New Delhi: Buying a used car is totally different from buying a brand new car. On one hand, all you have to do is go for a basic level of research on the segment that you are looking at, visit the car manufacturer showroom, try to get a good deal and go ahead with your purchase with a complete peace of mind.
On the other hand, buying a trouble-free used car is a little lengthy process if you are really looking to get a good deal at an affordable price. One important factor here is the initial step, ‘Research’. If you have done a fair bit of research before arriving at your final choice, chances are that you will end up with a car that is an overall winner.
Now, before we share different ways of doing an optimum research, do go through below considerations which can help you get a good start on your research:
Have a budget in mind
Used car market is like a sea in-itself. While you may find only limited options in a particular segment when going for a brand new car for a restricted budget, used cars give you the liberty to even go for a higher segment which may fit your budget as well. So it’s always healthy to keep a budget in mind so you don’t get swayed away with more and more pricier options.
Know your usage
It’s very important to first understand your own basic usage when going for a used car research. Get these questions answered first! How many kilometers will I be driving daily? How many people will be travelling daily in my car? Do I want a car for my family or will it just be for my own use? How many outstation or highway trips will I make in a month? And lastly, how many years do I intend to keep a used car? By answering these basic questions you can further decide on which type of car do you really want and then continue with your research.
For example, people driving for less than 50-60 km a day should ideally go for a petrol car instead of a diesel. Because going for a diesel car, you will easily be spending close to Rs. 1-1.50 lacs more than a petrol purchase. Now, if you spend that amount of money on fuel instead, by doing the math, you can get 2460 litres of petrol (considering Delhi petrol prices Rs. 61 for a litre) which can cover around 34,426 km easily (considering average mileage 14 km/l). Now, even if you drive 50 km a day, you can drive the car for close to two years every single day in this amount by opting for a petrol car! If your daily running is more, say close to 80-100 km a day, then it makes sense as it will bring down your average fuel cost because diesel is cheaper and it offers more mileage to a litre.
If you are looking to drive it yourself with occasional family drives, a hatchback can work better for you than a sedan, especially if you commute on congested roads. If you go on a lot of outstation trips or drive on hilly terrains as well, an SUV can be a good idea or if you want to spend less, you can even go for a compact SUV as they are less expensive. If mileage is not really your concern, you can even go for a performance oriented sedan or a hatchback, to get the best of driving experience from your purchase.
Start early
People who are not in a hurry can really grab a good deal by spending some time in the research. For the same, say if you are looking to buy a used car anytime soon, it’s always great to start your research at least a month in advance so you get enough time to go through various options. This will help you go through different type of deals and come across multiple cars without being pressed for time to finalize a deal under pressure.
Be patient
One thing that separates a normal used car buyer and a smart used car buyer is patience. You need not jump to conclusions the moment you find a potential buy. There are lot of other factors that needs to be checked and researched before you arrive at your final decision. This involves a thorough inspection of the used car. Here is how you can do an in-depth inspection of a used car before purchase.
Keep your options open
In the used car market, you won’t really come across similar condition cars that just fits perfectly to your needs. If you keep your options open, it can help you narrow down final set of cars and then go ahead in finalizing one. As prices of used cars are quite less than a brand new car, you have an advantage of comparing across multiple segment of cars which can even include a higher segment car in your budget.
Now, once you have done this basic homework, you are ready to go ahead with your used car research with a clear direction. There are a lot of mediums that you can explore when searching for a used car. In the course of this article, we will simplify each medium for you along with its benefits and disadvantages as well, so you don’t have to sweat much for your research.
