How to buy a great used car
Finding your dream car doesn’t have to be a hassle. At Matt Castrucci Nissan, we make it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. Whether you’re looking for something brand new or a used car, we carry a wide selection of both. You just never know what gem you’ll find on our lot! While new cars are exciting to explore, we know that not everyone is looking for a brand new vehicle. In fact, sometimes it’s smarter to buy used! So how do you buy a great used car and what are some things to keep an eye out for when you’re looking?
Determine your budget
Before you even start looking at a used car it’s important to establish how much you can afford to pay. A good rule of thumb is your monthly car payment should never be more than 20 percent of your income after taxes. It’s so very easy to fall in love with vehicle using the heart and not the head. If you go into the process with a budget you are less likely to do that and more likely to walk away happy.
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Start looking
Once you know what you can afford, then it’s time to start building your list of vehicles you’re interested in. Whether it’s that slick sedan you always see around town or that sporty crossover SUV, start identifying what vehicles you would like to learn more about. When you’ve done that start going through the list and keep only those vehicles that are within your budget.
Narrow down your list
Now it’s time to start exploring prices, reviews and much more to help you narrow down your list even further. Be sure to check out crash test ratings by the iihs.gov and safercar.gov, reviews by industry experts and model comparison pages. There are so many great resources out there to aid you in your research.
Locate your dream car
Once you have an idea of the vehicles you’re interested in, now it’s time to locate those vehicles in your area. Once you’ve done that and you’ve identified that you are interested in looking at a particular vehicle, it’s vital that you receive a vehicle history report before you move forward in the process. Getting this report should come at no cost to you. Here at Matt Castrucci Nissan you can view all vehicle history reports on our website! Select a particular vehicle and view the CarFax Vehicle History Report right there! It couldn’t be easier.
Take a test drive!
This is one of the best parts of the entire process. Finally, you’re behind the wheel! One important step to remember when you’re ready to take a test drive is to schedule the test drive and indicate what particular vehicle you’re interested in seeing. It’s very important to test drive the exact vehicle you’re interested in purchasing, so make sure that happens when you make your appointment. It’s also completely normal to test drive as many as five vehicles. Some shoppers test drive even more! At the end of the day it’s all about finding the used car that suits you best.
We hope this blog post provided some insight to help you find the best used vehicle for you. Ready to find your dream car? Start exploring the Matt Castrucci Nissan used vehicle inventory here! Is a new Nissan more up your alley? We also carry an extensive inventory of new vehicles and you can view all here.
