Should You Buy a New or Used Car?
When you’re looking to buy a car, you have a lot of different choices to make. You need to look at what you want, how you want to pay for it, what to do with your old car if you have one, and whether to buy a new or used car too. They are all hugely important parts of the buying experience but looking at the new vs used car argument, in particular, there’s even more under the surface. That’s what we’re here for after all.
Now, they both without a doubt have their benefits. They have their unique selling points that can make them a great choice for different people, but, to get the perfect one, you need to make the right choice. Let’s run through them.
The Benefits of New Cars
Let’s start off with brand new, never before driven cars. These are pristine, high value and entirely yours and yours alone. All of these are massive selling points, but they all go much deeper than we first make out.
Luxury (custom too)
Initially, we have the luxury that comes along with a brand-new car. There’s nothing quite like driving around with that new number plate after all, as well as having a completely gleaming car that you know has never known any other owner than you. That’s something special no matter how you look at driving, and it’s a hard feeling to find.
On the other side of the coin here too though, you also have to remember the options that come with a new car. You can have whatever you want to be done to it before you even see it in person. The customisation options are endless and you can get the perfect set up for your vehicle without making compromises. It’s all up to you and your budget.
New tech
On top of all of that, we also have the technological side of things with new cars. They are always going to have the best of the best in terms of the kit that comes with them, even at their most basic standards. With technology changing so much every single year, having a car that can keep up and make the most of it all is a great way to futureproof your driving and make sure you’re not missing out on features you never knew existed.
That technology really goes a long way in transforming your driving experience more than you may even realise. You have things like mobile device connectivity all the way through to state of the art dashboards, screens, and even heating and air conditioning too.
Design and Engineering
The technology inside the car is only the half of what a new car has to offer you over a used car. We also need to remember that the engineering and mechanics of the car have a massive impact on your whole driving experience as well, and these are the largest contributors to what makes the perfect car.
A lot of the time, that comes from efficiency. New cars have the best technology in fuel usage and fuel economy, emissions, turbo, aerodynamics, and even designs. It all helps to make the car the best that it can be, and it can really give the whole experience of owning a car a massive benefit.
Safety
Finally, we need to look at the safety benefits that brand new cars can offer too. They mean that you have the best and most up to date safety and security systems to help you protect both you and your car as well. You’ll meet all of the latest legislation for new cars, have the latest advancements in safety technology like airbags and crash safety, and everything else that you can think of as well.
The safety also comes in the form of legal issue protection too. The fact that your car is brand new means that you don’t have to deal with a lot of the dramas that come from used cars and the history that can come with them. You have no financial history, criminal history, service history or anything else to worry about. You know what you are getting, the warranty behind it and you don’t even need an MOT for three years.
Used Car Benefits
With all of that said, we’re not just here to sing the praises of new cars. Used cars still have some tricks up their sleeve that means they car bought by 1 in 6 of us every single year, and they can be real steals if you get the right fit.
Cheaper to Buy
By far and away, the biggest benefit that goes with used car buying is that they are cheaper to buy. New cars lose a huge chunk of their value the second that they leave the showroom with an owner because they have lost such a huge novelty, and it’s not something that you can get back.
As a result, when you buy a used car, even if it is almost brand new, it will still be massively cheaper than a new card would be. It can be an incredible way to make your money go further for the exact same car and isn’t something that you should forget about.
Better spec car for less
Because of how much cheaper used cars are than new cars, they also tend to be much better in terms of the specification that a lot of new cars could be for the same price or even less. You can easily get yourself a vehicle that has more mileage than a new vehicle making it much cheaper, even if it is a better spec model for the same price. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s true.
Even getting a car just a year or two old can make a world of difference to the car that you can afford and really take the value for money to a whole new level. You can get all of the points mentioned above to an extremely high standard, all for a lower price, just in exchange for not being the only owner in the logbook. It’s a real judgement call.
Avoid depreciation value
As a side note to all of the money talk, we also need to look at what is going to happen to the value of your car whilst you’re the owner. Whether you are the owner of a Ferrari or a Fiat, your car’s value is going to go down the longer that you own it. Age, mileage and the wear and tear of your vehicle all contribute to lowering the value over time. It can’t be helped, and it happens with any vehicle.
What’s unique here, however, is that with used cars the rate that this happens is massively lower. New cars lose their value extremely quickly, especially in the first year or two. When you have a car that says 3 years old, the price between that and the same car at 6 years old is going to be much less of a difference, and you’ll lose less money when it comes time to sell it. Keep that in mind.
Lower insurance
Lastly, we have the insurance costs of used cars, which is much less than with more expensive or brand new cars. That’s because if the worst were to happen to your new vehicle, the price to put it right or even to replace it is going to be considerably less if the value is less. A cheaper car can really work in your favour here.
If you are on a tight budget or you are a relatively new driver with a high insurance premium, this one can be a huge thing to remember if you want to get a great deal. Even if it means you getting a new car in a few years instead of now, your insurance can really skyrocket if you have an expensive vehicle (although it can make it lower due to being safer. Remember that).
At the end of the day, whether you’re buying a new or a used car, you need to make sure you know what you’re buying and think of every aspect that goes into one. Always make sure you know where your money is going and what is going to happen to it in the future but aside from that, this is really all down to you. Decide which of these are the most important to you and what you can get with the budget you have in mind and see where your fancy takes you.
If you need any advice on any vehicle, don’t forget the value of vehicle inspections. We’re always here to help if you need any more info.
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