Now that the winter is over — thank goodness — you may be looking for a new vehicle. Shopping for a new vehicle can be exciting, however, before you get too far into the process, you may want to consider purchasing a used vehicle.
There are several reasons why people choose to purchase pre owned vehicles over brand-spanking new ones. For example, did you know that the minute you drive a brand new vehicle off the dealer’s lot, it dramatically depreciates in value? Depreciation continues to drop, however, typically flattens out after a car’s second year or so, therefore making it much more cost effective to purchase used cars. In addition, the price difference between used car values and new cars was nearly $20,000 as of earlier this year, according to cars.com.
Aside from cost and value, today’s used cars are safer and more reliable than ever before. In a recent analysis of Consumer Reports’ annual subscriber surveys over the past few years, it was found that five-year-old vehicles had one-third fewer problems five-year-old vehicles from 2007. In addition, when properly and regularly maintained, today’s vehicles can easily surpass 100,000 miles without major repairs such as engine or transmission replace. In fact, many can reach more 200,000 miles or more.
However, it’s important to know what to look for when purchasing a used car. If you’re purchasing a used car via a private sale and not through a dealer, you may to ask an auto tech important auto service questions. Asking the right auto service questions can help you determine if the car in question is the right one for you.
Many people feel more comfortable purchasing a used vehicle directly from a dealer, preferably a manufacturer-certified used vehicle. These are used vehicles that have passed a rigorous inspection and meet high, manufacturer-set standards for resale.
