The Good Life – July-August 2017

While all of these questions are important, none is
more important that taking your potential “new” vehicle
into the service center you normally go to and have a
thorough inspection performed. Some shops offer
basic used vehicle inspections, while others may have
different options of inspections, some more thorough
than others. I would recommend the most thorough
inspection you can have performed. It will not only
give you a clear and concise picture of the “health” of
the vehicle, but can also save you thousands of dollars
in repairs and maintenance that may be needed right
away, a cost most new vehicle owners are not prepared
for right away. Your mechanics inspection can also be
used as a bargaining chip when it comes to purchasing
the vehicle. You can either usually negotiate a discount
on the purchase price and have your mechanic take care
of the necessary repairs and maintenance, or, some
places will do the necessary repairs in good faith of
your commitment to purchase the vehicle, both wind up
being a win for you! On average, a very comprehensive
used vehicle inspection uncovers roughly $2,250
worth of needed repairs and/or maintenance and a
basic used vehicle inspection uncovers roughly $1,400
worth of needs repairs and/or maintenance, not bad for
something that only costs somewhere between $40 and
$200.
After you purchase that “new” vehicle, performing
proper maintenance is the key to maintaining your
investment and keeping your cost of vehicle ownership
as low as possible. By performing proper maintenance at
the times they are recommended, either by your owner’s
manual or your mechanic, you can keep your vehicle
in better health and protect your investment. Also, by
performing necessary repairs recommended by your
mechanic right away can save you problems down the
road, and typically more costly repairs, thus protecting
your investment. The biggest problem is someone buys
a new vehicle, they don’t perform necessary repairs
and/or maintenance, and wind up having a vehicle with
several issues. They wind up trading that vehicle in for
something new, and that could be the vehicle you are
looking at purchasing now. So, ask yourself, would you
purchase your own vehicle if it were on the lot? If you
wouldn’t, you probably are not taking the proper care of
your vehicle, thus lowering the trade in value, and thus
hurting your bank account.
As you can see, I didn’t share the magic “this year,
make, and model is the one to purchase.” The truth
is, purchase what you like, but do your homework and
educate yourself on the vehicle you are interested in
before you buy, it will save you down the road. Also,
when looking for a “new” vehicle, make sure you know
the “true” cost of vehicle ownership, not just what you
pay at the dealer for the vehicle, but also the cost of
maintenance, repairs, insurance, and fuel. That will give
you what your vehicles “true” cost will be on a monthly
basis. •
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