Debunking the myths about buying used
Issue date: 6/29/08 Section: FYI
(ARA) - For those in the market to buy a used vehicle, there is definitely some homework to be done. Online price comparisons, vehicle ratings, personal inspections, professional inspections and vehicle history checks are all critical parts of the process. Despite all this information gathering, however, even the most savvy and educated used car buyers can sometimes fall back on folklore passing as common wisdom about what is or isn't a good purchase. Unfortunately, myths and assumptions can keep people from choosing the vehicle that is truly best for them.
For instance, most everyone is drawn to the idea of a car that was owned by another person - someone like them. However, when many used car buyers happen upon a former rental car, it typically sends up a red flag. But should it?
According to research from Experian Automotive, being a former rental car is not necessarily a negative for potential buyers. Short-term rental cars tend to have been through strict maintenance regimens, which can help ensure their longevity even though they may be driven harder than non-rental vehicles.
Another common misconception is that cars with only one prior owner are automatically better than similar vehicles that have had more than one owner.
Though farfetched, the notion of a car owned only by some sweet elderly woman whose commutes were restricted to church and the grocery store remains appealing and sought after. However, Experian's vehicle history research shows that unless a vehicle is 8 years or older, the number of owners isn't a major factor in the vehicle's projected longevity.
Other people avoid buying used cars from the "saltwater states" bordering the ocean, or those that may have often been driven on bumpy, unpaved roads. Geography, in fact, has little to do with the longevity of a used vehicle. Whether a vehicle was used on highways or rural routes, in icy, northern winters or balmy, southern summers, statistics show that location has no material bearing on the projected longevity of the car.
For instance, most everyone is drawn to the idea of a car that was owned by another person - someone like them. However, when many used car buyers happen upon a former rental car, it typically sends up a red flag. But should it?
According to research from Experian Automotive, being a former rental car is not necessarily a negative for potential buyers. Short-term rental cars tend to have been through strict maintenance regimens, which can help ensure their longevity even though they may be driven harder than non-rental vehicles.
Another common misconception is that cars with only one prior owner are automatically better than similar vehicles that have had more than one owner.
Though farfetched, the notion of a car owned only by some sweet elderly woman whose commutes were restricted to church and the grocery store remains appealing and sought after. However, Experian's vehicle history research shows that unless a vehicle is 8 years or older, the number of owners isn't a major factor in the vehicle's projected longevity.
Other people avoid buying used cars from the "saltwater states" bordering the ocean, or those that may have often been driven on bumpy, unpaved roads. Geography, in fact, has little to do with the longevity of a used vehicle. Whether a vehicle was used on highways or rural routes, in icy, northern winters or balmy, southern summers, statistics show that location has no material bearing on the projected longevity of the car.
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