Buying a Used Car Doesn’t Need to be Risky

I don’t know if you are old enough to remember, but there was a time when you heard about used car dealers, and you ran as fast as you could in the opposite direction. Back in those days, most pre-owned vehicles were sold at used car lots that were full of balloons and bunting, with rows and rows of cars that were polished to a sheen and sporting signs with “low, low prices.” You’d go in and be greeted by a dealer in a slick, shiny suit who seemed a little too friendly. He’d start talking really fast, and before you knew it, he’d be selling you a completely different car than the one you’d seen at the front of the lot. You’d think you’d made a great deal, but you’d be lucky if the used car you’d just bought didn’t break down as soon as you drove it off the lot.

Times change, and so do car dealerships. Today, you have the power of the internet to let you know if you are paying too much for a used car. Websites like Kelley Blue Book give you a ballpark figure for each make and model based on model year, mileage, condition, and trim. Those days of bargaining blind like you did with the man in the slick suit are over.

Today, used car dealerships like Dan Cummins Chevrolet Buick of Georgetown provide you peace of mind that the pre-owned, used, or certified pre-owned car, truck, or SUV you are buying has the quality and dependability you need. Why trust Dan Cummins for your next used car? Dan Cummins Chevrolet Buick of Georgetown provides you with all the factors you need in a used car dealer that set it apart from those fly-by-night used car lots of the past. Here are the factors you need to know when choosing a dealership like Dan Cummins.

1. Excellent Selection of Used Vehicles

One of the best ways to determine if the used car dealership you’re dealing with is reputable is the size of its inventory. A large inventory shows that the dealership is in it for the long run and that they are not just looking to sell off a few cars and make a fast buck. Rather, the dealer is part of the community, working hard to make sure the customers in the neighborhood receive great service and a quality used car.

The best dealerships will also have a wide variety of cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs so that you can find whatever vehicle you’re looking for. Providing many different makes and models, as well as various trim levels, allows them to serve their customers better. This freedom of choice also helps you get a better deal since it puts you in the driver’s seat when negotiating for your next used car.

2. Get All the Facts With a Carfax Vehicle Report

Carfax provides a comprehensive vehicle report on every registered vehicle, including prior ownership, registration history, involvement in major accidents, open recalls, airbag deployment, service history, and major damage. Best of all, it is easy to obtain, requiring only the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the car that you are looking to purchase. Reputable used car dealers will provide a Carfax vehicle report free of charge as part of the process of selling you your next vehicle.

This service provides you with a level of transparency that is key to making you feel comfortable with your purchase. It is also the kind of honesty and integrity that sets honest used car dealerships apart from those guys in the slick suits at the old used car lots. Knowledge truly is power with a Carfax vehicle report.

3. Certified Pre-Owned Options

One of the major improvements over the bad old days of the used car business is the emergence of Certified Pre-Owned vehicles. To be sold as Certified Pre-Owned, a used car must be one of the best examples available, in superior condition with low mileage. In hard numbers, the car must be no more than six years old and have a maximum of 75,000 miles on the odometer.

But these used cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs are also backed by the automaker itself. In order to be qualified for a Certified Pre-Owned program, the dealer must be an affiliate of the automaker. For example, if you are in the market for a Certified Pre-Owned Chevy or Buick vehicle, you can only find one at an affiliated Chevrolet or Buick dealership.

As an example, the Chevrolet Certified Pre-Owned program offers you a whole host of benefits. First, the vehicle must undergo a thorough and rigorous 172-point inspection. If anything shows up as a result of the inspection, a Chevrolet-certified technician will make repairs. This includes the dealership completing all safety recalls on the vehicle in question.

Second, the vehicle must have a clean title and pass a Carfax vehicle history report. Third, Chevy Certified Pre-Owned vehicles come with three months of OnStar and Chevy Connected Services, as well as three months of SiriusXM satellite radio on compatible models. You will also get a 6-year/100,000-mile limited warranty on the Certified Pre-Owned vehicle’s powertrain and a 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty. Finally, Chevy will give you 24-hour roadside assistance when you buy Certified Pre-Owned. This is the kind of program that you can only get from a certified car dealership, something that those slick used car lots could never give you.

4. Financing Options

Not everyone can walk in the door of a dealership and pay for a car in full. Most of us need to explore financing options, and this is where a reputable used car dealership is of paramount importance. You have to know that the deal you are getting into is one that you can afford, and a reputable car dealership will explore your financial situation with you, go over your various options, and then craft a deal that works for you. The last thing an honest used car dealership wants is for you to have an issue paying your lease or loan. By working with you, the trained professional staff of the used car dealership will make sure that you won’t have to worry about paying off your next car.

5. Servicing and Maintenance

Going back to that old used car lot, the dealer knew that he’d probably never see you again after you drove off. He’d sold you a used car, and he was done with you. But you weren’t done with your car. Every car, even the most coveted high-performance vehicles, requires routine maintenance. You are going to need to change the oil, rotate the tires, get your car’s brakes checked, and get those filters replaced.

A reputable used car dealership knows this and will provide you with a service department of highly trained technicians. These men and women are standing by to assist you with all your automotive needs, from routine maintenance to major repairs. With today’s respectable used car dealer, when you buy that used or Certified Pre-Owned car, truck, minivan, or SUV, your relationship is just beginning. That’s because the dealership with a full-service department is ready for you to provide the service you need for your used car.

When it’s time for your next car, come to Dan Cummins Chevy Buick of Georgetown. We are your best choice for a used or Certified Pre-Owned car, truck, SUV, or minivan in Kentucky. We check all the boxes you need when choosing a used car dealership that you can trust. At Dan Cummins, we have a large inventory of vehicles, provide a Carfax vehicle report with each car, offer Certified Pre-Owned models, and have exceptional finance and service departments that will be with you each step of the way. We make the process of putting you behind the wheel of your next used automobile easy.

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