BAY CITY, Mich. -- For a more budget-friendly option, many people will opt to buy a used car rather than a brand new one. A popular way to shop is websites like Craigslist, which allow people looking to sell their used cars to post an ad for it and connect to numerous potential buyers in their area.
This method may be popular, but it really is not as good of an option as checking out a dealership’s used inventory. In this article, we’ll be highlighting some important reasons why you should skip Craigslist and buy a used car from a dealership like Graff Bay City!
1. GUARANTEED FINANCING
One of the top things that deter people from buying a car from a dealership is thinking they can’t afford one because of their financial history. As a result, they turn to Craigslist where a credit check often isn’t required. However, did you know that many dealerships have the ability to get you financed – regardless of if you have bad credit or even no credit? Everyone in a dealership financial department is an expert in their field and will work with you to hammer out a financial plan that works with your budget.
2. THOROUGH INSPECTIONS
If you’re buying a used vehicle, doing so through a dealership is your best option because you’re more likely to get your money’s worth. Unlike buying a car from a Craigslist ad, every used car a dealership has available must pass multipoint inspections to make sure they’re up to snuff before they even hit the lot, and a detailed history report can even be supplied upon request that will inform you of any previous damage. If you choose to buy a car from Craigslist, you often don’t get either of these things and thus put yourself at extreme risk both financially and in terms of safety.
3. WARRANTY COVERAGE
When you buy a used car through a dealership, you have the chance of also getting the peace of mind that comes with warranty coverage. A car sold through Craigslist can have a warranty, but it may not be transferable, thus leaving you the new owner to foot the bill for any repairs. While dealership warranties on used cars may be more limited than they are on new cars, they are still better than nothing or thinking that you’re covered when you’re not.
4. ZERO SKETCH
Buying a car through Craigslist isn’t just risky because you might be getting a lemon, but also risky because you have no idea who with whom you’re dealing. For example, the car they’re selling could be stolen, and you only find out when you’re suddenly pulled over by the police on your way to work. The seller could also be a violent individual, luring victims into their clutches under the guise of selling a car. With a dealership, you don’t have to worry about any of that as each and every one is a manufacturer-approved operation and every person you deal with must pass a background check.
5. FULL CONTACT
Let’s say you’ve found a car you love on Craigslist. The seller has kept in touch with you all the way up to the point of purchase, and everything seems fine and dandy. A couple of weeks later, you discover many things wrong with the vehicle that the seller did not inform you of, except now all lines of communication you had with them have mysteriously been disconnected, leaving you stuck with a lemon. At a dealership, the sales team is the face of their manufacturer’s brand and is therefore required to keep in contact with you at all times due to corporate standards of customer satisfaction. Should they fail to do so, you have a direct line to take it up with the manufacturer itself, which is bad news for the dealership as a whole.
While buying a car off of Craigslist may seem like the better option, it’s actually much more of a headache than it’s worth. Instead, consider perusing the used inventory of Graff Bay City, where you can be sure that you’re buying a quality vehicle, can get warranty coverage, and have an open line of communication anytime you need it!
Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.
