Are you needing to upgrade your car? If you are anything like me, you might just hate car shopping. I’m not kidding, I would much rather drive my car into the ground for years than shop for a new car. I don’t know exactly why, but for me it’s probably partially that I hate spending so much money, and I just don’t like making big decisions like that.
From 2010 to 2018 I drove a 2003 Saturn Vue that I loved. My family hated it because the door handles kept breaking and the windows didn’t like to roll up on occasion, but I hung on to that car for as long as I possibly could. I just despised the thought of buying something different. Finally I upgraded in 2018 to a 2016 Toyota Camry which is a great car. Do I absolutely love it? No. But we got a great deal on it when we bought it and the gas mileage is good (a must right now for sure). Our finances have been good enough for me to upgrade to a vehicle that I really want, but the thought of buying a new car has put me off of the idea. I’ll probably drive this car for years to come if only because I hate buying cars.
Maybe you really do need to buy a different car though and if so, you may be trying to decide if you want to buy a new or used car. Here are some things that may help you decide:
Buying a Car: New vs. Used
Buying Used
Pro: You’ll Save Money
Obviously you’ll save money if you buy a used vehicle versus a one. Of course this is dependent upon the type of vehicle you are going to buy. I mean, you can buy an entry level economy car brand new cheaper than you can probably buy a slightly used high end luxury car.
You may also find that you’ll save money on your auto insurance with a used car. In 2018 we bought a brand new jeep for my husband and wow, was I surprised by how much our insurance was on it.
Cons: It’s Not Exactly What You Want
When you buy a new car you get to choose the make, model, colors, features, etc., so obviously this is not something that you get when you buy used. Additionally, there are always things that you don’t know about used cars as far as their history, maintenance, etc.
Buying New
Pros:
Buying a new car means that not only will you be deciding the make and model, but you’ll also get lower interest rates (if you are financing), the most up to date safety features, the newest tech, and you are the first and only owner.
Cons:
The cons of buying new are the price of course, the instant depreciation when you drive off the lot, and they are more expensive to insure.
