Buying new vs used

[snoop101]

Growing up I alway bought used. We always said let the other guy pay the price and will get it later on for half the price.

While this is still true, things have changed a lot. Warranty is longer on new cars and with rates down to 1.9% or lower it seems of the years that the car depreciates its still is not to bad.

Whats your guys thoughts on this?

[Tomaz]

You still take a hit on buying new. and the longer warranty means the next owner gets longer warranty also. The hit taken on a one or two year old car is still quite a bit. I see why a lot of people buy used.


I bought my first new car in 09. I love the fact she is mine and always has been. I know everything that is required to be replaced and serviced, and when it needs to be done. Any damage, rock chips, or spills are the fault of me and nobody else. I never want to buy used again after such a great experience with this car.

[Tik-Tok]

If you're the type of person to get bored of cars. Don't buy a new one. The "off the lot" hit will annoy you. If you can keep a car for 5+ years, brand new is a good way to go.

edit: to amend the first point, if you are that type of person, maybe lease? If did the math for all my cars in the past 10 years, and I could have leased some decent vehicles for all the loss I took on maintenance (unscheduled), and depreciation.

[snoop101]

We looked at the new Hyundai Elantra. For the price, warranty, and value it seems good. Also boosts very good reviews. My issue is that I have always had BMW's or Audi's and bought used.

Im going to be financing, so that plays a roll. Unless I buy certified pre owned from VW or BMW then I wont get good rates. On a new car they have very low rates.

[Kloubek]

Buying a new car will cost you a ton of money. Simple.

My wife bought a Accent last year for 7 grand. It was 17,000 new with the options. That means the original owner lost about $5000 a year just to drive a new car.

To me, a brand new car is a major luxury that most should not engage in - unless they have money to burn. I think if someone wants to have a newer car under warranty they are better off buying one that is 2-3 years old, and then selling it closer to the end of the warranty. This way you are still getting the benefits of the new car and worry-free driving, yet you're not giving up your first young for it.

[dimi]

I think it comes down to what kind of car it is. If we are talking about an econobox, sure buying used is a great idea. Not a good idea when it comes to a sports car. If its a previously leased car, I would never even consider it. Same goes for a turbocharged car, especially in our climate. I know a person down my street that starts their rock cold car every morning and is at full boost as soon as he leaves his driveway. Cold turbo, cold engine, no oil pressure. Wouldn't want to land on a POS like that.

[D'z Nutz]

Unless it's like a really hard to find collectible car, I much prefer having a new car so that I know its entire history. I don't really trust people I don't know well, so I'm always suspicious that someone is trying to unload their problems onto me. I might make an exception if it's a really smoking deal and the previous owner is as anal retentive about records as I am (I keep receipts of even mudflaps and windshield chip repairs :nut: ).

I also prefer new cause most people don't believe in hard break-ins so I wanna make sure it's done right from the beginning :burnout:

[Neil4Speed]

There are some exceptions that I can think of, (if you want to have a car made in the past 4 years or so). An example are Honda Civics, which in the used market don't depreciate almost at all versus new. Some people even expect more than new pricing on some of their civics.

Overall though for the cars I like to purchase, Used is the way to go.

[spikerS]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
Unless it's like a really hard to find collectible car, I much prefer having a new car so that I know its entire history. I don't really trust people I don't know well, so I'm always suspicious that someone is trying to unload their problems onto me. I might make an exception if it's a really smoking deal and the previous owner is as anal retentive about records as I am (I keep receipts of even mudflaps and windshield chip repairs :nut: ).

I also prefer new cause most people don't believe in hard break-ins so I wanna make sure it's done right from the beginning :burnout:

That is my biggest argument for buying new.

But only some vehicles are worth buying new. For an econo box, i would buy used, just because resale on them is usually pretty crappy, and don't hold value that well.

For others, like for example Jeep wranglers and subaru STIs, the depreciation over time on these is relatively small, so when it comes time to sell it and move on, your loss is minimal. For these, I would buy new.

Really, it comes down to the vehicle to me. I would prefer to buy new, just so that I know that the engine break in has been done right, and I know the complete history of the vehicle.

Having said that, I believe everyone should own a brand new vehicle at least once, just for the experience.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Certain cars I would buy new, others I wouldn't.

[msommers]

How used are you talking to get approx. half the lot price?!

The way I see it, there are two minds of thought.

A) You can know the entire history of the vehicle from day 1 if you buy new. I'm very much like D'z Nutz and suspect everyone is out to screw me with their used cars. It takes me a long time before I'm comfortable buying used.

B) Buy one or two years used. Warranty transfer is available and someone else has taken probably ~5-10k+ of a hit over that time. Like mine for example. All said and done was 51K and I got it for 40K and includes all the crap they try to sell you at the dealership, plus a ridiculously long extended warranty.

I bought an 2010 with 18,000km on it. Most people who buy new have free oil changes for the first year or X amount of km's. So you know the dealership has done the maintenance (whatever that actually counts for). Secondly, for a vehicle with less than 25,000km on it, if something major from the factory was wrong with it, it would have happened already. Third, it would be fairly obvious if you were a tool and fucked up your vehicle over the one year of ownership.

The vehicle I have now will likely be driven until it falls apart (knock on wood). My parents bought new a couple years ago but they're the type to not want anyone else touching it and keeping it until it dies. Just to re-emphasize what was said earlier, don't buy new if you are the type to get a different vehicle every few years.

[wintonyk]

I have yet to buy new. I bought an 08 WRX in 09 for 27k with all the bells. I sold it 2 years later for 26k. Driving that car for 2 years and only costing me a thousand bucks wasn't a bad deal.

My biggest thing I notice is people that get upside down with their payments on cars. When the value of the car is less than what they owe on it.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by msommers
How used are you talking to get approx. half the lot price?!

The way I see it, there are two minds of thought.

A) You can know the entire history of the vehicle from day 1 if you buy new. I'm very much like D'z Nutz and suspect everyone is out to screw me with their used cars. It takes me a long time before I'm comfortable buying used.

B) Buy one or two years used. Warranty transfer is available and someone else has taken probably ~5-10k+ of a hit over that time. Like mine for example. All said and done was 51K and I got it for 40K and includes all the crap they try to sell you at the dealership, plus a ridiculously long extended warranty.

I bought an 2010 with 18,000km on it. Most people who buy new have free oil changes for the first year or X amount of km's. So you know the dealership has done the maintenance (whatever that actually counts for). Secondly, for a vehicle with less than 25,000km on it, if something major from the factory was wrong with it, it would have happened already. Third, it would be fairly obvious if you were a tool and fucked up your vehicle over the one year of ownership.

The vehicle I have now will likely be driven until it falls apart (knock on wood). My parents bought new a couple years ago but they're the type to not want anyone else touching it and keeping it until it dies. Just to re-emphasize what was said earlier, don't buy new if you are the type to get a different vehicle every few years.

If you pick the right car you could get new cars often and not lose a whole lot. I bought a new impreza and 6 months later got out of the lease. Cost me under a thousand bux including monthly payments haha. People in Calgary love Subarus. Just got into a 2012 Civic EX lease $265 a month with nothing down. Come spring time Im sure I could have someone take that over without too much trouble...

[xnvy]

How about demo vehicles? Are they worth it or is used better?

[snoop101]

So for the people that do buy new, do you try to get a better deal or do dealerships tell you to screw off if you ask for deal on a new car?

[Ven]

I will likely never buy another new car again.

[Twenty]

Working at dealerships, and seeing the condition that vehicles will be in after just a year or two on the road, has taught me to be extremely cautious with used vehicles, no matter the age. It's scary how poorly some people take care of cars.

My first criteria for deciding on new or used, obsiously, is if the car can be bought new or just used. If new's an option, it's tempting to go that route and start fresh. I'm also the kind to keep all documentation/receipts/etc, so it's nice to be able to do that from day one.

[skylinegtr20]

I am a mechanic at a dealer in Lethbridge, scary having people come in with 40,000+ KM on a single oil change.... Its a wonder how it hasn't blown up.

New all the way unless its a POS you know will need work or the used car owner can supply full service records! Just can't trust people.

[snoop101]

Originally posted by skylinegtr20
I am a mechanic at a dealer in Lethbridge, scary having people come in with 40,000+ KM on a single oil change.... Its a wonder how it hasn't blown up.

New all the way unless its a POS you know will need work or the used car owner can supply full service records! Just can't trust people.

You know what I find funny too is when people advertise "Lady Driven"

To me thats a bad sign.

Lady Driven = I dont take care of my car because I have no idea what anything means.

When I was young I looked at a so call lady driven BMW. It was so dirty and it had gas leaking in the engine.

[Rat Fink]

.

[ExtraSlow]

oil changes are highly overrated.

[sillysod]

I just started buying used cars.

Up until recently everything I bought was new off the lot.

Last few vehicles i purchased all had less than 10,000kms on them and I saved a lot of money.

[r3ccOs]

someone has to buy the car new to be able to purchase one used right? :dunno:

Definately pro's & cons to weigh... warranty being the biggest, financial insentives, etc...

[max_boost]

Depends on the car, depreciation etc. High depreciation, let someone else take the initial hit.

I know for my Tribeca I was more than happy to buy new, $9K cash deal yo!

[wes_v]

Interest on a new vs. used. New cars 0%-5.9%. Interest on used is about how good your credit is and most cases you finance at 7% with good credit. And depending on how old the car is you can can only finance it on a certain term of years. But if you pay cash on a used its a different story.

[frizzlefry]

used really makes sense if you buy a high end car. My A3 was bought used, brand new it was 57 grand...30,000 km on the clock knocked 20 grand off the price. and with Audi's certified used warranty on top of the remaining factory means I am covered until 2015.

[snoop101]

Originally posted by wes_v
Interest on a new vs. used. New cars 0%-5.9%. Interest on used is about how good your credit is and most cases you finance at 7% with good credit. And depending on how old the car is you can can only finance it on a certain term of years. But if you pay cash on a used its a different story.

The only flip side of that is certified pre owned from BMW, VW, and other manufacturers that give good in house financing.

I got 1.9% financing on my BMW at the time. Also still had warranty left.

On the flip side I looked at a Volvo XC90 and I could only get bank finance.