Imagine you are fully tuned in to a television commercial or YouTube advertisement. The ad is showing a bright, brand-new vehicle. It’s your favorite color. It’s the coolest style. Even the price is reasonable. Should you get it? First, answer this: Can you get a pre-owned one just like it? Before buying brand new, consider these four benefits to buying a pre-owned vehicle:
1. Consider Value First
There is one rule that seems to have gone unchanging in the car industry for decades: the first driver pays the most. There’s a significant price tag associated with being the one to drive a car out of the dealership lot. Even if that car preserves its beauty and low mileage, when it’s sold just a few years later, the first owner will have to drop the price substantially in order to sell, often by thousands of dollars. Why? Because it has the label “used” associated with it.
2. Risk Might Be Minimal
Used cars can often be less expensive simply because the second driver is unaware of the history of the vehicle and is thus taking a chance with it. However, nowadays, there are options with more certainty involved for people who want to buy used. For example, dealerships can offer a history retrieval service or a complete checkup of the car in order to assess its state accurately and lessen your worry. Rath Auto Resources, for example, has an auto-check program to help you identify the vehicle’s background.
3. “Old” Features Could Be “Just As Good”
True, there’s nothing like getting into a fresh, newly-built car. It’s invigorating. And all the new features, audio system tools, Bluetooth, driver assist and leather seating can be intoxicating! However, bear in mind that even cars that are a few years old could have most of these features already. There are not many offerings out there that are shockingly innovative. While you might compromise slightly on the size of a touchscreen, or the quality of the sound, you can often find most of the current perks on a somewhat more modest scale in a used car. In such situations, a compromise could be well worth the money you save.
4. Lose the Tax
Before opting for a new car, check into your state’s sales tax policies for vehicles. What is the tax rate on a new car purchased from the dealership? Is there a tax subsidy program if the car is environmentally friendly? And, does your state charge sales tax on used cars at all if it’s a private party sale? If you don’t need to pay tax on a used car, but you need to do so on a new one, then that could be thousands of dollars saved!
The next time you see an outstanding car commercial, enjoy it! Relish in it. Imagine yourself driving in that glistening new ride. But when it comes to forking over your hard-earned money, weigh the benefits of investing in an earlier model.
Image via Flickr by RP Norris
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