Housekeeping: A Reminder About Used Car of the Day

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey

I keep seeing comments -- and not just from one particular individual -- that suggest that not everyone fully understands the Used Car of the Day format, its purpose, and how I select the cars I do.

So let's do some learning.


Let's start with what the feature is not -- it's NOT a chance for the site, or me personally, to make money from a sold car. I make no money on any sales and I have no idea if our forums take a cut. I don't care if someone buys a featured car or not.

The purpose of the feature is to feature cars I think you, the B and B, would find interesting. Even if they are junkers that aren't running. Like yesterday's non-running diesel Merc. A two-year-old Camry in OK shape isn't interesting. A rare car that's a project? Interesting. A pristine IROC Camaro? Interesting.

I use an automated database that updates daily with new listings, and some days are better than others. Somedays, pickings are slim. So please bear with us.

It's also meant to be separate from Junkyard Finds and Rare Rides. JFs are cars that are about to be crushed and the Rare Rides feature is all about the overview of a specific make and model, with a lot of detail on its history. UCOTD is about cars people own that you can buy.

Finally, the other purpose of the feature is to introduce the forums our parent company runs to youse guys. We hope that you'll browse around and maybe become a member if applicable.

We aren't trying to sell the cars or give you agita. If a car doesn't appeal to you, scroll on by. Some days we'll have a better pick than others -- it just depends on what's on sale and how well I judge your tastes.

It's a fun feature -- not something meant to give anyone heartburn. So let's have some fun and talk about some of the cool cars that are out there in folks' driveways and garages.

Ok? OK!

[Image: hodim/Shutterstock.com]

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Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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2 of 35 comments
  • Daniel J Daniel J on Jan 29, 2024

    I've gone back to the last 4 UCOTD and they've all be ridiculous. That's on you, Tim.


    Maybe put something out there that's worthy of discussion?

  • Randy in rocklin Randy in rocklin on Jan 29, 2024

    I love the site so don't cut it. It's always the bad eggs that spoil it all.

  • Kwik_Shift_Pro4X As much problems as I had with my '96 Chevy Impala SS.....I would love to try one again. I've seen a Dark Cherry Metallic one today and it looked great.
  • Susan O’Neil There is a good reason to keep the Chevrolet Malibu and other 4 door family sedans! You can transport your parents and other somewhat handicapped people comfortably and safety! If someone can stand and pivot you can put them in your car. An armrest in the back seat is appreciated and a handle above the door! Oh…and leather seats so your passenger can slide across the seat! 😊Plus, you can place a full sized wheelchair or walker in the trunk! The car sits a little lower…so it’s doable! I currently have a Ford Fusion and we have a Honda Accord. Our previous cars were Mercury Sables-excellent for transporting handicapped people and equipment! As the population ages-sedans are a very practical choice! POV from a retired handicapped advocate and daughter! 😊
  • Freddie Remember those ads that say "Call your doctor if you still have...after four hours"?You don't need to call your doctor, just get behind the wheel of a CUV. In fact, just look at one.I'm a car guy with finite resources; I can't afford a practical car during the week plus a fun car on the weekend. My solution is my Honda Civic Si 4 door sedan. Maybe yours is a Dodge Charger (a lot of new Chargers are still on dealer lots).
  • Daniel J Interesting in that we have several weeks where the temperature stays below 45 but all weather tires can't be found in a shop anywhere. I guess all seasons are "good enough".
  • Steve Biro For all the talk about sedans vs CUVs and SUVs, I simply can’t bring myself to buy any modern vehicle. And I know it’s only going to get worse.
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