There’s nothing like the smell of a new car, but it comes at a cost. As much as the feeling of getting into a brand new car is great, so is having money in your bank account. If you can’t afford to spend cash on a new car, or you want to keep your funds for something else, a used vehicle is a great alternative. Some people might be hesitant to choose a car that someone else has owned before. You don’t know where it’s been, what the previous owner has done with it or what condition it’s in. With a new car, you know it’s in perfect condition and that you’re getting what you pay for. If you’re not sure whether to buy a used car, read these smart reasons for taking the plunge and how to get started.
Save Money
The obvious significant reason for buying a used vehicle is that you’re going to save money. You could be paying thousands of dollars less than if you got a new car. You might think of them as being beaten-up old bangers that need to go to the scrapyard, but modern cars last a long time. You can buy something that’s a few years old and make an incredible saving. Even a vehicle that has barely been used will lose a lot of its value as soon as it’s passed through the hands of one owner.
Less Depreciation
In fact, a new car begins to lose its value quite quickly. As soon as it’s left the dealer’s lot, a car might lose up to 20% of its value straight away. Then in the first year of ownership, most cars will lose another 10%. You can avoid this depreciation by buying a year-old car, although they are hard to find. It’s much easier to find a vehicle that’s two or three years old, and doing so with the right car will mean you can sell it on later without losing much money. But if you want to keep it, buying a car that’s a couple of years old and holding onto it until you can’t drive it anymore is more cost-effective than buying new.
Lower Insurance Costs and Registration Fees
You can save even more money when you buy a used car, through reduced insurance costs. One of the key factors insurance companies use to work out the cost of insuring a car is its value. If your car is a few years old, the value will be lower, and your insurance policy should cost you less too. You can also choose to get rid of some elements of the cover if you want, such as collision and theft, which you don’t have to pay for once the car is old enough. Registration fees from state to state are also often based on the value of the vehicle, so a less valuable car will mean lower registration fees.
More Car for Less Cash
Since prices are lower, you can afford a used car that you wouldn’t be able to get new. Whether it’s a luxury sports car or the latest SUV, you can go for a fancier model. If you want a particular make or model, it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. Finding a used car doesn’t have to mean going to the local dealer anymore. You can find exactly what you’re looking for online with cardealwarehouse.co.uk and sites like it. They let you browse dealerships’ inventories before visiting. You don’t have to limit yourself to whatever if available on your nearest lot. Just search for that car you’re interested, and you’re sure to find it at a dealer near you, or even being sold by someone privately.
How to Buy a Used Car
So there are benefits to buying a used car, but how do you make sure that you don’t get a rough deal? People often fear buying a vehicle that turns out to be a pile of junk, which they then have to put lots of money into fixing. There’s no point saving money on buying the car if you have to spend so much on maintenance afterward. It’s important that if you decide to buy used, you know what you’re doing. It is possible to buy a used car that isn’t falling apart, but it’s essential that you do your research.
Go to Approved Dealers
One of the best ways to get a good deal is to use a dealer who has been approved by the manufacturer. If they specialize in a particular make and they have the seal of approval from the brand, their cars are likely to be a high standard. But even if you can’t find an approved dealer, any dealer will do. It’s better to visit a car lot than it is to buy privately from someone.
Research
It used to be that people went on several trips to a car lot to see the vehicle they were interested in. But now people only take one or two trips, because they can do the rest online. You can find a car you like on the internet and read all about it. You can look for all the information you need and only go and see the vehicle to compare your notes to the reality. Just make sure you know all about the car you want to buy.
Inspect the Car
With a new car, you know it’s going to be in top condition. But you need to be prepared to bend down and have a look at several different areas of a used car. A dealership will give you a good description of everything, but you should still check that everything is up to standard. You need to look at both the inside and outside of the car to verify the condition of the engine, interiors, wheels and paintwork. Even if you aren’t an expert, you can show the dealer that you mean business, and you won’t let them get away with anything.
