Friday, January 9, 2009

Preowned Cars Vs New Cars

Should you buy preowned cars or new ones?  Keep in mind that a shiny new car loses value the second the tires touch the pavement outside the car dealership lot.  That makes the question a lot simpler to answer.  Buy the car after it has taken the biggest value hit.  Balance that with the time when the car won't need as much repair work.  Those are most balanced in the late model used car.  The big hit to car value has already occurred.  That loss went to the original owner.  The auto is likely still under warranty and isn't in a state of needing constant work.

There are many places to look for late model used cars.  People who buy or lease new cars trade in their old ones to the dealer.  Those cars than have to be sold.  Companies like Carmax specialize in used automobiles, while eBay has an entire subsection dedicated to car auctions, mostly for used vehicles.  There are car auctions in every city.  Dealers auction cars, as do cities when police confiscate them from criminals. 

The most trusted source for used car prices is Kelly Blue Book.  It lists cars by year, then the general prices for those cars in various conditions from excellent to poor.  Sale by an individual or dealer is also shown.  Dealers have overhead private sellers don't have so that is important.

What about financing a used car?  Think about saving up the pennies and making a cash purchase.  That saves money in the long run.  It's nice to own a top of the line auto.  Remember, however, that even simpler models get from point a to point b.  That can even mean a less stressful life.  People who own the luxury cars worry more about them.  Many used car owners take pride in their cars, but don't worry over a ding or two. 

Sure cars are a status symbol, but wealth isn't based on what you spend.  Net worth comes from saving.  There are people living hand to mouth even though they earn a lot of money.  Good used cars help the budget.

Get more on autos here Discount Used Cars and also here Honda Automobiles

1 comment:

Unknown said...

In Japan used car auctions can provide you with bundles of opportunities to obtain a good car without spending loads of bucks. It is however very important to prepare yourself before getting into a used cars auction in Japan.