What to Know When Buying a Used Car

If you’re considering buying a pre-owned vehicle to save on upfront costs, take a look at our guide. In it, we cover everything you should know about buying a used car, what to look for, the benefits of buying used, and more. Afterward, visit our dealership to explore our pre-owned inventory and see which one of our used vehicles stands out to you. We look forward to helping you find a new-to-you vehicle that you look forward to driving every time. 

Why Buy a Used Car?

Compared to buying a brand-new vehicle, buying used usually means paying a smaller upfront price. Besides saving on the initial price tag, there are other benefits of buying a used car.

Here are some of the unique benefits of buying a used vehicle compared to buying a new vehicle:

• Lower Insurance Costs: Used vehicles usually cost less to insure each month compared to new vehicles. 

• More Options: There are usually more used options in the market compared to new vehicles, so you’ll be able to shop from a larger variety of cars. 

• Less Depreciation: Most used vehicles have already experienced the majority of their depreciation, so they’ll more than likely retain their value better than brand-new models. This means used vehicles will usually have a higher resale value than new vehicles. 

• Lower Service & Maintenance Costs: Used vehicles, on average, cost less to service and maintain than new vehicles. 

What to Consider When Buying a Used Car

When looking for a used vehicle, you’ll want to make sure it meets your criteria. What should you consider when looking for a used vehicle? 

Here are some things we recommend thinking about when shopping for the right used option: 

• Budget: Not only should the car you’re looking at have a starting price that fits your budget, but you’ll also want to consider insurance, sales tax, and maintenance fees into your budget. 

• Mileage: Mileage can tell you a lot about how long you can expect a vehicle to last. For reference, most drivers put about 12,000 miles on their vehicles every month, so keep this in mind when shopping for a used car. 

• Age: Another thing to consider about a used car is its age. The older the vehicle, the more you’ll want to take into consideration its mileage, mechanical condition, price, etc. 

• Mechanical Condition: It’s always a good idea to have a potential vehicle inspected by a trusted mechanic to see if there are any repairs that may need to be done in the future. 

• Vehicle History Report: A vehicle history report will tell you about a vehicle’s previous driving history, including any accidents and service records. 

Find a Used Vehicle in Encinitas

Contact us to see what’s in our used inventory. Don’t forget to ask us about our used vehicle specials when you visit our dealership to see how much you can save on a used vehicle. For any other questions you have, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.