Maintaining Used Cars vs New Cars
Mercedes Porsche Mechanic | Midtown Auto Repair | Services | Sacramento
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Maintenance is part of owning a car whether it is a used car or a brand new car. The frequency of maintenance will differ and with that comes different costs. That is why we are here today. We are going to go over the different maintenance costs associated with used cars vs new cars.
To begin, know that every vehicle will need regular maintenance such as oil changes and tire rotation. Plus, all cars will need repairs after an accident or to replace worn-out parts. That is a given. But aside from that, generally speaking, new cars will need less maintenance than used cars (obviously). In the first couple of years, a new car typically needs little work beyond scheduled oil changes and tire rotation. Additionally, nearly all new cars come with a warranty to cover the cost of repairing anything that breaks unexpectedly within the first 3-4 years. As a result, the costs of maintaining a new car are very minimal.
On the flip side, if you decide to get a used car, expect to pay more in maintenance costs. In general, older vehicles need more maintenance. You can expect to pay over $200/year to maintain a car that is half a decade old and over $400/year to maintain a car that is a decade old. Any car older than that, expect the annual cost to be larger. Although those numbers sound scary, those are only averages according to Consumer Reports. Also, the way you treat your car, used or new, does make a difference. If you are good about doing regular maintenance on time, your car will be much less likely to break down as it grows older.
So, if you are debating on which way to go, take this into consideration. New cars will cost more upfront and maintenance costs will be slim while used cars will cost less upfront and maintenance costs will be more as that is the nature of how cars work. Either way, staying on top of regular maintenance and fixing problems early will keep costs down.
For more information on car maintenance please reach out to us here at Midtown Autoworks