Buying a new car is a piece of cake, but can you say the same for used vehicles? With new vehicles, it’s easy – just find the nearby dealerships, compare the prices, and head to the one that offers the lowest. Most of us do it like this. But, if you can’t afford a new car, things get complicated. Shopping for a used vehicle isn’t an easy task; it’s rather complicated. But, don’t let this bother you too much. There are places where you can buy used cars, and we are here to tell you about them. Let’s check out the top four best and worst places to buy a used car – 2021 guide. Together, we can make even this task a piece of cake.
A Dealership
You won’t find as many cars anywhere else, even if you tried. The inventory at car dealerships can be truly diverse. There’s a history behind every vehicle – from where they came from, who was the previous owner, were they bought at an auction, or brought in as a discount for a new car. The thing with dealerships is that they operate with high expenses. A lot for people is employed, they have costs of a parking lot and showrooms, so it makes sense. This is the primary reason why they can be expensive for the buyers. Some of the costs would be transferred to them in most dealerships. This is what can make their vehicles pricier. But, there are also positives – some dealerships offer in-house financing, which benefits the buyer. Furthermore, some of the cars you’ll find at dealerships are often models that are pre-inspected, with warranties, and are pre-owned by people who took good care of them.
Pros of dealerships are that they offer in-house financing and have pre-owned models for sale.
Cons are that dealerships spend a lot of money on running of their business, which could elevate the price for the buyers. Also, some places often work with only one type or brand of a car, so that can narrow your choices.
Used-Car Retailers
If you opt for this option, you’ll have a massive car inventory that consists of cars bought at auctions. Between new car dealers and used-car retailers, there are a lot of similarities. For example, both of them have showrooms and professional staff that takes care of sales. Because of this, similarly to the option above, buyers could have extra expenses when cooperating with used-car retailers. Besides the extra money you might have to spend, there are no other downsides to this type of buying a used car. They sell cars that come with warranties, and if you want, there is the option of in-house financing available. Furthermore, most retailers have their prices exhibited, so you can know the value of each car before you come in and compare it to other similar places.
The pros of used-car retailers are that they’ll step out with cars under warranty in most cases, the prices can be known in advance, and there’s in-house financing.
Cons are that some cars can be pricier because of the high cost of maintaining a retailer’s spot and that there can’t be any bargaining due to already established prices, which can deter some buyers.
Independent Dealerships
These dealerships are known for their lack of fear dealing with any type, model, or brand of a car. They’ll take them all in, and because of this, they only deal with used cars. When compared to used-cars retailers and standard dealerships, they can come cheaper. The reason is that they have a lower cost of maintenance due to the fact there’s no showroom to pay for. Most of their cars come from auction, so they know how the prices move, and the chances are you’ll get a market price for any vehicle you intend to buy. The downside is that because they deal with many types of cars, you won’t be able to get information about some specific models they have to offer.
Furthermore, there probably won’t be any in-house financing as they are not massive enough financially to uphold one. Just as we always say, there’s good, and there are bad sides. It’s much easier to sell thanks to places such as Carsome, don’t you agree?
The pros of independent dealerships are that they can offer fair and under-the-market prices.
Cons are that you won’t find expertise on the spot compared to the two options above and that there’s no in-house financing.
Private Sellers
Private sellers have almost no costs. The reason? With them, there’s no staff to be paid, and no showrooms. Because of this, the price of a car with private sellers is almost always lower compared to the three options we have above. But, there’s a downside to this. All of the financing and paperwork fall entirely on your shoulders. Also, we shouldn’t neglect the fact that you can negotiate with private sellers. Most of them are willing to bargain. But, there can also be those who would put a high price-tag on their vehicle due to personal connection, and the option of bargaining won’t be available there. The choices we have above this one are all regulated businesses, which is not the case here. In a worst-case scenario, you can even buy a stolen car, which is not a frequent occurrence, but it happens. So, why buying from an individual can save you some money, but being a bit careful won’t hurt you.
The pros are that the price can be below the market value, and you could lower it further by bargaining.
Cons are numerous, and we’ll start with your own financing of all details, paperwork, and stuff, and making sure everything is legal and on the spot.
Conclusion
All of these places have pros and cons, as you can see. The choice is eventually up to you as it all depends on the type of buyer you are. Luckily you have us and all of these inflammations gathered in one place, making your decision easier. Shop smartly.
