Why it's Best to Buy a Used Car From a Franchised New Car Dealer

William Nicholson
June 11, 2006

When buying a used car, there are many factors that you have working against you. These factors make it easy to accidentally purchase a “lemon”. Under current “lemon laws” it is relatively easy for a dealer to claim that he is not responsible for replacing your vehicle, especially if you have had the car for more than a few months.

The basic argument from used car dealers is that they have no control over what you do to the car once it leaves the lot and there is no way to prove that you didn’t mistreat the car by driving it too hard. Although that is a valid argument, some unscrupulous used car dealers will use the situation to their advantage by selling you a car that they know may not last more than a few months.

Furthermore, one should question why these dealers cannot thoroughly check each car that comes through their lot and give an extended warranty on the vehicles that pass their inspection. When you buy a new car, it usually comes with a warranty because the dealer knows the true condition of the car when it is sold. They do not give feeble excuses about how they cannot offer you a warranty because they don’t know what you might do to the car. A used car dealer should be able to perform an inspection on the vehicle and offer you a fair guarantee.

Buying a used car from a new car dealer can be a whole different experience. This option affords you many benefits that are worth the few extra bucks you may pay for the vehicle. First, most new car dealers will thoroughly inspect the used cars that come through their lot. These dealers have a reputation to protect and want to satisfy even their used car customers (after all, how else will they make any money off of all those trade-ins?).

Secondly, because they check their vehicles, many new car dealers will also offer some form of extended warranty option on many of their vehicles. What kind of warranty you get will depend on what dealer you go to, the vehicle’s mileage, and possibly its age as well. For example, if you purchase a 2005 used vehicle in the year 2006, you will probably be offered a better warranty than a vehicle made in 2001.

Third, you will find a better selection of vehicles that are in much better condition than those offered by a small used car dealer. As a matter of fact, the cars that often make it on to the lot of these small dealerships are vehicles that were rejected by a new car dealership. When these dealers receive a trade-in that they feel will cost too much to repair and bring up to a “sellable” standard, they usually sell it at a used car auction. Many small used car dealers attend these auctions and buy vehicles cheap to sell on their own lot. Some of these dealers will merely repaint the car and clean up the inside before selling it to you.

There are hundreds of new car dealers within most large cities and they all are likely to offer a used car selection. Visiting a website like www.vehiclesonline.com, that brings together all the vehicles in your area by doing a simple web search, can help you determine what new car dealers offer the best price on the type of used car you are looking for.

Buying a vehicle that you know will last can take a lot of the stress out of your used car buying experience, since you know that you are not wasting your money and throwing that hard-earned cash down the drain.

To find the used car you are looking for from a franchised new car dealer, go to www.vehiclesonline.com to view hundreds of used cars and trucks at local dealers near you.

The author, William Nicholson, is a Vice President of Member Services, Inc., and lives in Dallas, Texas. William has spent the last 10 years developing on-line car and truck buying programs for members of large affinity groups such as wholesale clubs, airline frequent flyer programs, and other membership groups. You can email William at william_nicholson@sbcglobal.net