If you need a new car for your family, perhaps because the old one has driven its last mile, or maybe because your family is growing and you need a bigger vehicle, and you want to save money on the cost of your purchase, the single best way to do so is by opting for a used car.
Many people are wary of buying a used car because they do not think it will be in good enough condition or because have heard so many horror stories about dodgy used car salesmen and their tactics, but for the most part, these fears are found less and if you are sensible about it, buying a used car can save you potentially thousands of dollars while still getting you everything you need in a vehicle.
With that in mind, here are some tips to help you buy a used car without any issues:
Calculate the whole cost so buying the car
You are buying a used car to save money, but when it comes to buying a pre-owned vehicle, the sticker price is not the only expense you will need to take into account to get the most value for money. You should also look at the mileage of the car and research the average cost of repairs for the make and model you are interested in if you want to ensure that it truly represents the best deal.
Some older cars are not as efficient as newer models, and that means you can end up spending way more on gas, but if you research a few used models and choose the most efficient amongst them, this is far less likely to be an issue.
Think about buying a Certified Pre-Owned Car
If you’re worried about buying a used car because you will not have access to the same level of warranty or because you are worried you are not experienced enough to check it over and ensure it is in good working order,m going for a Certified Pre-Owned Car could be the perfect option for you. It will be a little more expensive than buying a car that is not certified, but it will give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your vehicle has undergone a thorough inspection and refurbishment in accordance with the strictest manufacturer guidelines, which means you can be as certain as you can possibly be that it is in excellent working order. You will also benefit from a manufacturer’s warranty, which means if anything does go wrong, you will not be left with a huge bill to put it right.
Buy from an official dealership
Something else that will help to ensure that the vehicle you buy is in good shape is to buy from an official car dealership like Beaver County DCJR rather than some random guy from Craigslist.
There are so many people looking to make a fast buck by unloading their vehicle to anyone who is foolish enough to buy it, that it is often not worth the risk of buying a car from an individual unless you know them well and trust them to be honest with you. Car dealerships, on the other hand, have their reputation to think about, so they are much less likely to sell you a dud.
Research the dealership
Before you even think about making a down payment on a used car, you should do your research in the dealership, Look up online reviews to see if they are a fair and honest company before you even step foot in the door and you will save yourself a lot of time, and potentially a lot of money. If you can get dealership recommendations from friends and family, that will be even better because you’re unlikely to fall foul of fake reviews. If it doesn’t feel right for whatever reason, don’t buy.
Get your financing sorted first
Before you hit the dealership, it is a good idea to work out exactly how much you want to pay and get your car financing in order ahead of time, That way, you will know exactly how much you have to spend, and it will be a lot easier to convince the sellers that you cannot pay more than you would like.
It’s often a better idea to take out a bank loan than a loan with the car dealership as their loans tend to be more expensive, but obviously, you should check where the best deals are before you buy.
Take a test drive
When you are buying any car, new or used, it is a good idea to take it for a test drive to ensure that it feels right and that you can handle it smoothly, but when you are buying a used car, it is even more important that you make a point of doing so.
A test drive can tell you so much about a car, and if there is anything wrong with it, you will stand a much better chance of finding out when test driving. Tell-tale signs that all may not be well include unusual sounds, poor handling, excess emissions from the exhaust, and poor suspension, but if anything does not seem right,m you should probably look elsewhere for your new vehicle.
Get a mechanic to check it over
If you can find a mechanic who would be happy to accompany you to the dealership to check over a new car before you buy it, then it is a really good way of ensuring you end up with a quality vehicle, although most dealerships cars will have paperwork confirming they have been recently checked over by a professional anyway. If you do decide to buy from an individual, then you should absolutely have a mechanic check it out first no matter what
As you can see, buying a used car, and getting it right, is not as difficult as you might have imagined. Yes, you will have to consider a few more things than you might if you were buying new, but this will be more than worth it when you can save thousands of dollars on your vehicle purchase.
Leave a Reply