Buying a car from a Dealership or Private Seller?

Tweet There’s no question about it, buying a car is tricky business. One of the first decisions a new car buyer will make is whether to buy a new car or a used car. This is shortly followed by the decision to buy a car from a dealership or from a private seller.

What is the better option? If you think about it, it really depends on who you are and what car you are looking for. If a new car is on the cards, it may be in your best interest to shop around at various dealerships to understand what the different offerings are and where you can get the best deal in terms of financing and all the extras. In many cases, buying a car through a dealership takes away a lot of the headache of buying a car as the dealership will take care of all the necessary paperwork and offer hassle free service that many people prefer and are willing to pay extra for.

If you are thinking of buying a used car, a dealership is an option but it might be useful to consider buying a car from a private seller. Websites such as www.cars.co.za have thousands of vehicles to search from and make it easy to search for cars that meet your needs. If money is a concern to you then buying a used car from a private seller is probably your best bet even though it might take a bit longer to find the car you are looking for.

The decision ultimately lies with you. I happened to find a useful article that addresses the ups and downs of buying a car from a dealership versus buying a car from a private seller. If you wish to find out more, read the article.

 

Are you buying a new car or a used car?

Tweet The time has come, your car is rusted and falling apart, refusing to take you any further. The time you spent together was great but it may be time to move on and start scouting for a new companion to join you on your next adventure on the road. What's the next move?

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.