preview

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Buying A Car

Decent Essays

Buying a car, new or used is one of the worst investments anyone can possibly make in their lifetime. A car is a depreciating asset, it loses value rapidly and drastically. Despite a car being a money pit, a reliable form of transportation is essential in order for most people to produce an income. The question is whether to buy a new or used vehicle. Both come with their advantages and disadvantages, but it all depends on what the buyer wants and their approach to buying a car. I would never buy a new car because it’s a horrible investment and buying a used car is infinitely a better vale.

You want a new car but don’t want to take the first year’s hefty depreciation hit. Cars lose value with each passing month and mile, but the steepest decline happens right away; some models can lose 40 percent or more of their value in the first year. New cars typically depreciate about 20 percent when they are driven off the lot. Most cars will lose another 10 percent in value during the first year. That’s a 30-percent loss in value during the initial year of ownership. A $30,000 car loses roughly about $9,000 in value during that period. You can avoid that depreciation hit by buying a one year old used car. Depreciation flattens out, usually after a car’s second year when the rate of depreciation dips before increasing again around year five.

Comparing apples to apples, a used car is going to be less expensive. The advantage of the used-car price can

Get Access