How To Decide If You Should Buy a New or Used Car

A reliable vehicle is everything. It can make a huge difference depending on location. For areas around Wichita, like Maize, Haysville, Park City, Andover, Bel Air, Schulte, Derby, Oaklawn-Sunview, Greenwich, and Goddard, having a car can mean getting to or from work. It can be the difference between having a job and not having a job. It can also make or break everyday life with trips like family outings or even something seemingly as simple as going to the grocery store. Car buying should not be taken lightly but it also doesn’t have to be scary. Buying a car is all about the research that goes into it, relationship with your dealer and dealership and knowing what you want and what you can afford.

When purchasing a car, there are two options to start with: new or used. Since making this decision can often be one of the most daunting of the experience, we’ve created a general guide to help with research.

Depreciation

Depreciation is arguably the single largest expense in the car buying experience. A new car, on average, loses anywhere between 20 and 30 percent of its value as soon as it is driven off the car dealership’s lot. But it doesn’t end there. Some cars have even been shown to depreciate to half their original value within several years of being purchased. What that means for buying a new car is that immediately, the value of the car decreases and that depreciation is a loss out of your pocket essentially for just turning it on. While the new car smell is appealing, as is low mileage and being the first owner, it’s important to ask whether those perks are worth taking the depreciation hit.

Used Car Stigmas

In the past decade, cars have seen a tremendous boom, not only in safety and amenities, but in overall construction and reliability. Gone are the days of the gas-guzzling clunkers. While built well, it took a lot to keep the old used vehicles running and they were in the shop nearly as much, if not more, than they were on the road. Going back to the 1970s, the used car stigma is still around today depending who you ask. But the fact of the matter is that cars have never been more dependable and as well built than they are today. On average, cars far exceed 200,000 miles on the odometer and can infrequently see major repairs. Cars of today require maintenance, but what car hasn’t? Even components such as brakes and tires and belts last longer than old models.

Savings

From registration to insurance, the savings from buying a used car from a dealership like Auto Now is often a hidden gem of the car buying world and the last thing on the mind of someone looking to purchase a vehicle in the Wichita area. But beyond the vehicle purchase itself, insurance can often make or break a car’s affordability and monthly budget. When a used-vehicle is worth less than a new vehicle, it costs less to insure through collision and comprehensive coverage. And remember those registration fees to get that car on the road. If you’re saving now on a used vehicle, you’re setting yourself up for that next car down the road.

More Options, More Prices, More Information

With our inventory of 500 used vehicles to choose from throughout Kansas and Missouri, Auto Now has a large selection to help meet what you want and what you can afford in a vehicle. While there are plenty of new cars that hit the car lots each season, there are even more cars that hit the used lots and are in beautifully running condition. The benefit of an excess of vehicles and quality of vehicle production these days is more options means better prices. As a competitively priced car dealership in Wichita, finding an affordable car on our lot and financing through our buy here, pay here program makes it that much easier (and quicker) to get our customers in a car they love and can afford and send them on the road.

In addition to more makes and models and selections, there’s also more information whether online or in print publications regarding the vehicles that are on the road. Buying used vehicles not only means that someone else is taking the hit for instant depreciation, it also means that people are out driving and talking about what they love and what they would change in their vehicle. Does the head gasket blow after a certain number of miles on a particular vehicle? You’ll know through research. What about common maintenance issues that come up? Again, people are driving these cars and sharing this information so you can educate yourself before stepping onto a used vehicle lot knowing exactly what you want and don’t want in a car buying experience.

Whether you’re looking for a used vehicle or a new vehicle, it’s important to keep in mind the options available to you within your budget. If your credit is low or you’ve hit some financial hardships in the past, Auto Now’s buy here, pay here program may be a perfect fit for not only getting into a vehicle, but rebuilding your credit and a solid financial foundation. Come check out our Wichita location or browse our inventory online.