It’s no secret that vehicle shopping can be a stressful experience. Between a seemingly endless array of dealerships, pushy salespeople, and exorbitant prices, there’s little wonder as to why so many of us dread buying new cars. Anyone looking to save a fair amount of money on their next auto purchase would do well to consider buying used. While this won’t completely dispel car buying stress, it stands to save you a considerable sum and expand your options exponentially. To ensure that you’re happy with your first pre owned vehicle, put the following pointers to good use.
Contents
Tips While Buying a First Pre Owned Vehicle
➤ Get as Much Information on the Vehicle as You Can
Given what a large purchase any vehicle represents, it’s in your best interest to get as much information on a pre-owned car as possible. Such information includes, but is not limited to, accident reports, service records, and mileage. If a dealership or individual seller is less than forthcoming with such information, it’s best to walk away and pursue other options.
You can also find out a lot about a used car through a pre-purchase inspection. So, before committing to buying, check car details using vin, take the vehicle to a seasoned mechanic and have them give it a meticulous once-over. An experienced mechanic will be able to give you a thorough rundown of the car’s condition on the mechanical, cosmetic, and safety fronts.
➤ Look for Cosmetic Damage
While the way a car runs is arguably more important than the way it looks, this doesn’t mean that no importance should be placed on the latter. In fact, a vehicle’s cosmetic condition should be carefully taken into account in any car sale. Although some types of cosmetic damage are fairly obvious—i.e., large dents and deep scratches—others may not be noticed until after the purchase has been finalized.
Even if you’re able to live with certain types of cosmetic damage, it’s generally not a good sign when sellers aren’t forthright about it. Additionally, if you come across any hitherto-unrevealed cosmetic damage throughout the sales process, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to leverage it into a lower price. Since small dings and scratches can be difficult to spot, it’s entirely possible that the seller isn’t actively hiding them from you and is simply unaware of their presence themselves.
➤ Don’t Be Afraid to Haggle
Whether you’re buying used or new, haggling is a staple of the car-buying process. So, if you’re interested in a pre owned vehicle but don’t feel that the asking price accurately reflects the car’s condition, don’t be afraid to put forth a counteroffer. After trading offers back and forth a few times, you and the seller are likely to come up with a mutually agreeable asking price. As is the case with home-selling, many people enter the car-selling process with the understanding that they’re likely to receive less than their ideal asking price. In some cases, sellers will intentionally price vehicles too high for the purpose of leaving themselves wiggle room in negotiations.
➤ Take the Vehicle for a Test Drive
Purchasing a pre owned vehicle – or any vehicle, for that matter – without taking it for a test drive is a bad idea for a number of reasons. For starters, if you don’t care for the way a vehicle handles, the last thing you want to do is commit to purchasing it. Secondly, test drives can help make you aware of certain performance issues that aren’t immediately obvious. If a seller doesn’t seem particularly amenable to a test drive, this should be taken as a red flag. For this reason, you should seek out dealerships that allow (and even encourage) patrons to test-drive cars. Arizonans on the hunt for fantastic deals on used vehicles should do a search for “Chevy Dealer Glendale.”
Conclusion
Automobiles are among the most expensive purchases most people will ever make. That being the case, it’s easy to see why so many of us are intent on hunting down the best possible bargains whenever we find ourselves in need of a new vehicle. Given how pricey most new cars are, dedicated deal seekers should consider buying used the next time the need to replace an automobile arises. Although some car shoppers have understandable reservations about going the pre-owned route, it’s entirely possible to find used vehicles that are dependable, affordable, and able to give you many years of reliable use.
