What is important when buying a used car | Km or Age?
The stakes have never been higher in the new-car market. Neither have the stocks lying with manufacturers. Attractive discounts have been offered to buyers and production has been put on hold, and yet sales have not picked up in the past year.
For the pre-owned car market, however, the tale is one of rapid growth and happy buyers.
To be honest, this shift has been long overdue. For starters, used cars offer better value because of depreciation. That means upgrading to a higher segment is cheaper. Insurance costs are lower; the variety of models can spoil a buyer for choice. Last but not least, organised players entering this market has done a world of good to the confidence in the minds of customers.
All the good developments, however, don’t mean you can be complacent. To get a good car, you need to consider various parameters that don’t need consideration when it comes to buying a new car. These include the age of the vehicle and the odometer reading, both of which alter the value of a used car. Both should be used as filters to narrow down on your vehicle of choice. But in which order?
Truth be told, this debate isn’t new but we will try to clear the air for you. Let’s begin by understanding each factor properly.
Age of the car
The saying ‘Old is Gold’ may apply to many things, but automobiles aren’t one of them. Unlike wine, a car depreciates with age. Even if it’s sparingly used, body panels will be prone to rust, tyres (made of rubber!) will start hardening, internal wiring (again made of plastic and rubber) may develop cracks … the list of possible problems is endless.
In places like Delhi NCR, age comes with more baggage for diesel vehicles: if it’s more than 10 years old, you’re not legally allowed to drive it around.
The odometer reading
It’s fair to assume that most petrol cars are used anywhere between 750-1,250 kilometres each month. For diesel cars, this figure is generally higher by about 20-50%. If the car you have your eyes set on has such an odometer reading, there is nothing to be worried or concerned about. However, you need to be careful of cars that have run a lot more. Even routine servicing cannot undo key changes, and wear and tear, that occur to the vehicle’s parts. This includes suspension, braking system, engine’s internals, tyres and even the seats! A car that has been used a lot may end up requiring higher maintenance, especially for a change of parts, at a later stage.
Likewise, it’s wiser to stay away from cars that have abnormally low odometer readings or those that have been left parked for days.
Age vs odometer reading
A less used car that’s old or a newer option that has a lot of miles on it: This is the final question that needs to be answered. A good mix, or rather, the balance of both would be the ideal car. A younger used car allows you to make the most of its remaining warranty. It also allows your friends and family members to make ‘fresh’ opinions on your purchase.
A car that has not been used much will offer greater driving pleasure and require less maintenance in the long run.
Does this sound confusing? Let us introduce GoMechanic, a company that is redefining the car maintenance domain. One of their redefining factors is the free inspection they offer on used cars. All you need to do is drive your chosen car to one of GoMechanic’s trusted partners. The experts will not only check the car, but they will also take into consideration the age of the car and the odometer reading to give you an exact status on the car’s health. This will help you make the best decision
GoMechanic is your go-to place if you need a truthful and transparent rating of any used car’s health status. After all, big online and offline players like gaadi.com use GoMechanic’s expertise when it comes to inspecting used cars in the most technical and genuine way possible. Need to find the nearest GoMechanic partner workshop? Head over to gomechanic.com right away.
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