Should You Buy A Used Car?
If buying a new vehicle is out of your budget, you’ll be happy to know that you can find a perfectly good used vehicle for a much cheaper price. With used vehicles, you will have to look a little harder. While many car dealerships lexington ky also sell used vehicles, you can find a used vehicle just about anywhere. From a website, a local dealer, or even your neighbor down the street. There are no restrictions when buying a used vehicle. If you want a warranty however, you’ll likely need to go with a dealership or financing company who can offer you one. Many dealerships carry ‘certified’ pre-owned vehicles. This means the vehicle has been thoroughly inspected and often comes with a decent warranty, depending on the manufacturer. These certified vehicle also come with a higher price tag than a non-certified used car. You are essentially paying for the peace of mind.
If you don’t need a warranty and can inspect a vehicles condition yourself or with the help of a friend or mechanic you can trust, then your options open up and get cheaper! Since there are so many options for purchasing a used vehicle, everyone is competing on price! This is good news for you. Websites like CarGurus and Autotrader are good places to start. These websites don’t sell the cars directly, rather they are third-party listing services for dealerships and private party sellers. They typically have their own algorithms that rank each car by the best value available within a specified distance. Don’t think this is your only option, however! Since these websites charge a lot of money to list vehicles, many great dealers and private sellers won’t list their cars on these sites. They’ll instead list them on their own websites, in the classified ads, or on cheaper listing services like Craigslist. These are all places that you’ll want to check if you decide to buy a used car.
While buying a used car will often save you money over purchasing a similar new vehicle, it also opens up many more options. Did you lose interest in the make or model of your dreams because buying it new was unaffordable? Did you check these brands for a used car listing? They are likely much cheaper and can even come with features that you originally thought you couldn’t afford. For example, a brand new Jeep Wrangler may have been out of your budget, however a Used Jeep Lexington KY may be several thousand dollars less. You may also be happy to know that you can probably afford a much higher trim level. If you can only afford a base model as a new vehicle, you may be able to buy a higher trim like a Rubicon if you buy it used.
When buying a used car however, there are definitely things to be wary of. You’ll want to know as much as you can about the previous owners. How many were there, did they service the vehicle regularly, or did they drive it aggressively and put excess wear and tear on the vehicle? These are all questions you have answered if you know where to look. For example, websites like CarFax offer vehicle history reports. Everytime the vehicle goes to an approved shop for service, you’ll have a record of it. Also, if the vehicle has ever been in an accident, CarFax will have a record of it. Depending on where you buy your used vehicle, you’ll either get a free CarFax report or you may have to pay a small fee. It’s typically worth a small fee to know more about a vehicle that could cost you several thousands of dollars if it has a poor history.
Even with a vehicle history report, it’s still very important to have a used vehicle inspected. If you are experience with cars, you may be able to do this yourself. Otherwise, I would highly recommend having an experience mechanic or someone you know who works on cars to look at it for you. You should check wearable parts like tires, brakes and brake pads, look for any rust or scratches. You should also check under the hood to make sure the engine is in good shape and not making funny noises. But perhaps most importantly, take it for a test drive! You’ll never really know about the condition of the vehicle until you take it on the road. Don’t buy a used car sight unseen, or you could be shelling out for repairs right after you buy it! For more research: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/where-to-buy-a-used-car
