Once upon a time, buying a used car used to be a gamble, but that was then. Now, with manufacturers and dealers offering used certified vehicles, and information about the car?s history and pricing available at online, the uncertainty has gone, and is replaced by good value. Buying a used car gives you all the pluses of a new vehicle, without the depreciation. And that evergreen standby, the Kelley Blue Book, can take the guesswork out of pricing. Such a sentiment would have been unthinkable even fifteen years ago, but now you can truly buy a used car with confidence.
Why buy a used car?
Unlike the cars of the ?50s and ?60s, cars nowadays are made to last. In fact the average age of cars on the road today is a little over 11 years. Many car dealers and manufacturers now offer certified used vehicles, which have undergone rigorous factory inspections. In fact, they may be better than new because any bugs have been identified and fixed. With services like Carfax making available the car?s entire history online, you no longer need to fear that you will be sold a lemon.
In fact, many dealerships will put the Carfax record online for their entire inventory. That even saves the fee you would have had to pay for that record earlier. With certification and Carfax, the guesswork has been taken out of buying used cars. Of course, you should still do a test drive, but that’s more because each vehicle handles differently and you want to be sure to find the one that’s right for you.
Is the price right?
People buying used cars have always had one major ally on their side, and that’s the Kelley Blue Books. Kelley Blue Books have been published since 1926, and are the standard in the automobile industry for determining vehicle pricing. They cover all makes, models and years, and since 1995 this information has been available online as well.
Another reason to buy a used car is that your money goes further. When you buy a new car, you’re actually paying a good percentage for just the new-ness factor. New vehicles depreciate by 20% the moment you drive off from the dealership, and another 10% over the first year. With used vehicles, you’re not losing money because of depreciation. Instead, you’re buying a quality vehicle at a reasonable price.
Loving your used car
If you needed still more reasons to buy a used car instead of a new one, keep in mind that insurance and registration fees are also typically lower for used vehicles than for new ones. In fact, one of the most cost effective ways to buy a car is to buy one that is just a few years old and that will give you years of faithful service.
Cars today are made to run 200,000 miles. That’s double the 100,000 miles that older cars could handle. So once you’ve done your research online, it’s time to head to the car dealership and test drive the most likely ones. Some 84% of car buyers prefer to buy autos in person, and they’re right. The test drive is the only way to tell if a car is the one. When you find it, you’ll know.
A number of changes over the years have transformed used car sales. Used cars offer quality at a lower cost than new vehicles. Buyers have resources like the Kelley Blue Books and Carfax reports to ensure that they’re getting the right vehicle at the right price.