It is a fact of life that many people need adequate forms of transportation to commute to and from their jobs. If you are like most people, your car is one of the largest expenses you will have next to your house. In all the research I’ve done on personal finance, how you go about purchasing an automobile can have a large impact on your credit and financial picture. If you go about purchasing a car the wrong way, it can put you in a financial strain which will be difficult to recover from.
Can You Afford It?
As of this writing, the average American makes about $33,000 per year. Most brand new cars cost well over $12,000. This means that the cost of a brand new automobile makes up a large percentage of the annual income made by most Americans each year. Most people cannot afford to pay $14,000 up front for a brand new car, so many choose to get car loans. When you take into consideration the interest that must be paid, it can take as long as 7 years for the average worker to pay off this loan. At the same time, the car will depreciate in value, and will be worth very little once it is paid off compared to its original value.
Job Security
It is also important to remember that most people don’t keep their jobs for seven years. Many people, especially those that are young adults, may work multiple jobs within a single year. This shows a lack of stability, and it is easy to get into a financial strain if the economy suddenly experiences a downturn and jobs become harder to find. It is for this reason that you should avoid car loans and consider buying used vehicles instead. There are many advantages to buying a used car instead of a new one.
Benefits of Getting Used
Used cars tend to be much cheaper than brand new cars. Because of this they are easier to save money for. They will often be sold by private owners instead of a company, and the owner is likely to be much more flexible. You save money because you are purchasing a car at a wholesale price. Unlike a car loan, you won’t have to pay interest when purchasing a used car. At the same time, there are some disadvantages to buying a used car. Used cars will often have a large number of miles on them, and are much more likely to breakdown faster than new cars. This could leave you having to make costly repairs.
Cant Addon
Used cars don’t have the options that you will get with new cars. The color and other accessories can’t be chosen, and what you see is what you get. While there is little you can do about this, you can have a mechanic check the used car prior to buying it to make sure there are no mechanical problems. If the transmission goes out, it could cost you well over $1000 to get it fixed, and this could put you into a financial strain. You should buy quality used cars from companies which have a reputation for making good vehicles.
Pay the True Value, Not What You Are Told
You should also check the bluebook value on any used car you’re interested in to make sure the price the owner is asking isn’t to high. If the bluebook value on a specific car is $3,000, don’t buy it from an owner who asks for $4000 unless there is a good reason to do so. Car loans should be avoided at all costs unless you have a stable job, a high income, or a large amount of savings.
Tags: Brand New Car, Brand New Cars, Buying A Used Car, Car Loans, Downturn, Economy, Fact Of Life, Forms Of Transportation, Job Security, Jobs, Many People, New Automobile, Personal Finance, Private Owners, Purchasing A Car, Seven Years, Wholesale, Wholesale Price, Wrong Way, Young AdultsRelated posts
Some of these used car buying tips won’t be new to you. Often the trick is just to apply what you already know. On the other hand, when it comes to expensive areas of life like buying a car, one new thing learned can save you hundreds of dollars. Try some of the following.
1. Make a low offer. Okay, you knew this one. A trick you may not have used, though, is to make a low offer, and then leave your phone number with the seller. Time has a way of making sellers desperate, especially after you just helped convince them that they are asking too much.
2. Be careful with car price guides. Use the “blue book” etc, but try not to pay more than wholesale. I can’t think of many times when people I know have paid more than “bluebook,” so these “average” sales prices are doubtful.
3. Talk to people. This is one of the simplest and effective used car buying tips. Just let friends, family and others know you’re looking for a car. Quite often people would be happy to avoid the whole process of advertising and showing their car if they could just get rid of it by giving a good deal to a friend.
4. Check out the engine. Have a mechanic look at the car, and tell you what it’s likely to need in the next year or so. Then make a list, so the seller can see in writing why you are offering less than he wants.
5. Auctions. See if there is a public auction in your area. If not, maybe you can go with a dealer friend and give him a $100 to buy a car for you.
6. www.carfax.com. It’s around $25 to run vehicle background checks for a month – long enough to find your next car. They’ll show the chain of title, accident reports for the car, and even safety and reliability scores for that model.
7. “Ugly” cars. Watch for cars that sit on the lot for months. Dealers will often sell these “ugly ducklings” at a loss just to move them. Again, you may want to leave your phone number with a low offer.
8. Rental company cars. They are sold fairly cheap when they get the new ones in. Buy at bluebook wholesale or less, because they have had many different drivers, so they’ve more wear than normal.
9. Repos. Credit unions and some small banks do their own selling of repossessed cars. You usually bid on paper, maybe with a $50 deposit, and then get your $50 back if you’re not the winning bidder. If they don’t sell their own repossessions, ask where they are sold.
10. Consider gas mileage. High mileage may be better, but maybe a car that costs $500 less will use only $400 more gas in the two years you expect to own it. Do the math.
Use the tips here the next time you are shopping for a used car. Meanwhile, why not learn a few negotiating strategies. This helps in many areas of life, and is the most important of these used car buying tips.
Tags: Accident Reports, Auctions, Background Checks, Blue Book, Bluebook, Buy A Car, Car Buying Tips, Car One, Car Price Guides, Company Cars, Friends Family, Mechanic, People, Phone Number, Public Auction, Safety And Reliability, Time Has A Way, Ugly Cars, Ugly Ducklings, Wholesale