Why buy a used car?

The main reason why Americans buy used cars is because it’s cheaper and that’s a fact. Used cars are cheaper and possibly even better than buying a new car. That’s if the car has been well cared for of course. Have to factor that into buying a used car. Another reason why to buy used cars instead of new is because the insurance would be cheaper. Here’s a statement from www.dmv.org
“Another thing to keep in mind is that used cars, depending on condition and whether you paid with a loan or cash, might not require collision insurance. Though an option, collision is generally a given with new cars.

With older cars low in value, collision becomes excessive since the cost to repair exceeds the cash value of the car. For example, if your used car only has a market value of $2,100 and you’re carrying collision with a $1,000 deductible, it makes no sense to have a policy that only gives you an insurance maximum of $1,100.

So if budget is a factor when car shopping, always bear in mind you’ll generally find used cars come with lower insurance premiums.”

Source: www.dmv.org – new car insurance rates vs used car insurance rates

Another way to look at that is if you have an older car that has a lot of mileage on it and can easily be replaced. You don’t need to buy collision insurance. So that’s one example of the benefits of buying a used car versus a new one. A used car is perfect for a start up car for a brand new driver or anyone in the family really.

Decide where to buy

There are many places to buy used cars these days. A lot of local dealerships sell used cars from trade-ins and there’s always private sellers. You can find advertisements in newspapers, television and now the internet these days. There’s usually auto trading magazines wherever newspapers are sold and usually free too. It’s amazing that some of the greatest tools to find and buy used vehicles are free. Speaking of free tools to use,  here are a couple of web sites that you can used to find used cars.

• autotrader.com
• cars.com
• ebay.com- Motors

I’ve heard great things from all three, but it all comes down to you. Which website and service is best suited for you. Now you know where to buy used cars, it’s time to find the right one for you.

Find the right vehicle for you!

Finding the right vehicle for you is one of the toughest things to do. It’s like trying to find the right bowling ball out of a possible two hundred. Except with cars it runs up in the thousands and it just keeps going and going.

Cars.com has a great guide for finding the right car for you. Here’s a few tips off their website. Cars for Shorter Drivers, Cars for Shorter Drivers, Convertibles on a Budget, and Cars for Camping Trips. It lists Honda, Chevrolet, Lexus, Ford and more. So that’s definitely a good place to find the right car for you. You can check out the full list here at Cars.com – Finding the Right Car for You.

Is it affordable for your budget?

Before you make a big investment like purchasing a house, car, pet, etc., you always want to make sure it’s in your budget. Here’s a snippet from another blog that breaks down the budget and price that goes into buying a used car.

“$10,000-$18,000 – This is the average minimum amount of money one would need to spend on a ‘decent’ car 3 to 4 years old. This would be a typical car (not a luxury car) sold from a new car dealership. They usually have, what would I recommend as a perfect choice, traded in one-owner certified vehicles that were sold new and serviced at the same dealership. Sometimes you may find such a car from a private owner. Usually such a car may last for another few years relatively trouble-free if properly maintained.

For $5000-$9000 you may be able to find a 6 to 9 year old used car with relatively high mileage which still might be in good shape. However, it may take a lot more time to find a good condition used car in this price range. Typically, independent used car dealers sell cars within this price range.

For $1000-$2000 you may be able to buy something that can serve as simple transportation to get from point A to point B. More than likely it may be a car with high mileage sold by a private owner. Dealers usually do not spend time selling cars or trucks in this price range. However, be prepared to spend much more money to keep such vehicle running. “

Source: Samarins.com – What type of used car will fit into my price range

Another great place to find the value of a used car is Cars.com. They have a built in Kelley Blue Book application. It’s very simple and anyone can use it. It’s basically just a simple form where you fill out the information from the year, make, model and even style of the vehicle. You can check it out right here.

Cars.com – Kelley Blue Book Used-Car Values 

You also have to add in how much insurance will cost you per month and year. Once you have all that figured out and you have decided on what car to buy, you must look at the history of it. Which brings us to our next subject.

Get the history of the used car

Used cars come with a price, and that price is the wear down factor. Someone can easily try to sell you a car and say that it’s never been in an accident or has had engine problems, etc. When in reality it has been in a horrific accident and has constant engine problems. There are places thankfully that will help you weed out the lemons. Here’s a quick list of several places online to look for the history of the car you are looking to buy.

• carfax.com
• kelly blue book
• dmv.ca.gov

Just a few samples of very helpful and easy to use websites for car history reports. Such great technology at your finger tips, there’s no reason not to get a history report for a used car or vehicle. Now this brings us to a getting a test drive and taking it to a local mechanic for an inspection.

Time for a test drive, and an inspection

One of the most important things to do when buying a used a car is taking it for a test drive, so you don’t end up getting a lemon. I’ve heard many horror stories of people not taking a test drive when they bought the car and it turned out to be a horrible investment. There are so many people still today going through that same problem. When you take the car for a test drive, push it to it’s limits so you know what you’re getting into. Don’t want to be going on a road trip and have it break down 15 minutes into the trip on the interstate. You can also prevent all this by getting an inspection by a local mechanic that you trust. In this case, Dick Adams Automotive would be able to help you with just that. They will give a complete inspection and have you on the way for only $99.95! They will inspect the engine, brakes, cooling system, electrical, lights, drive train, front end and steering. It’s basically a visual and test inspection of your used car.

After your car is completely inspected and cleared to go, you must now make the decision to buy it. Also, remember that Dick Adams Automotive will be there to help you out whenever you need your car needs an oil change, alignment, brakes checked and many more great services at fair prices.