Buying A Second Hand Car Doesn’t Have To Be Your Second Choice
Given the option, many of us would opt for a brand new car if we could afford it. With all the latest bells and whistles, including entertainment tech, safety features, and other trend-setting enhancements, we would drive away from the lot as happy as could be.
Unfortunately, many of us don’t have the option of buying something new. With bills to pay, families to feed, and incomes that don’t stretch as far as we would like, we are often forced to buy second-hand when looking for a motor. This sucks, right? Well… no. In actuality, buying second-hand might be your first choice when looking to buy a car, even if you do have the finances for something fresh off the production line. These are the reasons why.
#1: A used car can give you more bang for your buck
Especially when only able to afford an entry-level motor on the new-car marketplace, you might want to cast your eye over to the used car market instead. Despite being slightly older, you might find a better quality car, with some of the features that a brand new entry-level car wouldn’t offer you. You might find cheaper financing deals too, giving you the opportunity to drive away in a quality motor that isn’t going to cripple your bank account for the next ten years of your life. Check out the used models at JJ Premium Cars to get an idea of the prices you can expect for nearly top of the range motors, and then compare the prices with the tags that are attached to the very latest models. You will notice a large difference.
#2: You will see a difference in your insurance premium
Not every used car will lower your insurance premium. Especially when driving around in models that have fewer safety features attached, or that aren’t particularly eco-friendly, you might actually see a hike in your insurance. However, should you buy a relatively modern used car, by which we mean from the last five years or so, you should notice a marked difference. A three-year BMW, for example, despite being little different from the latest models, will come with a lower insurance premium than that pertaining to a top-of-the-range model. This is because the older car isn’t as valuable, and consequently, it is less desirable to those thieving miscreants who target the latest models. Newer cars are often more expensive to repair too, so that also instigates a difference in the insurance premium.
#3: Buying a second-hand car isn’t such a risk anymore
In years gone by, buying a second-hand car was akin to buying a money pit. And while that can still be the case for uneducated buyers, there is a lot less risk than there used to be. Thanks to services such as CarFax, you can now attain a vehicle history report on the car you are considering. With an up-to-date report on maintenance problems and vehicle damage, you will be able to make an informed choice before buying. Check out this sample report for an idea of what to expect. Of course, you should also test drive the car and seek the advice of a professional mechanic before purchasing, as you can also make an educated decision after doing taking these important steps.
So, buy something brand new if you can afford it, but don’t sweat it if you can’t. Buying second-hand doesn’t have to be your second choice, and we hope we have successfully explained just a few of the reasons why.
