Tips For Buying A Used Car The Smart Way If you are shopping for a vehicle, buying used offers lots of advantages. One of the best reasons to buy used vs. new is depreciation. A new car depreciates in value by about 10% the minute you drive it off the lot, and another 20% within the first year of purchase. Three years later, and that new car is now worth about 60% of its original value. While this may be upsetting news if you’ve purchased a brand new car, it’s great news for those looking to purchase a vehicle at much better prices. The used vehicle market has grown tremendously over the past several years, especially when it comes to used cars under $10000. The reason the used car market has seen such incredible growth is that it provides consumers with the ability to purchase a great vehicle of like new quality, at much more affordable rates. The purchaser of the new vehicle has paid the cost of depreciation, opening the door for much cheaper automobiles. Is it a good idea to buy a used vehicle? The simple answer is yes! With so many options available on the market, you can find many attractive and affordable deals on used cars. With so many used car dealers out there, it’s a good idea to buy from an authenticated dealer with a good reputation in order to avoid falling victim to a scam. We’ve listed below the tips you need to buy a used vehicle the smart way. 1. Decide your price point. Before you start trying to decide which new car you want, it’s important to first determine how much you can afford to spend. If your budget is under $10,000 a newer, used Cadillac Escalade is most likely not in your future. Once you determine your budget, search for vehicles within that price range. It’s also important to keep in mind the other expenses involved in owning a car like maintenance, insurance and possible future repairs. 2. Make a list of potential used vehicle sellers. Now that you’ve established your price point, it’s time to do some research. There are reputable online tools that you can use to find vehicles for sale that meet your budget. Make a list of the makes and models that fit within your budget in order to find a seller in your area. 3. Look at online reviews about the vehicle you wish to purchase. By reviewing the cars you’ve decided are a good fit, you can narrow down your search even more. There are reviews online for almost every new and used car on the market. AAA for instance is a great resource for safety rating, pricing and reviews. 4. Find used cars in your area. Now that you’ve decided which vehicle is best for you, it’s time to search for ones that are actually for sale close to you. There are lots of tools online, like those offered at www.savannahpennysaver.com that allow you to search for the make and model of vehicle you want. They offer a wide variety of used car classified ads to choose from.