When it is time to purchase a different automobile, many consumers face the choice of new or used. While there are advantages to both, most consumers will benefit from the financial advantage offered by used cars. It is often possible to by a gently used vehicle that offers many great options at a much lower price than buying new.
One of the primary advantages of buying used cars instead of new is cost. The average new automobile drops in value by 20-25% when the buyer drives it off the showroom floor. While some may think this to be an urban legend, the Blue Book values confirm that with as little as 1,000 miles, practically new vehicles have lost this amount of value.
All cars on the road could be considered used cars. It really does not matter who put the first 100 miles on the vehicle, once it hits the pavement it is a used car. Vehicles manufactured today have a much longer lifespan than those manufactured 25 years ago. Older vehicles often were designed for a 100,000 life span. Many would need a major overhaul before reaching that mark. However a vehicle manufactured today often is good for 300,000 miles without major repair. This makes purchasing a vehicle that someone else has had before an even smarter move.
