When You Should Not Buy A Used Car

[jeffrey]

By Gregory Ashton

Looking for the cheapest car through buying used cars is a smart practice. However, when the buyer is truly saving and is on a tight budget, buying a used car should not be immediately decided upon and should take a lot of deliberation. This is to avoid throwing away your hard-earned money.

Therefore, for people who already know something about buying used cars but wish to know when not to buy them, here are some pointers that may help people in their decision-making:




1. Buyers should be wary of buying used cars from owners that do not have complete and pertinent documents.

This could mean a lot of negative things and the buyer is the only one who will be at the losing end. Documents are crucial especially if the car is second hand. It is the only solid guarantee that a buyer can get hold of when buying used cars.

If this is the case, then, the buyer might as well not pursue the deal.

2. Buyers should consider their budget

If the reason why the buyer is opting to purchase a used car is the budget, then it should be the same reason why the buyer should be careful and meticulous in choosing a used car.

Hence, if the car needs a lot of maintenance, repairs, and other modifications, it is best not to buy that used car.

3. If the buyer is not comfortable after test-driving the car, then, it is best not to buy it.

There are instances wherein some people tend to opt for used cars because of the model of the car being sold. It is their dream car and there is no other way they can purchase them but to buy them second hand.

However, if the buyer was not comfortable with the car after test-driving it, then, it would be better not to pursue the deal, even if it means the world to the buyer to have that car.

The bottom line is that buying used cars should never be the sole alternative to people who cannot afford to buy new ones. This means that people should value the process of choosing a used car like what they would do when they buy a new car.

After all, it is their money that will be put to risk that is why it is extremely important to consider all the factors in order to have the best buy ever.

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Gregory Ashton, your resident automobile enthusiast, bringing to you over 20 years of vehicular passion, and expertise; presents for your approval his insider secrets on selecting, buying, and maintaining the car that is ideal for you. Best Car Buying Tips

[infocus]

This is so true. I was looking for an older used car to keep monthly payments and loss of depreciation to a minimum. However, I discovered after shopping around that a newer used car was a better bet for me.

I wound up with a Ford Focus that was only a year old, and it had been a rental car, but it had complete records and I did a check on the VIN number to be sure the history was clear. I found out that rental car companies actually maintain their cars very well. It had about 20,000 miles on it, which wasn't too bad. Since it was so new, it had the 100,000 mile warranty on it, which gave me peace of mind (if I'd gone one year older the warranty would have been 30,000 miles I think it was). With research I also learned that the newer cars, particularly the small cars, are safer than the older ones. Also, since it was so new, I got 4.99% interest and no down payment. I did the math, and an older, cheaper car I was looking at would have cost me about the same due to the higher interest rate on older cars. Plus, it is almost certain to have cost me more in repairs.

I did save by purchasing a one year old car vs. brand new though, so I got the best of both worlds in some ways. I checked the blue book value and what I paid was about $1,000 less than blue book. A year later, I have had no problems and have paid nothing outside of oil changes and regular maintenance. Although I was initially leery of a rental car, I now think they are a great value!

[Rick01]

Some very good points here, but used cars have their place. The big car lots are always getting used cars that they don't want. Theses cars may only be 4 or 5 years old, but the big lots can't make enough money on them, so they sell them to the smaller used car lots for a very cheap price. I've gotten some real steals on some nice cars by catching them before they are sold to the smaller lots. Just low-ball them on the price and if they won't deal, give them your phone number and leave. Chances are they'll call you to accept your offer.