How To Buy A Used Car
My oh my, the choices, the options, the decisions that come with buying a used car. In this article, I won’t even get into “HOW” to choose a car, but rather once you’ve limited your search down to a select few, I’ll put out a few questions you should ask yourself, the seller or a mechanic to get you through the purchase relatively unscathed.
Questions to ask before buying a car:
Does it have what you need?
There are “wants” and there are “needs”. You NEED a car that runs trouble-free, has had all the maintenance done on schedule, hasn’t been abused, etc. You may WANT a car with leather, sunroof, navigation, heated seats, convertible, etc. Decide what are WANTS vs NEEDS first to narrow your search down even further to make you decision easier moving onto the next several questions.
10 of the Biggest Mistakes in Buying a Car
I think about cars daily (hence I have a car blog), and I even had to ease up on my writing because I got so juiced up about buying a car from just reading about them! But there’s some big, big mistakes you and I can definitely make when buying a car that can easily be avoided, such as:
- Thinking only about monthly payments. I used to think like this, and some of my close family members and friends have done so in front of me recently, but it’s the wrong way to think! Think about a) how much the overall cost is, then b) if you can really afford it in the long run (especially if something happens physically or financially) and c) how much will you be spending extra in interest.
- Buying more than you need. Heck, I bought a new car thinking we were going to start a family, but that family never came and we were stuck with a gas-guzzler.
Why You Don’t Need A New Car
The economy has been fluctuating up and down, but you’re either a car geek (like me) or you just don’t like/want your old car. What to do?
While many boomers will say that the golden age of motoring is long gone, I would beg to differ. Speed, gadgets and safety have never been cheaper, as are interest rates, and supplies are staying high on many new vehicles.
So why wouldn’t you buy a new car if you’re looking at one?
Well, I have a few arguments against buying a new car. Some are common sense, some not. And being a car geek myself, I know that many of you will just try to reason yourself out of many of them anyway, but here goes…
Money
The first obvious reason, although maybe it isn’t that obvious to some, is the instant depreciation of your vehicle when it’s signed over into your name and you drive it off the lot. Maybe you negotiated thousands off the price or got a 0% interest rate, but you’ll still lose money on the deal thanks to the taxes you paid and the value lost from the title transfer (you’re now owner #1 and each new owner makes the vehicle lose more value).
Buying a Car? Check Out These Resources
The resources below are just some of the professional resources for car shopping and research. If you’re going to spend thousands of dollars on a car, though, you need to find all the information you can on both the car you’re interested in as well as the competitors. Don’t go into the dealership unprepared, or else you may make a rash, uninformed decision.
Edmunds.com, purportedly “where smart car buyers start,” has a giant database of cars, including reviews, pricing, and specs. The site provides information on new and used cars, as well as advice on how to shop for and how to finance cars. Best of all, it can offer your searches tailored to your location!
Consumer Reports is pretty much the gold standard when it comes to rating consumer goods. Its website has a solid section on cars. Unfortunately, the most helpful offering – expert ratings – is available to subscribers only. But this site is still worth a look; there are many informative articles freely available.
Which automakers provide free car maintenance?
Cars are not cheap (duh), but some automakers make the ownership experience less painful for the first few years. Automakers like BMW and Land Rover provide free car maintenance for up to 4 years, and that could be the deciding factor for a number of shoppers choosing from the luxury brands on the market.
Car Brands Offering Free Maintenance
BMW
BMW calls its maintenance plan “BMW Ultimate Service” which goes for the first 4 years of ownership, or the first 50,000 miles. Here is some info about the plan (from the BMW website):
- BMW Maintenance Program: One of the most comprehensive maintenance programs in its class covering all factory-recommended maintenance, oil service and fluid service, as well as items that need replacement due to normal wear and tear – such as brake pads, brake rotors and wiper blade inserts.
- Four years of the BMW Assist™ Safety Plan: Many 2007 and later models include a four-year, unlimited mileage subscription to the BMW Assist™ Safety Plan including TeleService, an exclusive BMW benefit which allows your vehicle to contact your BMW center directly when it needs service or maintenance.
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