When is a car too old to buy? | OK Carz

Dirty, rusty, old car stuck in the mud

How old should your used vehicle be? 

When buying a used vehicle, there are a lot of aspects that drivers have to consider that they wouldn’t think about in a new vehicle. For the most part, on a new vehicle, it will maybe be a year or two old, at most. Many are essentially fresh off the line. However, with a used car, you have a wide range of options to consider, making it more difficult to figure out which one is the right choice for you. When you’re looking at vehicles from a wide sample of years, you need to think about how age can affect a used vehicle.  

While there are some benefits to buying a much older vehicle, like the unique styling and in some cases, lower price, there are some reasons why you shouldn’t purchase a vehicle that was made before the invention of the iPhone. For one, your vehicle probably won’t have the technology features that many people now want. It also might not have stability control, which wasn’t mandated by the government until 2007. Older vehicles will have airbags, which were federally mandated in 1998, and many will have anti-lock brakes and side airbags, which became common in vehicles in the early aughts. So, if you’re looking for vehicle safety, anything from the late 90s to early 2000’s will likely have many of the basic safety amenities that drivers have come to expect, but as you inch closer to the present, you’ll also have access to advanced safety feature as well. 

[Related: How to find a dependable used vehicle]

When does a vehicle stop being reliable? 

Woman looking for a car in a dealership talking to a salesperson

The older a vehicle, the longer it has been on the road, racking up miles and owners. Even when well-kept, normal wear and tear will win out in the end, potentially leaving you with costly maintenance a couple of years down the line. After about 20 years, as your vehicle ages, it will also get harder to find parts for repairs, once again driving up the price. When it comes to deciding if a vehicle has been around the block a time or two too many, think about how long you’d want it to last with you, and if you’re willing to put in the time to keep it in great shape.  

When it comes down to it, any vehicle that has been well-maintained that you feel comfortable driving is a good vehicle for you. While older vehicles will probably need more maintenance and lack the modern technologies, you can’t put a price on finding a vehicle that fits you, whether that is through the appearance or the pricing. Sometimes, even when you’re looking at an older vehicle, you might need some assistance with financing. If that is the case, visit OkCarz, where you can get financing help, no matter what your credit score is, and even apply for financing online.  

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