Should You Buy A New Or Used Car?

This is a guest post that was generously contributed by Dan Bodrero of Seat Covers Unlimited.  I hope you find it useful, as many Massachusetts car accident victims are forced to purchase a vehicle following a serious Massachusetts car accident:

Should You Buy a New or Used Car? The Pros and Cons

Thinking about buying a car? Wondering if you should buy new-to-you (used, that is), or a car that's not only new-to-you, but new to anyone (as in brand-spanking-new)?

Below are the pros and cons:

The Pros of Buying New

For some people, that new-car smell just can't be beat. In addition, you can pretty much pick out whatever color, model and add-ons you want with a new car. With a used car, you can't ask for side air bags, for example; either they're there, or they're not.

New cars also can give you some peace of mind. If the car turns out to have problems with it soon after you purchase it, you're protected by "lemon laws" which require that a car dealer or manufacturer fix or replace your car should there be mechanical problems with it. Or, if you're disgusted with the car as a result of its problems, the dealer/manufacturer must refund your money. Used cars? Unless a used car dealer offers some type of warranty or guarantee, what you buy is what you get.

Speaking of warranties, new cars come with multi-year or multi-mileage warranties. Should something go wrong with the car that's covered by the warranty and within the warranty's time frame, the dealer or manufacturer will fix it at no charge to you.

So long as the car has no major problems (re the lemon laws), a new car won't need major repairs for quite some time. It will be several years until your vehicle needs big repairs such as new brake pads or an alternator. In addition, some dealers — to entice people to buy from them — will include free regular maintenance (tune ups and oil/filter changes) at no cost.

The Cons of Buying a New Car

New cars depreciate in value immediately after you drive them off the lot. Some see their value depreciate by several thousand dollars.

And, speaking of cost, new cars can cost a lot more than a used car. Many "reasonably" priced cars today go for $25,000 or more, while a decent used car can be found for $10K-$12K (possibly even less if the buyer has the time to research and hunt for a good deal).

In addition, it will cost you much more to insure your new car than it would be to cover a pre-owned vehicle. You always should check with your insurance company before buying any car to get an idea of what the coverage costs will be. You can call your agent with the year, make and model of the vehicle you're considering and your agent will be able to give you a good coverage ballpark. Be prepared — insuring a new car can be $100-$200 or more a month than covering a used car.

About the Author: Dan Bodrero is the owner of Seat Covers Unlimited, a custom seat cover manufacturer in Mesa, AZ.  He can help you find truck and car seat covers to fit any make/model of vehicle you own.