Advice when purchasing a pre-owned vehicle.
In this blog article Joe has some great advice when purchasing a pre-owned vehicle!
For most of us, purchasing a car is still the second biggest ticket item on the household budget, and even if it isn’t the second biggest, it represents a substantial expense. Naturally, this is a situation which most people feel anxious about because it can drain their time and resources. This anxiety is amplified when a person is buying a pre-owned vehicle. While a specific new vehicle should cost more than its pre-owned equivalent, the new version of the vehicle comes with a warranty, has no accident history, no gaps in service history, new tires, new brakes, a new battery, and only the new car smell to worry about, which for most people is pleasantly enjoyable! Moreover, new vehicles are often incentivized by the manufacturer and rebates and improved interest rates apply.
When buying a pre-owned vehicle, most people know to live by the maxim “BUYER BEWARE.” Still, human nature inclines us to hunt for a great deal, hope to find a diamond in the rough, and save money. This is why almost 2 out of 3 cars sold in Canada in a year are pre-owned. So, how do you protect yourself from making a bad decision.
Advice when purchasing a pre-owned vehicle…
- Well, the best approach is research and caution. In my opinion, finding out about the service history of a vehicle is key.
- Beyond that, the second most important thing, a mechanical inspection performed by a duly qualified mechanic.
- Thirdly, getting a hold of the CARFAX report, which is like a medical history of a human being; the CARFAX report will tell you where a car was purchased, how many owners it’s been through, how it was used, and a lot about its “story,” was it in an accident and so forth.
Why purchase from a reputable dealership?
You can buy a pre-owned vehicle privately, but more often than not, a private seller has not inspected it, cleaned it in detail, or spent any money to “re-condition” it, in short, to bring the vehicle back to a state of mechanical and physical readiness for head-ache free ownership. When you buy from an approved and licensed dealer, there is an expectation that all three of these things have happened. Plus, the dealer can help with financing and sell a warranty on most used purchases.
For every vehicle being sold at Subaru of Lethbridge, we create a ‘file’ containing the CARFAX report, a copy of our inspection, and an invoice for all the mechanical and physical reconditioning that we have undertaken to prepare the vehicle for retail sale. You can truly buy with confidence. We can also consult with you about the best way to finance the vehicle if that is something you choose to do. We can also provide you with an extended warranty suited to the vehicle, the way you drive, and how you intend to use your vehicle. BUYER BEWARE becomes BUYER RELAX.
If you have any other questions or concerns about purchasing a used vehicle. Please feel free to contact me!
Joe Kadezabek | Sales Consultant
Phone: 403-380-6860 | Email: joe@subaruoflethbridge.com
Check out our current inventory of pre-owned vehicles at Subaru of Lethbridge.