Whether you are a first time car buyer or simply looking to
replace your car, at some point the question will arise, should you buy a new car or a used car? Every car buyer is faced with this decision and it's not
always an easy decision to make. Some people for instance will always buy a new
car and get great pleasure from driving the latest models. Driving the newest, latest
model is often considered to be a status symbol, showing the world that you
have money and have reached a certain level of success. Other people though
might not have the finances to secure a new car and therefore dabble in the
used car market. Now there’s no right and wrong, people are just different and
choose to spend their money in different ways.
In my humble opinion, the single factor that most people
fail to consider when buying a car is depreciation. Depreciation is by far the
biggest expense a car owner will endure. Like it or not, if you buy a new car
today, tomorrow you will have lost thousands of Rands due to depreciation and
you will continue to lose many more over the next few years. Many people might
argue then that buying a new car is a waste of money. This might be so, but a
new car has its advantages such as warranties, low maintenance, latest features
and so on, but does this warrant buying a new car?
It may be in your best interest to find a two-year-old used
car that’s in good condition with low mileage. The advantage is that as a car
gets older it depreciates slower making a good used car more worthwhile in terms
of depreciation, as the previous owner would have taken the biggest knock of
the depreciation. It must also be remembered that used cars are also usually
cheaper than new cars and are therefore a more affordable option for many
people.
Ultimately, the decision lies with you and your financial situation.
Let’s debate this. What’s the better choice, a new car or a
used car? Drop your opinion in the
comment box below.
