out for the following budget-busters as you shop for a used car.
Toyota Tacoma
Given its reputation for reliability, Toyota vehicles command a premium in the used car market. And nowhere is that more blatant than the Tacoma.
“Tacomas are fantastic trucks, but buyers are shelling out over $35,000 on models with 80,000 miles — that’s crazy,” noted Alex Black of used car research platform EpicVIN. “Why? Reputation, and low stock on hand. Individuals pay too much for names they believe in, irrespective of figures not adding up.”
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Ram 1500
Another pickup truck that buyers have bid too high is the Ram 1500.
Sure, it’s rugged. But that same ruggedness means these trucks see plenty of use and abuse. Marc Skirvin runs Cash Auto Salvage, restoring life to beat up cars. “I see some 2018-2019 Ram 1500s with asking prices higher than what sellers shelled out for new vehicles in the first place,” he said. “Many of these trucks come with scuffed interiors, battle-worn bedliners and engines on life support, but presented by sellers as pristine.”
Ford F-150
The same goes for the Ford F-150, which has remained the most popular pickup truck in America for over four decades. “Ford F-150s with more than 120,000 miles are easily fetching $20,000-$30,000,” added Skirvin. “As recently as two years ago, they sold for $15,000.
“Many of these trucks led hard lives — towing trailers and hauling goods — with much more wear than their odometer readings might indicate.”
Chevrolet Suburban
Parents love to drive enormous Suburbans. They feel like tanks on the road, and can carry endless sporting equipment and bags.
Melanie Musson, auto expert with AutoInsurance.org, sees families who can’t afford a new Suburban overpaying for older models. “If buyers realized how many other family vehicles they could buy brand new for the same price as a five-year-old, nearly 100,000-mile Suburban, they’d begin to grasp just how overpriced they are.”
Toyota Sienna Hybrid
While the Sienna Hybrid makes one of the best new minivans on the market, buyers are overpaying for used models at the moment. Many crave the great city gas mileage, and there just aren’t many hybrid Siennas available on the used car market.
“The Sienna is dependable and long-lasting, and buyers are willing to pay high prices, even used,” added Musson. “The hybrid is hard to find, and when buyers find one, they pay more than the vehicle is worth because if they don’t, someone else will.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Avoid These 5 Overpriced Used Cars in Summer 2025
