Should I buy a new or a used car?
I recently bought a new car. However, until the last minute, I have been thinking
"should I get a used one instead?". It is a difficult decision to take. From one
side, we want the new car, as we know that we are the first owners, we believe it
won't break down too easily or too soon, and of course it will smell like new! On
the other hand, buying a used car is often the best option, as cars
depreciate very quickly and with the same amount of money we can afford a better
model.
There are many things to take into consideration when deciding either to go for
a used car or for a new one. One of the most important things, in my opinion, is
what we want to do with the car. If we believe that we want to keep the car for
a long time (e.g. more than 5 years), it might make sense buying a new one. This
because buying a 3 or 4 years old car would lead us to driving a 8 or 9 years old car in
5 years time. Now, there is nothing wrong in driving a 9 years old car, but probably
that car will require more mantainance and attention than the new car would. If
you think that in 4 years time you can afford taking days off at your work to take
care of your used car, then that will be perfect. If not, then you are probably
better off buying a new car.
Another important thing to take into consideration is how much we know about cars.
Used cars, as discussed above, often require a bit more manteinance, and it will
make the difference if you know how to do that by yourself. Also, if in the contrary,
you do not have a clue on how to maintain a car and what needs to be done in order
to keep it running, then you are better off in buying a new one, as you will probably
end-up driving an unsecure vehicle.
Another important bit that might help deciding is warranty. Buying a used car often
leads to buying a car out of warranty. If anything goes wrong with the vehicle,
you will have to pay to get it fixed. Also, new vehicles often come with roadside
assistance. You probably will have to pay for that when buying a used car.
Other things to take into consideration when deciding if buying a used car or not
are:
- Do I know anybody that I can trust to buy an used car from?
- Do I have any friend or parent that can help me and advice me with used car mantainance?
- How much will I use the car? - If you think you are going to use it a lot, then
buying a new one might make sense.
Finally, often is just a matter of budget!
Hope this will help making the decision!
Until next time,
Giammarco Schisani
*Published the 26th of September 2007
P.S. If you have any suggestions on how to improve this article, please
e-mail me!
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