There are two sides to everything, usually one in favor and the other, against. Similarly, when you are faced with the question of buying a vehicle for yourself, you will have two options, new or used, and each option has factors in favor and against. New vehicle, quite apparently, has advantages of its own, such as direct from factory, not given to wear and tear or accidents caused by the previous owners, one’s own baby all through, no confusions in pricing etc.

On the other hand, a pre-owned vehicle has advantages of its own. Early depreciation of new vehicles is significant; hence a used vehicle comes quite cheaper compared to a new vehicle. Given your budget, you can afford a higher-end used vehicle, while you had to settle for a lower end, new vehicle for the same budget. If you are the type that changes your car every now and then, used cars should be preferred, for, you don’t suffer the huge depreciation loss that new vehicles will cause.

Now the question is, should you go to a dealership to buy a used vehicle or if you should buy direct from the owner? Well, on the face of it, both have merits and demerits of their own –

Let us consider buying from a dealer. Most of the major car dealerships also sell pre-owned cars from various different car manufacturers. Before doing so, they usually certify the car for road worthiness after conducting careful tests and inspections. These cars usually carry a warranty for a specific period of time. On the flip side however, since the dealerships are commercial ventures having their top and bottom lines to think about, will have their share of margins added to the price tag, along with different statutory taxes. It makes the dealer cars a bit costlier.

One could think of buying direct from owners. Owners are not given to profit motive nor subjected to different taxes that a commercial establishment is subjected to, making the price tag relatively smaller. However, when you are dealing with owners, you are not dealing with professionals and it can show in non-uniform pricing (read, pricing influenced by the owners’ whims), lack of assistance in paper works, absence of warranty of any kind, no proper technical assistance in valuation and assessing vehicle history etc.

While one can save a few dollars by buying direct from owners, risks associated with its flip side are many. With a big-ticket purchase like a car, initial savings should not lead to lifelong expenses. When possible, we should take advantage of expert help and drive with confidence.

Victory Nissan of Knoxville is a Nissan Knoxville area dealer, serving Knoxville, Oak Ridge, and Alcoa areas. The dealership features both new Nissan vehicles as well as used cars of different makes. Besides new and used car sales, the dealer offers scheduled services & repairs and features a parts and accessories store. Customers are also offered assistance is putting together the right finance option.