Are you in the market for a new car but you don’t want to purchase one straight off the dealership’s lot? Maybe you aren’t in the market financially for a brand new vehicle that’s never been used but you desperately need to get something sorted out. Second hand vehicles are a great way to go and many people these days are opting for second hand over new for a variety of reasons. If this sounds like your situation but you aren’t sure where to start in terms of second hand vehicles, here are some tips you can use today!
Go With Something Around A Year Old
If you’re going second hand but want something somewhat relevant and recent, consider going with a car that is around a year old. Year old cars are significantly cheaper than new cars and you can snag yourself a pretty good deal on a car that’s been driven only a small amount. If you aren’t too concerned about getting something more relevant, you could be in for a bundle of savings if you go with something a couple years older.
Check The Vehicle History
It sounds like a no brainer but vehicle history is hugely important, especially when it comes to second hand cars. Just because something looks perfect on the outside doesn’t mean it isn’t underneath all those fancy paint jobs. You never know – your new baby could be harbouring a dark secret that you have no idea about – one that her former owner failed to disclose. There are a number of ways to go about getting a vehicle’s history with a number of websites dealing in this very thing today.
Pick The Right Time To Buy
If you’re buying from a private seller there isn’t necessarily a perfect time to buy as they won’t be influenced by the same things that dealerships are influenced by, so you can really choose whenever to buy your car. If you’re buying from a dealership though it’s very likely they will be driven by quarterly sales and deadlines so buying March, June, September and December may make it easier to score a good deal with a salesman looking to secure sales and get his bonus guaranteed.
Don’t Just Haggle With One Dealership
Haggling is the way to go to score a great deal on a car – regardless of whether it’s brand new or used and a couple years old. Check out a number of dealerships and pit them against each other, getting promises of lower fees, lower prices and better package deals from each and then sharing them amongst each other to see if someone can offer you something better if you go with them. Just like you should compare dealerships you should also compare auto insurance rates with a free service to get the best deal. This is a great haggling tactic that seems to work well in most haggling and bartering situations – getting the provider to in fight with other providers and all try to secure your business by trying to outdo each other in deals. Also, settle shipping. Make sure to get a good bid on your car delivery job.
So there you have a couple of great tips for buying a second hand car. it doesn’t have to be hard or scary and can actually be a lot of fun and get you a great car for a low price afterwards too! Enjoy!