Ames Used Cars: True Benefits to Used

Leased Vehicles: One type of used car is former leases. Drivers who sign a lease are required to keep there vehicle in good condition, under a certain number of miles, and well maintained. Purchasing this type of vehicle is a good value because of their excellent condition. As leases have become popular, large numbers of well-maintained, 2- to 3-year-old cars are coming off lease in increasing numbers. These vehicles practically qualify as new, even in appearance; an added bonus is they usually are still covered by the remainder of their original warranties.

Affordable Green: Can't afford a brand new hybrid but looking for a way to 'go green' with your vehicle? Many may not think about it but buying used is green. Hybrids may get great gas mileage, but it takes 113 million BTUs of energy to make a Toyota Prius. Because there are about 113,000 BTUs of energy in a gallon of gasoline, the Prius has consumed the equivalent of 1,000 gallons of gasoline before it reaches the showroom. As long as the used car is relatively fuel efficient, the debt on production energy use has already been paid.

Real Life Value: Depreciation, fuel usage, insurance, interest on financing, maintenance and repairs, and sales tax are all factors that make buying a used car worth it. The average trade-in is only 4 1/2 years old with just 41,000 miles on it. This results in a lot of good cars available with lots of life left in them. Used vehicles that are later models are often the best values you'll find in the automotive market. Not only is the price lower than a comparable new car, but ownership expenses are simply lower.

Finding Used Cars in Ames

Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately 30 miles north of Des Moines. Ames Iowa is home of Iowa State University of Science and Technology, a public land-grant and space-grant research university, and member of the prestigious American Association of Universities. At its founding in 1858, Iowa State was formerly known as the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Iowa State has produced a number of astronauts, scientists, Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and a variety of other notable individuals in their respective fields. In 1856, the Iowa General Assembly enacted legislation to establish the State Agricultural College and Model Farm. Story County was chosen as the location on June 21, 1859, from proposals by Johnson, Kossuth, Marshall, Polk, and Story counties. The first building on the Iowa State campus was Farm House. Built in the 1860s, it currently serves as a museum and National Historic Landmark.

Today, Iowa State has over 60 notable buildings. Ames was serviced by the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad via a branch from Kelley to Iowa State University and to downtown Ames. The C&NW used to operate a branch to Des Moines. The Union Pacific, successor to the C&NW, still runs 60-70 trains a day through Ames on twin mainlines, which leads to some traffic delays. Ames has a municipal airport located 1-mile southeast of the city. The current FBO is Hap's Air Service, a company which has been based at the airport since 1975. The airport has four runways. The City of Ames offers a transit system throughout town, called CyRide, which is funded jointly by Iowa State University, the ISU Government of the Student Body, and the City of Ames. It is the principal city of the Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Story County. The city was founded in 1864 as a station stop on the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad and was named after 19th century U.S. Congressman Oakes Ames of Massachusetts, who was influential in the building of the transcontinental railroad.