HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT USED CAR
1. Choose 2 or 3 cars from our inventory
Does this car fit your budget? Does this car meet the needs of you and your family?
Can everyone sit safely in the car with proper safety restraints? Is there a place for small children to sit safely where airbags won't pose a threat if deployed? Is entry and exit suitable for any older adult passengers among your family and friends? Is the interior/exterior going to be comfortable and easy to maintain year round? Is the cargo area spacious enough to put luggage for everyone?
What is this car's main purpose? Can you take your boat, bikes, skis, camping equipment? Will it perform well in weather conditions you regularly encounter? Will you be spending more time in this vehicle commuting as a single passenger, or will you be using it every weekend for getting away to the outdoors?
What about gas mileage? Have you considered the impact of the car on the environment? On your gas budget?
2. Compare the used car reviews for each car
What are knowledgeable professionals saying about this car? What are satisfied consumers saying about this car? What are dissatisfied car owners' complaints? Do these complaints concern you? List the weaknesses from this car's reviews. List the strengths. Remember the purpose for this vehicle. Which matter more to you, the strengths or the weaknesses? Is there a similar car, a car in the same class as the used car I chose, that would be better for me? Which of the cars you chose came out ahead in the reviews?
3. Compare the used car safety records
How safe is the car in the city? On the freeway? When loaded? How safe for small children? For other passengers? For the driver? For teenage drivers? How safe in the weather conditions you'll experience? In the snow? In the rain? In high winds? How safe is this car in head-on or side-impact for passengers of all ages? Drivers? What airbags are included? Safety belts? Cargo restraints for open cargo areas? Do you need child safety locks for the rear seats? Windows? If you have small children do you need a trunk release to keep children from getting trapped?
4. Research repair records and used car reliability ratings
Does this particular car have a repair history? What parts are relatively new? What parts will need to be replaced in a few miles? What condition are the tires in? Are parts for this car readily available? Are the parts expensive? Is there a convenient, reliable service organization for this vehicle? What do the used car reviews and reports say about this car's long-term reliability?
5. Compare the pricing and value of each car
How expensive is this car to insure? What are the security issues with this car? How likely is it to get stolen? How easy is it to break into? Is there an identification record for the car parts? Is there an effective security system?
What is the resale value of this car? Now? In a few months? At the end of the financing period? At the time I am likely to sell the car? How easy will it be to resell? How expensive are the upgrades I might want to add to the car? What is the value of the upgrades already on the car? How does this value affect the current price? Do I need/want all the upgrades I'm paying for on this car?
How many miles are on the car? What year and model is this car? What is the general condition and cleanliness of the car aesthetically? Does the car have new tires? What other expensive parts have recently been replaced? Will need to be replaced soon?
HOW USED CAR REVIEWS AND REPORTS HELP YOU DECIDE
Review your research and choose the car that:
- reports higher resale value with lower projected maintenance costs
- reports acceptable reliability during the years you'll own it
- is less expensive to maintain, repair, and insure
- is recommended by professional used car reviewers and customers
- has a known history
- has the best safety report
- is better for the environment
- is cleaner and aesthetically pleasing
- suits your needs better
Call us or visit us. Our knowledgeable sales staff can answer your questions. If you don't see what you want in our inventory, don't worry. We buy used cars every week. Email us. We can find the right used car at the right prices. Get financing by filling out our pre-approval form. Come in. Buying a car is easy at Family City Motors! Se habla Espanol!
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