Should I Buy a New or Used Car?

Most people spend a lot of time in their cars, so if you ever need a new car, you should make sure that it has everything you need for how you plan on using it. A brand new car can be a nice touch in your life. They usually have more advanced features for safety and comfort, but they can be ridiculously expensive. Used cars are a more financially viable option. They are available for anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on your budget. Both new and used cars have their benefits, but which option is the right one for you?

New Cars

As mentioned above, there are several benefits that buying a new car can give you. Most of these benefits are related to the comfort of those riding in the car. Specifically, the benefits will sometimes include:

• Customizing it to your liking
• Improved safety features to prevent collisions
• Warranties and other forms of coverage
• You know exactly what you're getting
• New features for comfort (air conditioning, heated seats, etc.)

On average, a new car will cost you between $20,000 and $40,000 with several payment options available that you can choose from to best fit your financial needs. The price is, by far, the largest drawback to buying a new car over a used one, and that is for good reason. You are paying for newer, better features that make your life easier and more comfortable. There are some people who enjoy buying used cars to restore them, but if that is something you are interested in, you likely already know what kind of car you want and know that new cars are not ideal for restoration. If you think buying a new car is the right choice for you, there are several companies that can offer you competitive auto loan rates to get you started.

Used Cars

Used cars can be used as a canvas in the way that new cars cannot. Even though it originally belonged to someone else, there are so many used car options going back several decades that you will be able to find almost anything you could want in a car. Some benefits that can come with buying a used car are:

• They are almost universally cheaper
• No hidden fees
• Years of variety to choose from
• Lower insurance costs
• Past vehicle reports

Clearly, variety and cost outweigh almost everything else if you choose a used car over a new car. However, be mindful that if you are used to modern cars, cheaper, older cars do not have some of the conveniences you may be used to, such as air conditioning, aux cord inputs, or comfortable seats. Some of these modern conveniences can be installed in some way, but it will significantly increase the amount of money you will have to put into the car. Used cars are also sold in a wider variety of places than new cars. Websites like Facebook and Craigslist allow users to post things they are selling, so if you are looking for an especially cheap car, look around online. Just be wary that not everyone online is totally trustworthy, and you should always ask to see the product before agreeing to purchase it.

Buying a car is not a purchase that you should take lightly. Always make sure that the car you plan on buying has the features that are important to you, whether that is safety features, comfort features, low price, customization options, or anything else. Ideally, everyone would be able to afford a car that looks exactly how they want and is perfectly safe as well, but, like with everything, there are trade offs and compromises you must make to get the best bang for your buck. Thankfully, there are payment plans that make it possible for most people to get an acceptably usable car for a hopefully reasonable price.