When the time comes for you to get on the road, buying your four wheels needn’t cost the Earth. While the transaction will never be cheap, of course, you can cut costs significantly by opting for a second-hand vehicle. Cars begin to depreciate from the moment they’re driven off the lot, meaning that a vehicle purchased only a year ago can be significantly cheaper than the brand new alternative. If you plan to buy your own used car, here are six things that you should do.
1. Set A Reasonable Budget
Even if you’re not buying a used vehicle for the financial benefits, you’ll still want to set yourself a budget. After all, there’s only so much that you can spend in one transaction. When setting this limit, make sure to consider the cost of repairs and replacements, as well as the purchase price. Second-hand vehicles can have issues, so you may need to pay extra to prep yours for the road.
2. Always Do Your Homework
Never buy the first used car you come across online or in newspaper ads. Instead, browse many different websites and other sources, comparing the cost of models you want to buy. If possible, you should opt for vehicles approved by the maker. This means hunting for Porsche approved used cars if you plan to buy a Porsche. These tend to be a safer option than private sellers.
3. Test Drive The Vehicle
Once you’ve found a car that you’re interested in, you need to make sure that you test drive it. Far too many buyers skip this crucial step, as they don’t want to be inconvenient or risk something being wrong with the car that they like. However, if you do the same, you could be lumbered with one you actually hate. Test drives don’t last long, so never skip having one.
4. Get A Professional Inspection
There’s a lot that you can tell about a car from the way that it drives. However, there’s still the chance that the one you’re interested in has issues that you haven’t noticed. To be on the safe side, you should have any potential purchases thoroughly inspected by a professional. This allows you to walk away, if necessary, or negotiate for a more reasonable price.
5. Negotiate A Fair Price
After your test drive and inspection, you should have an accurate idea of the condition of the used car. With this information, you can haggle and negotiate with the seller for a price that you deem fair. Make sure to point out any red flags that you’ve spotted for a better chance at lowering this price. You may have set a budget, but you should still aim to spend less than that if possible.
6. Prepare To Walk Away
The last thing that you want to do is buy a car for more than it’s worth or without thinking. This is a major purchase, even for used vehicles, so you need to give yourself time to make an informed decision. With that in mind, you must always be prepared to walk away at any point during negotiations. Don’t get your heart set on a particular vehicle until you know that it’s worth it.
Buying a used car can be a complex and costly process, but, hopefully, with these tips, you can save money and stress.
