Used or second hand – one of those questions that applies in many walks of life, not least of all cars. However, it’s not necessarily a quick choice to make. Still, if you ask us, this shouldn’t have to stop you from finding the right type of vehicle; and, fortunately, our friendly experts can help with this. As such, today, we’re digging deeper into the pros and cons of each option to help you work out which will be right for you.
New or Used: The Pros of Each Option
There are benefits to both used and new cars. Of course, which option will tie in best for your needs will likely depend on a myriad of factors; so, keeping the following in mind may be useful.
Benefits of Buying Used
There are countless reasons to buy a used car. Of course, this will vary from person to person, but some of the main ones include the following:
- Affordable prices: Used cars will already have depreciated in value, making them much more affordable to buy. As such, many people can get more for their money with a second-hand model.
- Lower depreciation losses: Second-hand cars still depreciate in value with time. However, this tends to be at a much slower rate after the first few years, meaning that you’ll lose less on the vehicle than you would a new car.
- Proven history: We tend to assume new cars will always be perfect. However, this isn’t always the case (though it is usually). As such, used cars can be useful in that many manufacturing faults will have begun to appear; this reduces the risk of buying a car with a major construction issue from the time it was made.
- Of course, while used cars may have a proven history, there’s no guarantee they won’t have been damaged by their owners. As such, running a car checker tool against the registration is crucial to help ensure the vehicle doesn’t have issues you’re unaware of. This should also be coupled with the seller’s support and feedback on the vehicle’s condition, and always look for signs of wear or damage before buying.
Reasons to Buy New
Used cars have many great benefits. However, it’s still worth considering a new car, if you can justify the higher price tag. Most notably, with a new car, you know there’s no bad history or wear and tear. Furthermore, new cars also tend to have the latest gadgets, upgrades, and features, making them popular for technology lovers. Still, most people can’t justify the price of a brand new model, so always keep that in mind.
Don’t Leave Your Car Purchase to Chance
Unfortunately, buying comes with many potential caveats. Accordingly, taking steps to protect yourself is vital. Luckily, if you’re going down the used car route, there are ways you can help make a more informed choice.
One of the best options here is to run a car history check. Indeed, these simple checks allow you to quickly work out whether a second-hand car sale is honest. In turn, this can help you decide whether (or not) to proceed further with the sale.
All you need to run a history check is the vehicle’s number plate, and it only takes moments. So, don’t take the chance – it’s not worth it.
