Once you have an idea of the kind of car you
want and roughly how much you're looking to spend, the next question might be: new or
used? A used car will often cost less than a new
one. But a new car may be more reliable and have fewer unexpected repairs that can impact
your schedule and budget. For this example, let's take a look at two
cars- one new, and one used, and then compare and contrast all the variable expenses you
might encounter with each car over the next five years - like, the cost of the car, the
cost to finance it, the cost of gas, insurance, and finally maintenance and repairs. But first, let�s start with the cost of
the actual car. So over here, let�s say we have a brand
new car with a sticker price of nineteen thousand dollars� and over here, we have a used car that is
the same make and model as the other one, just five years older that we found for sale
by its owner for ten thousand dollars. Now you may be wondering why is the used car
so much cheaper than the new car? There are a couple of factors- one is that the new car
comes with a warranty which will cover some of your repair expenses, but the biggest factor in the price difference
is depreciation. As a car gets older, it loses value, that
is, it depreciates. So this new car that cost nineteen thousand
dollars, after five years might only be worth about ten thousand dollars even if you�ve
kept it in good condition. And the same car might only be worth about
five thousand dollars in another five years. As you can see, depreciation doesn�t happen
at a constant rate. Sure, it�s almost always going to go down,
but a new car loses value fastest the moment you buy it, but then slows to a more constant
rate after the first few years. If you plan on driving your car until it falls
apart, depreciation won�t matter as much because you�re not going to resell it. But
if you plan on trading it in or selling it after five years, it can make a big difference.
With a new car, in five years, your car might be worth about nine thousand dollars less
than what you initially paid. And with the used car, over five years, your car might
only be worth five thousand dollars less. Now let�s take a closer look at some other
differences, starting with the financing. You may be wondering if you can finance a
car you buy from an individual? Fortunately, you can get this kind of financing from a
bank or a credit union. But when you purchase a used car, you�ll
likely get a higher interest rate than when you buy a new car. So, let�s say the annual percentage rate,
or APR on a five-year loan for the new car is three point five percent. And the APR on
a loan that you get for the used car could be something like four percent. Using an online loan calculator, you�ll
find that on the new car, you�ll be paying about twenty thousand seven hundred dollars
over five years�that�s nineteen thousand dollars in principal and one thousand seven
hundred dollars in interest, with monthly payments of about three hundred fourty five
dollars. On the used car, you will pay about eleven
thousand fifty dollars over five years: ten thousand dollars in principal and one thousand
fifty dollars in interest with monthly payments of about one hundred eighty five dollars. So even though you have a higher interest
rate on the used car, you�ll pay much less in interest and in monthly payments because
your principal is much less on the used car than on your new car. Next let�s compare gas mileage. Let�s
say the new car gets thirty three miles per gallon and the used car gets twenty nine miles
per gallon and you drive about fifteen thousand miles per year. Let�s also assume that gas
will be a constant four dollars per gallon. [take this next section very slow] Over five years� taking the miles driven�
divided by the miles per gallon� times the price of gas per gallon� we would be spending
about... [resume normal speed] nine thousand one hundred dollars for gas
for the new car and about ten thousand three hundred fifty dollars for gas in the used
one. Then there are insurance rates to consider.
Insurance rates vary based on a lot of different factors, and in looking at new versus used,
the difference in the rate for you will likely be based mostly on the replacement cost of
the car. The more valuable the car, the higher the insurance rate. So while a new car might
get you some discounts for new safety features, generally a used car that�s less valuable
is going to cost less to insure. So with a new car, your insurance might cost
one thousand five hundred sixty dollars a year. Over five years: seven thousand eight
hundred dollars. And with a used car, your insurance might
cost one thousand two hundred dollars a year, and six thousand dollars over five years. Now let�s look at maintenance and repairs.
This is the trickiest cost to estimate because it�s unpredictable and major repairs can
have a big impact on your budget. With a new car, major repairs may be covered
by a warranty in the first few years. So let�s estimate that over five years you spend three
thousand dollars total on maintenance and repairs on the new car. Now, when you buy the used car, you do have
the option of buying certified pre-owned- this will cost a bit more, but it�ll also
come with some sort of warranty. But for this example, let�s just stick with
the car you bought from its previous owner. The cost of regular maintenance typically
increases as the car ages�and so does the chance of needing a major repair. Major repairs
can be inconvenient too� they take time and sometimes you might have to get a rental
car while yours is in the shop. For the used car, you might be lucky and only
need to spend around four thousand dollars on maintenance, but a more realistic number
may be around six thousand dollars on the used car. So adding this up� � you�d spend a total of fourty thousand
six hundred dollars on the new car and thirty three thousand four hundred dollars on the
used car over five years. That�s a difference of about fourty thousand six hundred minus
thirty three thousand four hundred� seven thousand two hundred dollars less on the used
car. Now, keep in mind, this doesn�t take into
consideration the value still in the cars. The new car probably has a few more years
left in it than the used one and if you were to resell them, you�d be getting about ten
thousand dollars for the new car rather than about five thousand dollars for the used car. But we�re looking at a lot of variables,
after all. With certain cars and situations the new one may end up costing you less than
the used one. And there are multiple other things to take into consideration. A new car will probably be more reliable,
with newer features and it may be safer or better for the environment. With a used car
you�ll have lower monthly payments, which could be good for your budget, but it may
also be less reliable and you could have larger unexpected costs when it comes to repairs. By looking at your own needs and budget, and
doing the research and the math on the cars you�re interested in, you can figure out
which is the best choice for you.
A lot of generalizations here that don't apply to all cars. However, this video touches on a lot of important points/variables.
I have a 20 year old town and country that I bought used for 12k that was 36k new and was 4 years old. I save 24k. Repairs - only had 2 and they were both my fault - didn't get radiators flushed with regular maintenance and needed new radiator and oil cooler. Had I done regular maintance, these problems would not have happened.
We have a used Ford Fiesta. 2 years zero problems or repairs. I had a Voyager minvan for many years and zero problems.
But, yeah, rarely ever should one buy new. But if you buy used, buyer beware. There is someting nice about a new car and all that warranty coverage and peace of mind. But cars today are built pretty good.
Don't overpay for a car known for "high reliability". People who put a premium on some brands end up paying MORE. Cars that are popular cost MORE overall.
Imo a lot of used cars aren't even close to being worth it. Don't know how previous owner treated the car or how hard it was driven. Mechanical inspection won't catch every thing. Example, the steering may be fine now, but 1 or 2 years down the road, may need to be replaced. Easily $1,000 out of pocket, since its not a DIY repair.
My 27 y.o. Honda Civic(bought brand new) I've driven to the ground. Looking at purchasing brand new vehicle, with the low interest rates that car makers are offering nowadays, imo makes it very worth while.
3 years ago, I bought a 2001 Toyota Avalon for $2000. I immediately had the timing belt replaced. I think it might have had something like almost 200k miles on it. Now it’s over 350k miles, and I’ve only done routine maintenance- brakes, tires, oil changes.
My gf father keeps telling me I need to get a new car because it’s cheaper to maintain and more reliable. I politely told him no thank you. I’ve never had a car payment in my life, and I don’t plan to. Tonya the Toyota is doing just fine.
I’m now looking to buy new, bought my car used 4 years ago with only 50K on the clock for 1600. I now have a hole in the underside of the bonnet and one of the wheel arches from rust, a squeaking gearbox & clutch, high emissions, rusted brake lines etc.. don’t know what the previous owner did to it but it’s FUBAR. Also, stank of cigarettes & had to get it valeted straight away.