15 Practical Reasons to Buy a Used Car

As a used dealership, we know that our visitors are considering buying a used car. And that is why for this post, we decided to write about the reasons you should buy a used car.

After your home, your car might be the most expensive purchase you are considering making or you have made. And we know that you need to manage your finances in the best way without compromising on your love for nice cars.

There are ups and downs of buying both a used car and a new car. However, today we will be discussing the top reasons why a used car can be the best fit for you.

And to start with, the most obvious reason is that it can save you a lot of bucks. We will also give you some insightful data on how much you can save on a used car on average.

So, let us begin with our first and most apparent reason which is….

1. Helps you save money

We all shop for a used car for the most apparent reason: saving quite a few bucks. But did you know that on average Americans spent around $36,113 on new vehicles for the year 2017 according to the research by Kelly Blue Book? This has been up by around 1.6 percent when compared to 2016. However, when we look at the average-transaction-price (ATP) of used vehicles in America, according to the data for the second quarter of 2017 by Edmunds, the figure is much lower (although it increased by 2.1 percent since last year). According to this data, Americans spend an average of $19,227 on used vehicles. It means that on average an American can save around $16,888 by choosing to buy a used car. Woah! That’s a whopping lot of money…

2. Depreciation

New cars depreciate… You certainly know that. But you know what?? New cars depreciate fast! The moment you are done with your first ride in your brand new car, it has already depreciated in value. It’s no longer a new car and you would never get back the original value which you paid on the purchase. And by your new car’s first birthday, it will lose around 19% of its value. Fast forward another two years and within three years, a new car can lose around 50% of its value. So, why not buy a used car, drive it until your heart wishes and then just sell it off to buy another favorite model. You are going to lose much less money.

3. Buy a better car

If you are going for the used car option, you can actually buy a better car for the price which you would be willing to pay for a new car. You could get a used luxury for almost the same price as a new mid-sized car. At the time while we were writing this post, the MSRP of a new 2018 Toyota Prius (which is hatchback type under small car category) was around $20,000 – $24,000 depending upon different factors such as area, demand, etc. If you are lucky enough you could find a 2013 or 2014 used BMW sedan for around $24,000-$28,000. It’ll certainly be more impressive when you stand next to it in your neighborhood.

4. Less stress

If you buy a car from a used dealership, in most cases, it’s the dealer who’ll take care of all the paperwork, including taxes, financing, licensing and registration. You just have to sign the papers in all the required places and leave all these additional hectic steps on the dealer. So, you see that with a used car you are exposed to a lesser level of stress because the process of buying a new car can be time-consuming and hectic which can affect your work-life balance affecting your peace of mind. There is another point of having lesser stress with used cars when compared to new cars. Even a tiny dent in your new car can leave you sleepless for the night. However, with used cars, just one or two dents aren’t that worrisome for you. At least it doesn’t take off your sleep for the whole night.

5. Lower Insurance Cost

Insurance is an added headache when you purchase a new car. But with a used car, you get relief while getting it insured. The value of the car is the main element considered by insurance companies while computing your insurance rates. The reason is logical: the more valuable a car is, the more money insurance companies have to put up in case of a mishap with the vehicle.

6. Lower Registration Fees

Many states in the U.S. like Montana and Colorado charge the registration fees on the basis of the car age. In such states, the registration fees go down drastically for a car that is three years old or even better five years old. But not all states charge the registration fees this way. Some states charge you on the basis of the same fixed rate regardless of the car’s value and age.

So, your savings on registration fees basically depends upon the state rules. If you live in a state with similar rules, then you can save a lot on registration by purchasing a used car.

7. Save on sales tax

Similar to registration fees, the sales tax to be paid it depends upon the state laws of where you live. Some states don’t charge sales tax on used cars whereas some states charge the same rates on sales tax irrespective of the condition of the car. Again, if you live in a state which doesn’t subject used cars to sales tax, then you could save another thousand dollars. But you’ll have to first research your state laws properly.

8. Avoid extra spend on additional features

Often dealers add up extra unnecessary features on a new car purchase such as a pinstripe or a protective film or even an “anti-rusting coating”. You may not need these features but the dealers often add it in their dealer’s book as a part of the purchase. These add-ons are also available at a much lower cost from an after-market installer. So, you see that you can end up paying much more for features you didn’t ask for your new car. On the other hand, when you buy a used car, all these extra features may not be available but you’ll end up saving money on unnecessary stuff and add-on. And if you would like to get a few add-ons, you can always get it at a much lower price from the aftermarket.

9. Easy financing

Financing is an easy job with used cars. Many used car dealerships to provide assistance on financing for cars. They take care of all the hassle involved in the process of getting a car financed. Not only that but they also help you get through even if you have bad credit. This is because they have tie-ups with lenders and they utilize their position to get finance approved for almost all of their customers even if they don’t have perfect credit. Many used dealerships even provide attractive offers on their financing option. We too provide a $500 of down payment on financing on our used cars.

10. Unnecessary Dealer fees

Dealers sometimes add a list of fees like shipping charges, destination charges and even dealer preparation. These things are not included in the MSRP of your new car, so it gives your pocket an extra hit. On the other hand, when you buy a used car then you have to pay registration and licensing fees but you don’t have to pay all those extra fees which new car dealers add up in your bills.

11. Variety

If you are someone who loves variety, especially when it comes to cars then a used car is a perfect deal for you. The used car market has much more variety available at a lesser price. The used car market is the largest in the auto industry comprising half of the share and thus has an extra selection of cars available for buyers. Recent studies suggest that the new car market has started to saturate in the U.S. This is prominent because there is more supply than demand in the market. But the used car market is also giving tough competition with a large variety and attractive prices. Industry expert King remarked on this issue that “If you were shopping for a vehicle, and you happen to look at the used vehicle lot, you’re going to see a much bigger selection of nice used vehicles”.

12. Condition

Forget the old stigma that a used car has to have some defect or problem associated with it. Today, shoppers are more sophisticated. They don’t want to keep a car which looks pretty old even if it doesn’t have any problems. They want to have the latest models due to which many people sell their old cars in perfect condition just to get a newer model.

Wiith more people relocating to different cities or states for an opportunity for a better job or pursuit of a business deal, used car dealers often have cars in their inventory in pretty good condition. However, the most important reason why you should not be concerned about the condition when buying a used car is that today car manufacturers make cars to last longer. Cars are manufactured to perform their best at least when it’s driven under 200,000 miles.

13. Data on the history of used cars

Today with services like CarFax and AutoCheck, you can easily get data about any used car. You can actually get complete for a vehicle. You just have to enter the vehicle serial number (VIN) and you get a detailed history report about your vehicle. This history report provides detail about all significant events which had happened in the life of the car. You can get to know how many times the ownership changed and if the car met an accident or had gone for any major repair with the vehicle history report. However, it is important that these events should be properly reported to provide a proper history report. If the vehicle history report is good, then you can go ahead and buy that used car after a satisfactory inspection. You see, it is less risky to buy a used car with all the data available!

14. Reliability

So, you see with cars being manufactured to last longer and all the data available on a car’s history, you shouldn’t worry about the reliability of the purchase. As the automotive industry is progressing, customer’s satisfaction is being given more priority. And you have these services available to help you along with manufacturer’s putting more effort into making better cars.

15. Support from aftermarket communities

If you are going to purchase a used car, you can find support from aftermarket communities. There are many forums to discuss topics and issues related to cars. You can also find expert advice on such forums from some of the car enthusiasts there. Some of the popular forums on cars in America are Carforums and Mycarforum. You can explore about main issues related to the model you are considering for purchase and ask advice if it would be a good decision to purchase that car. You can even access answers to hundreds of mechanical questions already asked there.

Let us know if you have any questions, and take a moment to shop our used vehicles today to find your perfect used car!