The CarGurus Blog

Daily coverage of the world of cars.

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How to Find Used Cars with Transferable Warranties


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Buying a used car can come with a lot of risk. Most used vehicles, except for certified pre-owned cars, are sold as-is and do not include any kind of warranty. If a head gasket blows the day after you sign the deal, sorry Charlie, you’re on the hook for repairs.

Of course, extended warranties or service contracts may sometimes be purchased separately and can be a good investment. Sometimes those warranties are transferable, so if the previous owner bought one, you could inherit it. Since there are so many companies offering those plans, you’ll need to ask the seller if any remaining warranty comes with the car and investigate if it will transfer to you.

But what about the manufacturer’s warranty that comes with new cars? If you can score a late-model car that has any part of a transferable manufacturer’s warranty remaining, you’ve hit the jackpot! So which cars should you look for? Follow the jump to find out!

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The 10 Hottest, Sexiest, Most Influential Roadsters Ever


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Few auto designs have withstood the test of time like the roadster. Some of the most iconic cars in history were of the two-seat, open-top variety, from James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder to the Ferrari 250 GT Spyder featured in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Below are some of the most influential classic roadsters on Earth, followed by a list of modern versions destined to become classics.

Before we get started, though, I should quickly clarify some things about terminology. A classic roadster, sometimes referred to as a spyder (or spider) provided a truly open-air driving experience. Modern roadster design has evolved to feature conveniences such as a retractable roof and windows. Officially that means they are convertibles, but automakers routinely still use the “spyder” designation to label their roadster offerings.

Let’s get to the list!

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Best Used Alternatives to Popular New Cars


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What if the perfect new car for you isn’t new at all?

As one of your resident CarGurus, people occasionally ask my advice on what new car they should consider. My answer always begins the same: How will you use it?

Whether the intended use is family hauling, boat towing, weekend getaways or street racing, I always have an opinion and a recommendation. From there the discussion filters down through price, reliability, resale and performance of the vehicle in question.

While I’ll never hesitate to recommend a new car, there are usually some perfectly acceptable (and often forgotten) used options available that could save a buyer boatloads of money without much sacrifice.

Since family sedans are always near the top of the best-sellers list, here are five examples of used models that are proving their worth as alternatives to the perennial top sellers, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

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How to Avoid Scams When Buying a Car Online


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All Americans are filthy rich and deserve to be scammed out of thousands of dollars.

Scammers living in some Eastern European and African nations seem to believe that, and are targeting a specific group of Americans with money to burn: car buyers.

Millions of people successfully navigate the car-buying maze every year, but a small percentage are scammed out of their money after finding a “deal” that seems too good to be true.

For some reason people tend to lose their common sense when they become emotionally attached to a particular car or get offered a good deal. That’s why scammers specifically target online car shoppers, and why you need to be careful. Below are two popular scams and six ways you can avoid them.

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A Salute to 10 Independent American Car Brands


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Happy 4th of July weekend! The United States of America declared independence from England 234 years ago, not only creating a new country, but inspiring countless innovations based on that same spirit of independence.

About 110 years ago, the seeds of the American auto industry began to sprout. Take a look at a list of defunct American automakers, and you might be surprised by just how many entrepreneurs tried to create new auto brands in the first half of the 20th century.

In honor of their groundbreaking efforts, here are 10 of the most memorable car brands that embodied the American spirit of independence.

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