If you’re looking for a used car instead of a new car, you’re not alone; used car sales have been increasing for the past seven years. Buying used is a great first step on saving on your next vehicle purchase, but are you sure you’re getting the most savings possible? Here are a few things to look at the next time you’re visiting your local used car dealer to buy your next vehicle.
Check for Previous Owners: When looking for a low cost car, it’s important to know exactly what you’re paying for, and that includes who drove your car before you. Most used cars have had an average of three owners, and that leaves a lot of opportunity for someone to have been in an accident before you buy the car. Do your research, and make sure the car’s in good shape before you drive it off the lot. Otherwise, you might end up paying for repairs that someone forgot to do before you bought it!
Look Online: The Internet can be an excellent resource for doing your initial search for pre owned cars. You certainly won’t be the only one looking, as the most frequently searched price range for vehicles online is $5,000 or less. Lots of websites exist to help you with your search, and many used car dealers now list their inventories online to help you search before you even get to the lot.
Check the Transmission: It might be a good idea to learn to drive stick shift, if you don’t already know how. Manual transmission cars might be harder to find than automatic transmission cars, since automatic transmission cars outnumber manual transmission cars ten to one. However, cars with manual transmission tend to be less expensive, because there’s generally a lower demand for them. If you’re willing to learn a new skill and wanting to save some extra money, a used manual transmission car might be the best option for you!
If you’re looking for an affordable option for your next vehicle purchase, talk to your local used car dealer to see what opportunities there might be for you. Be sure to look online before you go, ask about the car’s history, and see if there are manual transmission options before you decide on your purchase. That way, you can be sure you’re getting the best deal possible on your pre owned vehicle.