How To Choose Between New and Used Cars

Buying a New Vehicle

Pros:

• You usually get a very nice and very long warranty that covers any maintenance or defects that may have come with your new vehicle.
• The vehicle in question would be brand new, meaning that no one has driven it around town and made a permanent butt dent in the driver's seat.
• No one has smoked in it, no kids have eaten in it, and no dogs have drooled on the seats.
• There is no wear down on the engine or transmission yet
• You gotta love that new car smell!
• Most cars that are sold new are up to date and have some of the latest automotive technology or upgrades that not all used vehicles would come with.
• You sign on the dotted line with a dealership that has to uphold their end of the bargain as long as you pay your payments.
• Most new cars come available with financing, which can really help if you don't have a big chunk of cash to put down on a used vehicle.
• Most new cars off the lot give you the option to add or remove options, or to get upgrades right from the dealership.

Cons:

• Most new cars are e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e, and you will pay out the you-know-where for a very long time with most financing plans.
• Even though your new car is cool when you buy it new, in a couple of years it will be outdated and worth less than half of the amount you are still paying for it.
• Even with those assume warranties, there are still plenty of loopholes and plenty of times you will have to pay for some of the warranty work on your vehicle.
• Even if your warranty is full coverage, most dealership mechanics are snooty and I don't like dealing with them anyways, lol!
• New cars usually have not had enough time to be reviewed by the general public to give a good enough idea if there are any real defects or bugs in the new systems. At any time, the vehicle could break down and be a dud, and it would take a while for the dealership to hold through with their end of the bargain and get you a new vehicle. That's a lot of wasted time.
• With new cars, you are often far more limited in the selection of what you can get because you can only choose something within your price range.

Buying a Used vehicle

Pros:

• You often get a very w-i-d-e selection of used vehicle in vary degrees of pricing. There are used cars for under $500 bucks and over $30,000.
• Most of these cars have been on the roads long enough to have a decent review done of them that you can look up to give you a good idea of whether or not to purchase them.
• You can find used vehicles just about anywhere, from online classified ads to used dealerships. Occasionally there is a posting on the library or grocery store bulletin as well.
• These vehicles have usually been driven for a little while and you will not have to worry about 'breaking it in'.
• Often times, you can trade in an old vehicle with a used dealership to get some money towards the new used vehicle you want to purchase.
• Some private party deals will make a straight trade or barter something with you to get you the vehicle you want.

Cons:

• Most warranties that are available with a used vehicle are not going to be full coverage or be worth much other than for your regular oil changes.
• You never know what sort of deal you are really getting with a used vehicle. It could have been cleaned up from a wreck, or there could be several hidden problems that the seller has not specifically told you about and almost all used vehicles are sold "As Is".
• They don't smell like a brand new vehicle....
• Depending on how old the vehicle is, they might not manufacture parts for it anymore, which can make it difficult to repair it when it needs it.
• Someone has made a butt print in the drivers seat...

Some opinions

As you can tell, no matter whether you buy new or used, there are plenty of good and bad things about either option. It is getting down to the heart of the matter that really breaks or makes which vehicle you will choose.

If you are buying a car for your family and really just need something that is cheap and dependable, than there is nothing wrong with a used vehicle, and it would probably work very well for you.

If you are a high-powered attorney that commutes 30 minutes to work and back every day, than you probably just want something that looks good and gets you to work quickly. Price probably does not bar you as much and you would probably find a new vehicle more suitable to your tastes.

In any case, it is of my personal opinion never to pay more than $500 for a vehicle. This is owed to the fact that I have the mechanical aptitude to fix the vehicle that I purchase and because I know there is some sellable value in it if I fix it myself.

But there are also other pros to used vehicles I feel. You don't get as attached to them when you just need something at the moment. You can also find plenty of rare classic vehicles when you purchase used. Not only that, but you save, save, save when you buy used.

New vehicles are cool, and you can't beat a warranty that takes care of your vehicle for at least the next couple of years.

These are just my formed opinions, though, and you really need to think about what would fit your lifestyle the best. Often times, we will go out and get the vehicle that we 'want' and not the vehicle that we 'need.'