When you finally decide to purchase a car, you can purchase it from a used car dealer or from a private party. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to whichever option you select so it is important to weigh your decision carefully to make the right choice.
Generally, buying a car from a dealership can take a lot of the heartache out of the whole process. This is because the dealer will handle all the elements for you such as the paperwork so that you do not have to.
On the other hand, a private seller is more likely to offer you a better deal because there is often more negotiating room with private sellers. Therefore, the choice between private sellers and a dealership will be entirely up to you and your needs. To help you out, here are some pros and cons of each:
The pros of buying your car from a dealer
All your paperwork will be handled
Buying your car from a dealership means that all the paperwork will be handled for you so that you do not have to worry about leaving anything out.
You will receive a warranty
If you are buying a used car especially, many dealerships offer their customers warranties to give them the assurance that the car will run smoothly. If something should go wrong, a warranty should protect you from unexpected repairs.
It will be easy to finance
Buying a car from a dealership means that it will be easier for you to approach a bank or lender for financing.
Disadvantages of buying from a dealership
It will cost more
If you buy your car from a dealership, there is a high likelihood that your car will cost more. A dealer has to make a profit so there is no way they will sell a car to you at a lower price no matter how good your negotiating powers are.
Buying a car from a private seller
Even with all the assistance that comes with dealership sales, there are still some advantages of buying your car from a private seller that include:
Cheaper
Private sellers are more likely to be flexible with their prices. If you are dealing with a seller that is looking to get rid of the car quickly, there is even a higher chance that you can get an even lower price than originally expected.
Disadvantages of buying your car from a private seller
No warranty
A private seller will not be able to offer you the warranty that the dealership will. As such, if you purchase a car and it ends up developing issues, you will have to sort out these problems out of pocket.
You will do all the work
With private sales, you will have to do all the legwork yourself. A lot of footwork also needs to be done before you can find the right seller to work with. Therefore, if you need a car in a hurry, buying from a private seller may not be your best option. Most importantly, avoid the 10 mistakes people make when selling cars.