When it comes to buying a vehicle, one of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is whether you end up buying a used car or a new one. There are plenty of arguments for both of these so it can end up being a really difficult decision. We understand just how tricky it can be, so here are a couple of helpful tips to make the choice a lot easier.
How often are you going to be driving your car?
You should consider how much you plan to drive the car. In most cases, a used car is going to be a little better when it comes to shorter driving distances. This usually means you’ll be spending less on fuel and it also means fewer accumulated miles on your vehicle. In most cases, you’ll be servicing your vehicle every 30,000 miles. That means your first service starts at 30,000, then you’ll do it again at 60,000 and 90,000 miles. Depending on how many miles are on the used vehicle, you might need to service it sooner than you’d expect if you buy used. As such, used cars are generally a little better if you don’t plan to drive much.
However, there is a counterpoint to this. More specifically, it’s about how you drive the car.
If you’re going to drive your car in city environments then you may actually benefit from a new car. This is because newer cars are often built with fuel efficiency in mind. They have a plethora of features to help you save on fuel and it’s often a blessing when it comes to dealing with the constant stop and start traffic that you see in the city. When you’re driving in the city, starting and stopping the engine constantly will end up wasting a lot of fuel, so you might benefit from purchasing an electric vehicle that is perfect for shorter distances. In fact, most people would be best suited with an electric vehicle since it lasts around 100 miles on a single charge. That’s plenty of what most people drive a car for, so you should definitely consider a newer electric model if fuel economy is a concern.
In short, you can generally assume that used cars will be cheaper if you don’t plan on driving much and if you drive in areas where you don’t constantly stop and start. However, if you will be driving very often and inside a city environment or other kind of congested area, then it may be best to pick an electric vehicle or something with better fuel efficiency.
What kind of benefits can you get with your old vehicle?
It’s also good to consider what kind of benefits you can get with your old car if that’s applicable. For example, some dealerships would be more than happy to give you a discount if you trade in your old vehicle, but some manufacturers might also take back older vehicles and give you a considerable chunk of money for it.
Of course, this really doesn’t matter if you don’t have an older vehicle to trade in. However, if you do, then you should definitely look around for the best deals. Speak to local dealerships and manufacturers to see how much money you could be saving if you trade in your old vehicle. Compare it to the price of the actual vehicle and keep in mind any additional costs that might come with the purchase.
Do they offer different kinds of financing options?
Even if you think you’ve netted yourself a great deal, you should always consider financing options. This is especially important if you can’t buy the car straight away.
Most manufacturers and official dealerships will offer some form of 0% financing. While it sounds too good to be true, it’s actually real but might require you to put some collateral on the line. In some cases, you may even get credit checked. It really depends on how you’re doing financially and it will also depend on the dealerships near you and what kind of services and financing they offer.
Some companies such as Bokan Auto Center will offer financing on all of their used vehicles. There are multiple financing options and there’s also a lot of information to help you make the right decision. However, not all used dealerships are like this. Some may be extremely vague with their financing options until you place an order with them, and others might just have really high rates.
Before you commit to any one option, make sure you check to see if there are cheaper financing deals out there. In some cases, you may even find it more acceptable to take out a larger loan to make a larger down payment or even buy the car outright. There are lots of options when it comes to financing, and they’ll change drastically depending on if you’re buying a new or used car.
Don’t think that old means unreliable
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that an old car is unreliable. With the right amount of maintenance, you could drastically improve the reliability of your vehicle regardless if it’s new or old. Cars are incredibly durable these days and with the right mechanic at your side (or some car-fixing knowledge) you could easily keep it running for many years.
If you’ve ever seen people driving around really old cars and wondering why they haven’t upgraded, it’s probably because it just works for their needs. Most people just want a vehicle to get them from point A to B, and that’s where used cars can come in handy. They don’t need to pay a lot of money for a regular car, they don’t care about most of the built-in features, and all that matters to them is that it actually works.
So if you think that buying an old truck or vehicle means it’s going to break down soon, think again! As long as you take care of it, it’ll serve you well for many years to come.
