As we head into the weekend you might be considering the purchase of a used previously loved vehicle, and lucky for you, we are here to help.

With thousands of detailed vehicle reviews, and over 3 million used-car listings, The Car Connection has your back when it comes to finding the perfect vehicle. You can sort vehicle listings by make, model, year, and oh so much more with our easy-to-use sliders.

This week we've shuffled through thousands of used-car listings to bring you these four winners. We know budgets can be tight sometimes, so we've tried to find some good deals just for you.

One last thing before we get into our picks for the week, we wanted to let you know that we would be happy to assist you in finding the perfect vehicle anytime. We'll even provide you with free advice. 

So, without further delay, here are this week's top used car finds:

2004 Toyota Tundra SR5

75,095 miles; $15,698

It's winter and that means you just might need four-wheel drive. Also, pickup trucks are quite popular in this region, and we were always big fans of the first generation Toyota Tundra. This fine example is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It has higher than average mileage, but it's price is nearly half the average price of similar trucks. We feel the mileage is a fair trade off in price, especially because Tundra's are rather reliable. This truck did live it's life in a climate where they salt the roads, so be sure to have the undercarriage checked for rust. We also like that the dealership is throwing in a 3 month / 3,000 mile powertrain warranty. 

2005 Honda Odyssey EX-L

101,111 miles; $9,977

Need a family hauler on a budget? The Honda Odyssey is known to be reliable, and features better driving dynamics than most people would assume. This particular Odyssey is priced nearly $20,000 below average, but that's because it has nearly 60,000 more miles than average. The miles don't concern us too much since the Odyssey has a reputation for reliability. For those in cold climates, you'll appreciate the heated leather seats, and the sunroof will come in handy in the summer. It's been for sale for over 100 days, and the dealership's dropped the price a few times. You might have some wiggle room to negotiate.

2003 Nissan Murano

109,081 miles; $9,795

Looking for a great crossover to haul the family to the mountain to go skiing? This 2003 Nissan Murano would do the trick. Located in Portland, Oregon it features black leather seats and a Bose premium sound system. While the mileage is higher than average, the price is nearly $20,000 below other 2003 Muranos. Fuel economy ratings aren't terrible at 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. The dealership notes it has a clean Carfax which we like, as it means the dealership is open and upfront about the vehicles history. The dealership seems ready to make a sale, as it's only been listed for 10 days and the price has already dropped $1,200. Negotiations may be in your favor if you play your cards right. 

2003 Mazda MX-5 Miata

53,689 miles; $10,495

It may not be summer time yet, but we always love the idea of blasting down the highways of California in a convertible. This Miata's calling to us with a price that is attainable. While the mileage is about 16,000 miles more than the average 2003 MX-5, it's not a huge concern as these cars are both reliable, and usually feature low miles. The dealer provided no information about this particular car in the listing, so we suggest you ask some detailed question when you call. As always, ask them for the Carfax report.

As always, we highly recommend you have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection on any used vehicle before you write a check. It's also a good idea to ask the dealership for the Carfax report.

Have a question or need help finding a used vehicle? Just let us know! 704-500-2349

Special thanks to The Car Connection.

Nissan Resonance Concept At Detroit: Previewing The Next Murano?

At the Detroit Auto Show, Nissan has revealed a daring crossover design concept that previews a potential direction for the next-generation Muranocrossover.

Created at Nissan Design America, in San Diego, and penned by Nissan Motor Co. senior VP and chief creative officer Shiro Nakamura, the new concept was inspired by “the ‘innovation era,’ and optimism for a bright, energetic future.”

From the front there’s a V-shape, running from the grille all the way through the hood and back to boomerang-shaped headlights, while special attention has been paid to side surfacing, and the combination of steep A-pillars and a large, full-length glass panoramic roof with flowing rear pillar help altogether add to a feel of cabin spaciousness.

The exterior is done in a warm Flare Orange, with tinted acrylic grille, Satin Chrome accents, and 22-inch alloy wheels.

Holographic display

Inside, the Resonance Concept has its instrument panel ‘floating’ on the console, with infotainment and communication features all up front, with a holographic experience and visual depth helping to assign priorities and levels of importance to the driver. Cloud-based telematics complete the connectivity and information suite.

“The architecture of the cabin is open and structural,” said Bancon, in a release about the concept. “Like the exterior, it redefines and pushes the segment beyond convention.”

Overall, the length of the concept is 190.6 inches, while the wheelbase is 113.2 inches—just slightly longer than the current Murano. But at 78.7 inches, the concept is about four inches wider.

Hybrid powertrain

Under the hood, the new model features the hybrid system that Nissan has been developing for a wide range of vehicles, with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, plus one electric motor/generator and two clutches integrated into the case of Nissan’s next-generation Xtronic continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). There’s also a compact laminated lithium-ion battery and intelligent battery charging control.

While Nissan now has the Pathfinder crossover to appeal to families, as well as the Rogue compact crossover just below, it seems that the automaker might take a more daring path with the Murano.

The automaker also hints in the release that it expects the Resonance Concept to be provocative—and even polarizing. With that in mind, what do you think of its design direction? Let us know in your comments below.

How Unleaded Gas Cut Crime And Made Us All Safer

If you keep up with the news, you know how often violent crime makes headlines. But despite some heart-wrenching stories that have played out on 24-hour news channels in recent months and years, violent crime is on the decline in the U.S. -- and according to some theoreticians, we may have unleaded gasoline to thank for that.

In the current issue of Mother Jones, Kevin Drum looks at an interesting series of facts. Among them:

• Rates of rape, assault, robbery, murder, and other violent crime peaked in many U.S. cities in the early 1990s, then went into decline.
• Those declines have largely continued despite (a) a growing population of young men and (b) economic troubles like the Great Recession, both of which should've theoretically caused a spike in violent crime rates.
• While some credit the declines to legislation like the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, violent crime has continued to abate, even though that particular ban expired in 2004.

How is this possible? Some point to increased incarceration rates, others to larger police forces, and still others to various forms of birth control, which helped couples manage the size of their families and all the attendant expenses.

But Drum suggests that the decline in violent crime may be due to a molecule -- namely, that of lead.

GETTING THE LEAD OUT
We've long known that lead can cause serious health problems in humans, especially children and pets. Even low levels of exposure have been shown to affect IQ and behavior.

Most of that research has come from studies of lead paint, which was banned in the U.S. in 1978. However violent crime in the U.S. took off in the 1960s and didn't really start declining until the early 1990s. In other words, there's no neat overlap between lead paint and violent crime.

However, economist Rick Nevin discovered that there is, in fact, a very close correlation between tailpipe emissions from leaded gasoline and violent crime. Those emissions began climbing during the 1940s, and in the 1960s, as the children of the 1940s reached adolescence and young adulthood, crime began to spike.

Soon afterward, the detrimental effects of leaded gas on the environment became clear, and its gradual phase-out began in 1973. Roughly two decades years later -- as children of the early 70s reached their late teens and early adulthood in the 1990s, crime began its steep decline.

As of January 1, 1996, the Clean Air Act outlawed the use of leaded gasoline in on-road vehicles, so you'd think that by about 2016, lead would be a non-contributing factor to crime rates in the U.S. But as Drum points out, lead doesn't disappear so easily. It hangs out in the atmosphere, and even more importantly, it penetrates the ground, where it remains hazardous. (To back that up, Drum posts data from a detailed study of lead levels in the soil of New Orleans and its correlation to crime rates.) A nationwide cleanup and prevention effort would cost around $20 billion today, but Drum claims that such an investment would generate $210 billion in returns via reduced crime and higher IQs.

What is your opinion? Let us know in the comments!