You’re buying a used car. You already know what brand of car you want and what your budget is, but now you have to narrow down your choices. Maybe you also aren’t entirely sure about features, specs, performance, or safety. You’re left asking yourself what are the most important features of a car? Especially a used car. If you’re in the habit of rushing off to a used car dealer to grab whatever you can when you’re in need of a replacement vehicle, it might be best to take a breath, wait a bit, and go over the essentials of what’s important before you commit to spending your hard-earned money.
Mileage
One of the top priority things to look at when purchasing a used car is mileage. If you prefer shopping for used cars in person, the best bet is to sneak a peek at the odometer. If you’re shopping online, the most common practice is to check the mileage of the car through the dealership’s website.
Why is mileage a top priority? Because it determines the wear and tear on a used car or truck. If you head to a used car dealer and the only cars available are ones with over 100,000 miles on them, then it’s likely that whatever vehicle you drive off the lot with won’t last very long on the road. Vehicles with over 100,000 miles are generally primed to come up short when you’re looking for a used car with some longevity. The lower the mileage, the more life you’ll get out of a used vehicle.
Safety
The second top priority thing to look for in a used car are the available safety feature. Safety is extremely important in any car, especially if you’re buying a used model from a car or truck brand that’s several generations old. Keep in mind that safety requirements and features are constantly seeing new revisions, updates, and upgrades as new ways to protect drivers are discovered, and car manufacturers undergo necessary scrutiny to include the latest in safety-rated features to their vehicles.
That being said, if you purchase a used vehicle from an older generation, then you might not be finding the same safety features you would on a newer model. But that doesn’t mean you are missing out on anything. Most cars come with all the basics: power steering, anti-lock brakes, airbags, and crumple zones. Models built after 2016 will come standard with a rearview camera, but you can find older models with this feature.
If you’re buying used and you’re eyeing something from previous generations, you’ll need to gauge whether you’ll have a need for certain amenities associated with newer generation vehicles. These include features such as lane-keeping assistance, electronic stability and traction control, seat belt sensors, road sign sensors, blind-spot detection, or pedestrian detection braking. Models built within the last decade are bound to have some of these features and more, but some older vehicles will have some pretty great features too, like having plenty of airbags, a rearview camera, traction control, and seat belt sensors.
Not all modern safety features are essential, but depending on who you’re buying the car for, what they plan on doing with it, or where they plan on driving it, could determine if these features are important to have or not. For instance, if a high school or college student is receiving their first car, then it might be important to have a teen driver system that can help prevent an accident and help your teen develop good habits. Every family and every driver is different, so be sure to find out what safety features are an absolute must for your needs.
Performance
Something else to pay attention to when used car shopping is performance. Let’s be honest, unless you’re buying a used car with the express purpose of restoration, racing, work, or as a pet vehicle to tamper with, performance likely isn’t going to be the highest priority on your list of features.
However, the need for a vehicle with good performance changes depending on what you plan to use the vehicle for. If you’re in the business of towing or hauling, then you’re going to want to make sure the vehicle you are choosing is up to the task. Things like payload and towing capacities should be considered, along with the available horsepower and torque. It is also good to know if the engine is gas or diesel, and what kind of gas mileage it gets.
But if you’re buying a used car to simply get from one destination to the next, then you don’t need a lot of horsepower under the hood. The fuel economy is always a good thing to be aware of when purchasing a new vehicle, but not necessary. This isn’t to say that performance isn’t important, but prioritizing safety, longevity, and financial considerations of vehicle maintenance certainly take precedence when you’re eyeing a used vehicle.
For more leisure or recreational use, vehicle performance is going to be determined by what you plan on using it for and how long you expect it to last. If you’re not averse to tinkering with the under-the-hood components, you can also make some modifications or upgrades yourself if you plan on going off-road or using your vehicle for activities of the motor-sports variety.
Infotainment
An infotainment system isn’t really essential when buying a used vehicle, unless you have a family and kids to keep entertained during long travel distances from home to school or from work to extracurricular activities. However, many people find them to be an important part of a comfortable drive.
For most newer generation cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs made after 2014, you’ll find that they all come equipped with a lot of the infotainment accouterments that have become standard in the automotive world. So if you decide to buy a used vehicle made after 2014, most come equipped with LCD monitors or touch screens with built-in Apple Carplay and Android Auto support. Other infotainment features such as voice-activated connectivity, wireless smart device support, USB ports, and multi-camera displays are nice to have but are more on the luxury side of a vehicle’s features.
That said, infotainment can be a major deciding factor when choosing between two good cars that meet your standards in the above criteria. While luxury items such as infotainment features are not going to affect the longevity of a used vehicle, they can definitely enhance the rider experience with it. If you can find a used car with low mileage, properly working components and highly rated safety features, then the added bonus of an infotainment suite is like having a cherry on top of the cake.
Finding Your Next Used Car
Whether you decide to go through with purchasing a new or used car, remember to prioritize the features based on what you most need as well as what you want. If you need help finding the used car of your dreams, don’t hesitate to visit us at Parkway Family Chevy near Houston, TX.
Connect with us
