I read about a friend’s recent travails, where he describes the pain he experienced after his car burnt itself out and I greatly sympathize. What a nightmare! I recall some equally nasty car-related nightmares I’ve experienced, but have been very fortunate that none of them included the collapse of a car with no chance of resuscitation.
Before I continue, how about a little background. Granted, there are two different types of automobile owners — the first kind being those who only buy “used” and the second being those who don’t. There are those of course who straddle both worlds and buy both new and used cars, but I’ll admit now that we belong to the “new car” camp. It hasn’t necessarily been my choice but it’s hard to argue with our household car enthusiast who contends that it’s all for safety’s sake, especially now that we have kids.
Our strategy with car purchase-and-replace has been to buy a vehicle new and sell it after it reaches 100K or 120K miles, or 7 years of use. This guarantees a couple of things:
- It should be extremely unlikely to have a car die on its tracks while we were operating it.
- We get a reasonably good resale price for the vehicle.
- We ensure our security, which is our #1 reason for this plan.
So what’s obvious here is that we take a hit on the depreciation but we buy the security of having the car covered by warranty for a certain length of time and the assurance that we won’t be aggravated by problems too often. So far, we haven’t been. So far, all car problems have never been the car’s fault but either our own or somebody else’s (several motorists who’ve rear-ended me for example). Of course, it can be slightly emotional to part with a perfectly running auto but we force ourselves to keep with our plan, hoping to maximize the money we can get for it in the used car market.
So who else buys new? I came across this study by BIGresearch of Columbus, Ohio, a market intelligence firm that surveys thousands in order to analyze consumer behavior:
Reason
|
What motivated you to consider buying a new car?
|
%
|
14
|
Lease on old car is up |
4.8%
|
13
|
Wanted a vehicle with new "techy toys" (Nav, DVD, etc.) |
6.2%
|
12
|
Needed a vehicle with more room |
9.0%
|
11
|
My significant other wanted a new car |
11.9%
|
10
|
Needed another car for my family |
14.0%
|
9
|
Financing deals/incentives too good to pass up |
14.3%
|
8
|
Wanted a vehicle with better safety features |
14.6%
|
7
|
Like the styling of the new models |
15.0%
|
6
|
Not really sure, other |
17.0%
|
5
|
Old car just died |
17.6%
|
4
|
Wanted a car with better gas mileage |
19.2%
|
3
|
Old car was always in for repairs |
20.4%
|
2
|
Tired of the old car, I wanted something new |
22.0%
|
And the top reason why is…
|
||
1
|
Old car had high mileage |
35.2%
|
Source: BIGresearch. The sum of % totals may be greater than 100% because respondents could select more than one answer.
Sounds like some of those reasons given above are just plain silly, like “wanting a vehicle with new toys” or “liking the styling of the new models”. But at the same time, some justifications make sense to me like wanting “better mileage”, “better security features” or stuff along the lines of avoiding the mechanic.
From the same source, this chart also seems to show that most survey respondents look like they are prepared to spend, thereby indicating a higher inclination to purchase new.
|
|
Though we’d like to save money by buying used cars, we haven’t yet done so and we have our own good reasons why. After some thought, I’ve listed below what I believe are the most popular reasons people give for justifying the outlay, covering the spectrum from sensible to shallow. Why should it be worth the expense? Read on. And no, it’s not always about the new car smell (which I heard wasn’t healthy anyway)!
Why People Buy New Automobiles
I did it – I did it – I did it. I got a brand new car. At the age of 38 I bought my very first brand new car. – Lori Dorn
#1 Better Warranty
Though lightly used cars may have some certifications and warranties to cover them, the best terms are still with new cars. I’ve found that a couple of our previous vehicles were covered for some basic routine checks up to a certain period of time. Additionally, there are lemon laws that can protect you in case your car goes nuts right after you claim ownership to it. With used cars, you may have less luck and leverage applying this law.
#2 Safety
One of our concerns about purchasing a used car is quite the obvious — do we really know the truth about the car’s past history? I’ve seen quite a few friends unload their lemons on the unsuspecting public. For the right price, even lemons can be sold. Are you willing to take the risk? Many people do — even our friends and family are split on this one. Let’s just say that we’re even more attuned to this concern now that we ferry our kids around very often. We’d like the latest on airbag technology, if we can help it.
#3 Good for the environment
Have you checked the exhaust lately? I’d like to make sure our autos pass their smog tests for a good long while!
#4 Less aggravation dealing with a healthier, longer lasting car
The peace of mind that having a new car brings us is tremendous. So yes, you can say that we’re willing to pay the premium for that peace.
#5 Potentially less maintenance
The only thing we need to remember are those regular oil changes and major routine maintenance checks. Knock on wood, we haven’t had any other issues to deal with or pay for!
#6 Cheaper financing terms
Those car lots have offered us very good terms for financing our vehicles. There are usually special deals that can even be superior to those offered by banks. Bank financing will also show preferential terms for new car loans, sometimes with differences of a full percentage point lower than used car loans. That’s quite some savings right there.
#7 More pleasant shopping experience
This may be arguable, but I will posit that shopping at a dealership or even at online auto e-commerce sites should be relatively easier than dealing with used car owners. It all depends on how hairy the negotiation process can get. In the past, we’ve limited our dealings to those dealerships that have no haggle rules and it’s been smooth sailing with them. But I do think that online shopping may be the easiest of all. These days, you can just check on the car at a dealership, test drive it, then order it online. Piece of cake?
#8 Better resale value
You’ll probably be hard pressed to resell a used car. You can try, but it’s less likely that you can sell or trade in your second-hand car for another one. And even if you did, you may not get that spectacular a price.
#9 Pride of brand new car ownership
You don’t have to boast about it, but admit it, that dream car can give you more than just pleasant and enjoyable thoughts. A lot of people *do* scrimp and save to buy a brand new car, and they go for it. How many people have you heard have given their cars nicknames? Tons. It’s a question of priority and this is on top of the list for some folks out there.
#10 Status symbol to stroke your ego
This must be the shallowest reason to own a new car, but it is a reason many people use! I know a couple who adores anything shiny and fresh with wheels. I see them swap out something they’ve owned for something new each year. Let me say they are addicted to the thrill of “new” and have put up their collection of car photos (which they’ve taken through the years) over at Flickr. Whatever.
Sure, there’s no denying that there are used cars that have been wonderful to have, such as those owned by some relatives of ours, who have forever pledged their car budget to used autos. But if you’re big on guarantees, have high expectations and agree with the list above, then you must already be a new car owner.
As such, I’d be curious to know what your vehicle buying patterns are. In fact, I’ll throw out this question:
Will a life change such as making more money or having new kids in your family makes a difference on your car shopping habits?
I’ll bet where you are in your life makes a huge difference. Then again, those aforementioned relatives of ours are smack in their senior years…. and continue to *swear* by their used car shopping habits, which have only yielded happy relationships with older models.
And sometimes, I feel just a slight twinge of envy.
Copyright © 2007 The Digerati Life. All Rights Reserved.
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
After my most recent round of dealings with a used car dealer, I will never buy another used car from a dealer. I will only buy new from a dealer or buy a throwaway car from a private party.
You have #8 backwards
You can drive for free forever if you always sell your car for the same or more than you paid for it, and that won’t happen buying new.
Buy (carefully) secondhand, look after your car, then sell it (in good condition) within two years, and if you know what you’re doing it’s free!
I purchased my current car as new. The Motley Fool popularized (for me) the idea of always buying used or you’re wrong… but The difference between a new Honda Civic and a used Honda Civic still “new” enough to ensure a long life in my hands was so minimal (one of the slowest depreciating cars) that it made sense to pay an extra $2,000-$3,000 for the first couple of years of problem-free operation.
hi there! This is actually on my list of things to write about. My husband and I fell in love with this second-hand car we saw at the bank. It was only three months old at the time! The owner came back a month after to buy it again, poor girl. We really got a good deal. We still have good warranty, it looks new and performs great. No problems with A/C, engine…whatever. We will sell it on its fifth year and buy another one. Hopefully we’ll find another good deal. Experience showed that the price of a car goes down by as much as 35% once you drive it out of the showroom.
I think that we shape our car shopping and buying decisions based on the previous experiences we’ve had with the vehicles we’ve encountered in our lives. You guys have good points about late model used cars that have been gently used. If you can somehow manage a good deal somewhere, then you’ve lucked out and you’re a real savvy shopper.
Again, my family has been split about this and part of me wants to own a used car sometime. But my other half has been firm about this. He had a *really* beat up Datsun in his earlier years that left him stranded too many times on some back roads so he’s a bit “gun shy” at the moment.
@Anonymous — if a car has had more than one owner, I’d argue that it may get a lower resale value than one that only had one previous owner in its history, regardless of how long the car has been previously owned. Or am I wrong?
I had the same experience as Flexo above. 2-year-old Corollas were $2,000 less than the new ones, except the 2-year old Corollas had 40,000 miles on them. So I bought a new one.
Now I own a 2-year-old Corolla with 45,000 miles on it and remain pleased with the decision to buy new.
…and it has averaged over 37 miles per gallon, too!
My very first car was used – my parents bought it for me after I got my MS. After I drove it for 3 years or so I totalled it – had collision coverage, so got more for it than I’d have gotten for resale. Still, after I calculated how much it cost me in repairs over a few years, I ended up with more than payments on a new car. Since then I am buying new. The car I bought after that (1987) was a new Toyota Camry. I had financing and initially the payments were tax deductible. Some years later after tax reform, the deductibility was gone, but I had enough money to pay off the balance. I drove this car for 10 years or so until I had over 100K miles on it. At that time I sold it and bought a new Toyota Corolla (paid cash). Drove it for 5 years or so then gave it to my parents – their car broke down and as they have less money then I do, I figured I’ll give them mine. It was still in pretty good conditions – they still drive it. Bought new Toyota Corolla (2003) for cash. Drove it for 3 years, then totalled it – tire hit something on the road and blew up, I lost control – this was on a parkway. Got nice chunk of money from insurance and bought a new Honda Civic.
Reasons for buying new – I can afford the cars I buy and I don’t need a fancier used car; I like to get the features I want, I don’t know much about cars other than if I hit gas it goes faster and if I break it slows down so I don’t want trouble, I don’t have time to look for used cars.
My usual
I have three general rules to live by that have saved me a fortune in money and time and allow me to not just survive but live richly. These I pass on to my students who insist upon becoming musicians:
1) Learn to be a fabulous cook. People will fight for the right to take you out to wonderful restaurants in hopes of the privilege of dining on one of YOUR meals. (Of course it helps to be a harpist at fine restaurants and get to know the chef… you dine out for free and get a lesson in food prep also!)
2) Don’t watch TV. Period. Learn an instrument, languages, read, listen to talking books. Rent DVDs if you must, but then rewatch them in your “target” foreign language. (Great learning tool, by the way!) If something interesting was on the night before, people will be talking about it and you’ll know as much about the interesting parts without having had to waste an hour or two watching it.
3) Make friends with a GOOD mechanic that you trust and have him choose and check out a used car for you. Pay small amounts of cash for the car and the repairs. Period. My mechanic will tell me exactly what needs to be repaired now, and what should be budgeted for in potential repairs with a time frame to save for it.
With the money and time I have saved, I have traveled all over the world. I perform music in other countries so I am paid in their currency while I travel and I get good value for my money because I speak most languages like a native and they respect me for the effort I have made to learn a little of the more esoteric languages that I don’t speak as well.
I have good camera, video, and computer equipment because I love bringing back memories of my travels and I’ve done it long enough that I sometimes sell some of those photos also.
The only exception my family has made to the “never buy new” rule is when we are in Europe. A couple of times we have bought a new VW camper van because California smog rules are so strict that it is the only way you can bring home and drive the vehicles in this state. But we used them for traveling and often camping in the pristine European campgrounds which saved us additional money and time. Then I had a suitable “harp-mobile” (something large enough to carry a six foot tall pedal harp) and do some local family traveling and camping back in the states.
The vans were considered “used” by the time I shipped them home and the same afore-mentioned mechanic keeps them running like champs. In addition, there is not a time that I drive them that someone doesn’t offer to buy them for more than I originally paid for them!
What a timely topic for me. I’ve been thinking about this since we’re pretty sure we’ll be buying a new car next year (actually a minivan, probably). Our philosophy has been to buy new and then drive the car until the service costs start adding up. I’d love to buy used but don’t have any confidence in our ability to be certain we’ve picked a mechanically sound vehicle.
I’ve never had a new car, and am very unlikely to. Maybe if I win a lottery or something, maybe.
I have a car for the basic purpose of getting me from point A to point B in relative comfort. Must-have-no-argument features are air conditioning (I have to be presentable at work) and cruise control (this should be built-in to the base of any motorized vehicle.)
Once you get past that, everything else is in luxury territory. My current mini-van qualified as a luxury vehicle by those standards, largely because basic used mini-vans did not seem to be in supply at the time, and I needed wheels. Cargo issues drove the size choice.
I replace vehicles for two reasons, years ago, I would get newer vehicles handed down by family members who were frightened by the age of my vehicles. More recently, I appear to have a bullseye on my car that bad drivers can’t avoid.
Given a choice, I’ll drive a vehicle into the ground, but that does not mean that I don’t take care of it. My goal for any given vehicle is to get in the record books for odometer readings. I’m not getting near my goal, but I try.
To my mind, cars have no resale value. If you are selling a car to anyone other than a scrapyard, you are doing something wrong. I cannot imagine voluntarily selling a vehicle unless it had ceased to be roadworthy. While it is true that I benefit from people who don’t think this way, I cannot claim to have any understanding of it. Mileage (odometer) is not a concern to me, it has value for tracking service issues, and it’s a charge when I get a car past one light-second of distance, but otherwise, I fail to get the point. Proper maintenance and a non-maniacal driving style will do wonders for a cars lifespan.
I have friends who have sold cars because of perceived high repair costs, but when I pry the service records out of them, it’s the usual issue of the mind magnifying the immediate. Most of the time, the repairs averaged across a year were less than a years worth of payments on a vehicle, new or used, obtained from a dealer.
In the world of cars, I would seem to be a freak.
Buying a used car is financially you’re best option. Considering only depreciation, the dollar value loss each year in most cases exceeds the cost of any non-routine repair. Example: using 15% average depreciation on a new car costing $25,000 will drop the resale value of the car $3750. With diligent research one could find a late model used car with low mileage and ‘late model’ style and not spend anywhere near the $3750 in any emergent repair.
MikeVX, you are NOT a freak ! 🙂 I agree 100% with everything you said, and I utilize my vehicles, and have the same philosophy as you do.
I currently drive a 1994 Pontiac with 145K miles on it. It gets GREAT gas mileage, it costs me far, far less to drive and operate than what my sister is paying monthly for her 2006 Ford Fusion, the new car she felt she ‘deserved’ at the age of 49. She’s paying far too much for far too long.
I have always had used cars. Even though I make a good living, I just cannot financially justify spending 30K on a new car, and then spending then next 4-6 years paying for it, tacking on another 5-6K in interest while the value of the car plummets well below the financed amount for most of the life of the loan.
Are new cars nice ? Most definitely. Are they WORTH what you’re paying in cost, interest and higher insurance rates — maybe, for MY money I say no. At my age (over 50), I need to save for retirement, not throw money into a snazzy new vehicle to show off. I can’t live in a car when I retire.
If I win the Powerball.. yeah.. I’d buy a nice new car – cash in full. Until that day.. I’m SAVING money for a newer car in about a year, but it won’t be new.
I’ve seen many comments on new versus old, and the same responses/replies get mentioned, mostly related to the issue of cost. For me, it’s all about SAFETY. The newer cars have multiple airbags, ESC, anti lock breaks, stiffer frames, and a host of other safety features which many older cars lack. Yeah, I know some people have driven their cars for 10+ years and 150K miles…but..when there’s a side collision…and you have no side airbags…
I recently bought a new car, was not an easy decision, quite stressful actually. I am glad I did it, saving half the money in gas to go toward the payment, don’t have to worry about the breaking down and I think I am finally aloud to park by everyone else at work, LOL.
I have yet to run into the situation were a 2-3 year old car is anywhere near the price of a new car.
We have bought our last few used cars from http://www.carsense.com They deal in lease trade ins. All the car are under blue book value, almost mint condition, lower miles, 6 month guarantee, and they are great to work with. We did get a Ford Focus that gave us some problems, but all of our Japanese cars have been fine.
Used for cash that is my motto. When my 94 Sentra breaks, I will probably buy a 4-5k Honda, Toyota, or Nissan.
My first car was used. It seemed fine at first. I ended up putting so much money into it, and still it was never fixed. Turns out, the used parts available for it were just as much junk as the parts it came with. I kept hoping everything would get fixed and I could avoid buying another car. Then I thought maybe I’d just fix it up enough to sell. Well, the resale value was crap. I should have found that out before putting money into repairs, but it’s hard when you think you’re getting close to having a reliable car. Finally, I donated it to charity for the tax write-off. I’ve since been car-less, though my husband and I technically share his car.
My husband bought his car new. He’s been in a few accidents, but he takes good care of it otherwise which I’m sure has made a huge difference. The warranty/maintenance plan helped a lot. It has over 160,000 miles on it and still runs well considering. We’re going to be buying another new car next spring (looking at the 2008 diesel Jetta). We may or may not keep our current car, depending on how it’s doing then.
I know that’s just our experience and some people luck out buying used cars, but the bottom line is that I know I’m not a mechanic and I couldn’t tell a lemon from apple from a rutabaga car-wise. I’d rather buy new, have the warranty, and know where that car has been.
I have here some update about my car, Honda…I hope this might help and give some ideas…=)
The new, 2007 Honda CR-V is more powerful, more stylish and more comfortable than the previous-generation 2006 models. Its new suspension geometry delivers an improved ride and better, more responsive handling.
The engine, still an inline four cylinder, employs variable intake valve timing to optimize horsepower and torque for acceleration and cruising speeds. The transmission is a new, five-speed automatic. Real Time all-wheel drive is offered on all three models. The U.S. EPA rates the front-wheel drive CR-V at 23/30 city/highway miles per gallon and the all-wheel drive at 22/28.
Thus, buyers looking for peppy performance, snazzy styling and easier financing have better choices. Its Honda fuel filter and other accessories like Honda cold air intake in their excellent condition…But for Honda loyalists looking for something better than their current CR-V or an SUV to step up into from their Civic, the ’07 is the logical way to go…
GM has a new program called “GM Certified Used Vehicles”. It comes with nice warranties and has to be “perfect” to qualify. This will be backed by GM as a company, not the dealer you bought it from.
In my life I bought four used and one new car. With all of them I had trouble.
The new car was from VW and the trouble began at the day I pick it in Wolfsburg. Terrible noises, forgotten parts inside, etc.
If I could afford a new car I would get one in a heartbeat. But right now I cannot afford one so I stick to used hondas. They are the most reliable and dependable. Hopefully someday I am able to afford a new car so that my ego can get a boost.
I try to buy used cars from auctions. I generally go for ones that are around one to two years old so that I still benefit from the warrenty but the initial hit of that first year is already taken from the vehicle but I still have a quality used car.
I have always bought used cars. Partly because I’m poor….but now that I am looking for a fairly new used car, my thoughts are validated. Buying a used car that is 1-2 years old and is certified with a warranty is the way to go. I’ve also bought used cars in my past many times from private owners and so far so good!
After buying a complete dud 5 years ago, I now only buy cars that are either new or within their warranty. I know it’s a lot more expensive and you lose a fortune on depreciation but it’s the only way to have peace of mind that nothing will go wrong.
I agree a new car is much better off but they cost you a lot.
Stay AWAY from CAR SENSE (www.carsense.com)!!
It is a PA and NJ used Car Dealer.
What A Headache They Are!!!
I was given the royal run around by their staff. I put down a $500 charge on my credit card on a car that I was interested.
Then I had to go to Europe for 21 days on business. Not my doing. Customer demanded me and me alone. Car Sense refunded my $500 and then sold the car to someone else in order to make the sale by the end of March 2009. Now I retuen on April 11, 2009 and the bloke who was my contacts say sorry but gone. We refunded your money when you did not show up by our dead line. We left you many messages at you home.
Being over 9 hours out of synch to east coast US time, how was I to reply to them?? So if you are dealing with Car Sense, at any location, stop and go elsewhere. Now. ASAP. Get your deposit back and find another used car dealer!!
Jake
I totally agree with you. Buying an old car is really a big pain. It mostly depends on luck. You can get a car in fairly decent condition but doesn’t look to great or you can also get a car with a nice body but with the worst condition inside. I have bought a used car once and I think I got cheated in that deal. After that I decided I will never buy any used products.
I completely agree with this statement. Old is always old and it always become a pain. People thinks that they should buy an old car and will save 50% of money. But this is not true because they spend more than that in repairing their car over time. Your car should always be in good shape because so many other people’s lives depend on it.
Another important thing is when you buy a car. I bought my last Corvette at the time I always do. It was 45 minutes before the kickoff on Superbowl Sunday. I could hear the pre-game on the radio in the dealership and the only thing they guys wanted to do was get out of there.
I went in with my car, the title, a check, and everything needed to buy a car on the spot. I negotiated right down to the kickoff (bought it just 4 minutes before and I was the only customer there so I was holding them up until the deal was done). I negotiated them down over $4,000 for the trade and price of my Lincoln Aviator and even the woman doing the paperwork said “I’ve never seen anyone get them down so much”.
I’m a computer nerd, so I don’t even know who was playing that day, but I knew that going in to negotiate on Superbowl Sunday was the key. Do it at the last minute and you get negotiating power like you’ve never seen. But bring all your paperwork and be ready to buy, that was the key so they don’t have to spend an hour trying to do the technical stuff. I’ll only buy on that day at that time, most salespeople are guys and you literally can feel the tension for them to get out of there when you buy a car at that day, at that time.
Nick,
Now THAT is an awesome strategy for getting a discount on your new car. That makes sense. I believe I’ll try that sometime! When my van croaks, I’ll try this out!
a new car is a big commitment. a lot of dealerships are offering great incentives on a new or used car so now is a good time to look. some even offer an exchange policy if you change your mind, which is what a lot of people go through; buyers remorse. if you can find a dealer like this you’ll most likely be happy in the end.
A used car is usually the best way to go, but its harder to find a used Scion since most of the owners don’t want to sell them. Nice choice.
I want to donate my car to a charity. I do want to receive a tax deduction, but I don’t want it to go to just any charity I would very much like my car to go to a needy family. I am in the Houton area. Can anybody help me or have any suggestions.
My vote goes to Hugo a used car is really the best way to go, but sometimes its harder to find a good used car.
I prefer a nearly new car. The biggest problem I’ve found in a brand new car, it loses a lot of it’s value as soon as you drive it away. If you buy a car with a few 1000 on the clock, you don’t have that problem.
Ok, it’s not brand new, but it’s pretty close and you save a nice chunk of money.
If i where to choose, I would choose the brand new car; the used car is not worth it! It’s not a quality buy anymore. Great post!
Myself i prefer a used car as opposed to a new car, the reason being that the new cars price drops quite a bit. As soon as you drive it away, which having a tight wallet kinda makes me feel a little sick. I mean if i buy a car for 12,000 drive it away with a big smile. Then to be told it’s now worth 9,500, within 10 mins is unfair.
I’d go for new. All the reasons are all true, used cars are only cheaper than those that are brand new, other than that, nothing else.
An interesting discussion here. There are a lot of things to consider when you’re choosing between new and used cars, but more than anything I think it comes down to your personal preferences and circumstances. For some people, a used car will be the more sensible choice (and there are certainly plenty of good, safe, low-mileage used cars to be found- it might take a bit of hunting around, but they are there!). For others, it might make more sense to go brand new. In any case, I think it’s important to really consider your options and make sure you’re making the best choice for you.
I personally have never owned a brand new car. I must admit that I am a mechanic by trade. The depreciation value of most new cars is a hard thing to swallow. A low mileage car that is two or three years old seems to be a good strategy. You save thousands and get a vehicle that will last for years to come.
On the other hand it would be nice to have a new vehicle that you know the complete history of from day one, if you can afford one. For most I think a slightly used vehicle is the best choice.