The cost of a new car seems to be continuously rising every year. For that matter, it seems to be continuously rising every month! The cost of a new car is becoming prohibitive to a lot of people and families. Rather than going and spending an obscene amount of their hard earned money on the expensive add-ons of a new car, a used car can be a much better and cheaper alternative. That being said, used cars tend to come in many different forms. There are some used cars to be avoided that have been poorly maintained and driven into the ground. Despite this, there are a huge number of wonderful used cars that are available at a discounted price. Of course, buying a used car isn’t easy. You need to avoid the potential pitfalls to make sure that you get the car you want.
Buying From a Used Car Dealership
The reality is that buying a used car from a dealership or lot is essentially the same process as buying a new vehicle from the same places. You’re going to be presented with the vehicles and then you’re going to have to haggle with them. Haggling with used cars can often turn out even better because it’s common for used car dealerships to get overstocked. This is especially true of dealerships with new and old. As they get trade-ins, it’s common for them to get overstocked with used cars.
One thing that is often overlooked is that you need to always examine the warranty you are receiving with a used car. For many used cars, they may still be covered to some degree by the initial manufacturer’s warranty on certain parts. In addition, most dealerships may offer a warranty extension. If the manufacturer warranty is over, then ensure that you’re getting a minimum 6 month warranty from a used car dealership. They should be backing their merchandise to at least that amount.
Buying Privately
The best used car deals are often when you buy privately from a previous owner. It’s very common for a private seller to try to get more than they would if they traded the vehicle in, but less than any dealership or used car dealer would then resell it for. Threading this needle can be tricky, but research is the first step to ensuring it’s the right prices.
A danger of private sales is the condition of the vehicle. At least when you buy from a used car dealership, they have mechanics on site that perform inspections and ensure it’s ready for sale. That’s not going to come from a private seller. With private sales, you may need to have your own mechanic perform an inspection before closing the deal.
One final worry about buying privately is scams. Sadly, we live in a world where a lot of different people are trying to scam their fellow people to get money.
Best Cars to Get Used
When you’re shopping for a used vehicle, you want to focus on a few things. The first is reliability. You want a vehicle that is well known for being able to last for many years. Consider the long term reputation of the Toyota Corolla. They have this habit of being able to drive forever.
Used cars are more likely to break down than new cars. Because of this, you want to make sure that you choose a vehicle that is inexpensive to repair. For example, if you can buy a BMW 328i and a Honda Civic for the same price (let’s assume the 328i is very low priced for this), you still need to take into account the much higher repair costs of the BMW. The Civic is typically very cheap to repair, as are some economy cars from domestic carmakers. No car is useful if you can’t maintain it.
Finally, you want to consider fuel economy.
