FINDING YOUR NEW, PRE-LOVED RIDEJULY 2019 93In general, a car that has
racked up an average of
20,000 kilometers for every
year it’s been on the road and
is relatively young (example:
60,000 kilometers for three
years) still has much to offer in
terms of reliability. Some models,
however, are quite resilient
overall. To get the best deal,
it pays to know how mileage
affects the value of your used
car purchase.Mind the numbers
If you’re buying a pre-owned car,
the numbers that appear on the
odometer should be a primary
consideration in your decision.
Ultimately, a car’s mileage is
a good indicator of its condition,
that’s why when choosing
between two cars that belong to
the same year, a car with 10,000
kilometers will be worth more
than one that’s covered 20,000
kilometers. Vehicle components,
especially those in the engine
and transmission, are only
designed to last so long, and too
many kilometers can render a car
not-so-worthy of your hard-
earned money.Before you dismiss a high-
mileage car though, it pays to
know how it managed to rack up
that number. One of the more
important questions to ask is,
“Is the vehicle a city car or a
highway car?” That’s because a
city car goes through more starts
and stops than a highway car, and
the components will have more
wear and tear as a result. On
the other hand, highway driving
stresses the car a lot less, so given
the choice between a city car and
a highway car with virtually the
same mileage, you’ll want to put
your money on the latter.Age and maintenance
The car’s age is equally
important. Let’s say you find a
car over five years old, with an
odometer reading of around
10,000 to 15,000. The problem
with low-mileage old cars is
that they haven’t seen much
use. Because cars have rubber
and plastic parts that don’t
normally age well, they become
brittle if they aren’t used
regularly. Low mileage can
spell expensive repair and
replacement if you don’t evaluate
the car thoroughly.Maintenance is another thing
you should look into. A car with
a responsible owner who follows
the recommended maintenance
schedule to the letter will likely
be in better condition than one
that doesn’t see much tender
loving care—even if the better-
maintained car has a higher
odometer reading.Be diligent
You can’t judge a car’s condition
based solely on its mileage, so it
pays to have the car thoroughly
inspected prior to buying it. Make
sure you test-drive it, too. Ask the
owner if you can take the car to
a service center to be inspected
before you sign on the dotted line.
If the owner doesn’t approve, take
a mechanic with you during your
ocular inspection if you must.
Better yet, look for another pre-
owned car.Buying a used car doesn’t have
to mean you’re buying someone
else’s problems. By doing some
extra legwork and being patient,
you’ll eventually find the right fit.PRE-LOVED PERKS
Here are some
benefits of buying
a pre-loved car:Lower insurance
rates and
registration fees.
The value of a used
car is lower than the
value of a brand new
vehicle, which means
insurance cost and
registration fees are
also much lower.More affordable
service.
If your pre-owned car
is out of its warranty,
you are not compelled
to have it serviced at
the casa at all times.
You can bring it to
your suking talyer for
minor and quick fixes.
Some add-ons are
already there.
When you purchase
a brand new car,
you spend a lot on
sprucing it up. You
have your windows
tinted, buy a better
audio system, install
a nicer set of wheels,
etc. When you buy
a second-hand,
the features and
accessories you may
already need or want
are already there,
which means you save
lots of cash.