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Sarasota and Manatee counties crush the rest of the Gulf Coast when it comes to the lowest prices of used cars, according to a new report from Autolist.com.
Sarasota, with a used car price that's on average $250 less per car than the state average, ranks No. 4 statewide, the San Francisco-based data firm reports in its new survey. Manatee County ranks No. 6 in the state, at $136 less, on average.
Seven other counties in the region, from Polk to Collier, have an average sales price per used car that exceeds the statewide average, according to the report, which analyzes second quarter sales data. Polk, $601 above average, and Charlotte County, at $587, post the highest figures in the region.
One quirk in the survey is multiple counties and cities known for high-cost cars and luxury goods tended to score well below average for used car prices. Palm Beach County, at $817 below the state average, and Broward County, at $535 below the state average, for example, are the most affordable used car counties in Florida, the report shows. And the most affordable used car cities in the state are Miami Beach, Wellington and Miami — each more than $1,000 below the state average.
The most affordable cities to buy a used car on the Gulf Coast are Bradenton, at $177 less than the Florida average; Sarasota, at $153 less than the Florida average; Palm Harbor in Pinellas County at $76 more than the Florida average; and Largo and St. Petersburg, each at $146 more than the Florida average.
Several factors contribute to the wide price ranges in used cars. That includes the amount of dealers in a given city or county, consumer demand and the volume of vehicles a dealer has on a lot. Autolist.com compiled the data by analyzing more than 55 million used car listings and prices nationwide. The company released the data with a website where users can search and compare prices in cities and counties.
The Autolist.com report, while comprehensive about prices for used cars based on geography, didn't address another key element in the used car game: haggling.
And that's an important factor, according to a separate survey from Consumer Reports released in May. That survey shows most used car buyers asked or bargained for a lower price, and were successful 80% of the time. The median savings, the report adds, was about $900.
Price vs. state avg.
County
Sarasota -$250
Manatee -$136
Lee +154
Pinellas +181
Hillsborough +219
Collier $330
Pasco $343
Charlotte $587
Polk $601
Source: Autolist.com
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