When you’re preparing to purchase a vehicle, you’re going to have a lot of decisions to make. Choosing whether to buy the car from a dealership or a private party is one of them. There are pros and cons to each option. What are some of the reasons why you should choose to go down the dealership route?
Knowing The Vehicle’s History
If you go to a private party, you really have no way of knowing what the vehicle’s history actually was like. Even if you run the VIN, the owner still might be hiding some problems from you. The VIN will tell you if the car was in an accident, but it’s not going to let you know about other types of interior problems and the like. At a dealership, you can obtain a full report on the car. Some used cars will likely even be listed as certified pre-owned, so you can get a full picture of the situation.
Opting for Payment Plans
Paying the full amount for a brand new car is difficult, and many people are not even able to do so when the car is a bit older. With a private seller, you clearly cannot have a payment plan. An individual person is not going to work out a lease or finance agreement like a dealership would. Even if someone says that he or she will, trusting a person is difficult. Of course you can always go to your own bank and obtain an auto-loan on your own, but having a dealership work out all the details for you can be much easier.
Wider Selection of Vehicles
Unless you know exactly what type of car you want, you’re going to have to look at a few to make up your mind. With a private party, you are limited to what is currently up for sale. The pool grows even smaller when you consider only reputable offers. By going to car dealerships in Kansas City, you can check out a whole array of cars. This way you have the option to easily test out multiple vehicles, rather than having to call people one by one and ask to test drive their cars.
Warranties and Contracts
An individual also cannot give you a warranty or service contract on the car. By choosing to go to a dealership, you are planning for the future life of your vehicle. You are making a better commitment to the health of the car, and you’ll have the dealership by your side if anything goes wrong. Most new care and even used cars at dealerships offer some type of warranty. This means if the car ends up with a problem a month down the road, you can take it in and get it fixed. If you buy a car from a private party and it starts having issues, most likely it was sold as-is and you will be the one footing the bill to repair it.
Your Own Safety
Yes, the transaction and health of your car will be more secure at a dealership, but so will your own being. Many people who buy cars from private sellers find them on the Internet. Randomly meeting a stranger from the web is extremely dangerous, and it’s not a situation that you want to put yourself into. Getting into a car with someone you have never met before can put you in a risky situation.
When you decide it is time to purchase a new car, you will need to weigh your options and decide what the best option for you is. Because of the safety of both you and your vehicle, purchasing from a reputable dealer may be your best bet.
