What Does Getting a Good Deal on a Used Car Mean?

When looking for a used car, many shoppers focus exclusively on gettng the lowest price possible. However, when evaluating a vehicle it is important to look beyond price, year and mileage. Quality is another important factor that is going to determine the overall cost of ownership. Chances are that a used car without deferred maintenance and with verifiable service history will serve longer and will be cheaper to own

Everybody wants to get a great deal when they buy a used car , but have you ever stopped to think about what that really means? There are a lot of different factors to consider. Many people will say it’s the price of a car that defines whether or not it’s a good deal, but when you stop and think about it, there’s much more to it than just the price.

Take any two cars with the exact same price and most people will find one to be a better deal than the other, even though the price is the same. Maybe it’s the brand, or the options, or the color, or the condition, but the plain fact of the matter is that one is going to deliver more value than the other.

What you’re after as a consumer is value. And while price is part of the equation, so is quality. Value is the place where quality and price meet. All those potential reasons cited above for choosing one car over another of the same price are pieces of the quality part of the value equation. Often it comes down to which vehicle meets more of your own personal preferences, but there are other things to think about when it comes to quality.

When comparing vehicles, you can look at which ones tend to have higher overall maintenance and repair costs. And which ones were thoroughly reconditioned with attention to detail? That’s more about the dealership than the car itself. A great used car dealership will make sure that every vehicle on its lot has been meticulously inspected and brought up to top-notch working order. By focusing on cars that are in good shape to begin with and that tend to cost less in maintenance over time, you’ll save a ton of money in the long run. If all you focus on is price, you’ll end up with the cheapest car, but if you have to spend an arm and a leg every few months to keep it on the road, what seemed like the cheapest car may end up being the most expensive car.

Keep the value equation in mind as you shop for used cars in the San Diego area, and stop by Auto City to see how we do things differently. The cars we sell hit the sweet spot of price and quality to deliver maximum value to our customers!