I never owned a used car until I left my outside sales job. I have had far fewer problems with my "Pre-Owned" babies than with the new ones. Or maybe it is because I know what the problems are and keep an eye on them.
The worst was Chevy (Company car and not my choice) with a faulty catalytic converter. That damn car would die on the Grand Central Parkway in rush hour. A terrifying experience. The company agreed to a complete overhaul. I drove out of the dealership onto Queens Blvd after thousands of dollars in repairs and ...wait for it...it died.
Go with a carefully vetted (Word of the month, I suspect) pre-owned car checked out on the Net for accidents.