Why you should buy a used car. You know it is time to buy a replacement for your vehicle. Repair bills are looming on the horizon or eating into your checking account. Every time you turn around something seems to be going wrong -- both large and small annoyances make driving an ongoing hassle. Once you have made the decision to go car shopping, the first question you must face is whether to go new or used. Here are three reasons you should buy a used car.

The top reason to buy a used car is that new cars are a losing proposition. New cars depreciate fast. Did you know that as soon as you drive a new car off a dealer lot it will instantly depreciate between $1,000-$2,000. After the first three years most cars are worth only about 60-70 percent of their original value. However if you buy an used car then you will have to pay a lot less for a nice car and you will not have to worry about that depreciation.

Once upon a time buying an used car was a risky proposition. There was a good chance you could buy a lemon or a car that had been used and abused or even been in an accident. Today the savvy consumer does not have to face these risks which leads to the second reason for buying an used car. It is safer (and less risky) than it has ever been before. Many reputable dealers offer one-owner vehicles that are still on warranty so that takes some risk out of the equation, but in addition today there are many research tools available on the internet to help you learn about the reputation and performance history for the particular vehicle model you are considering plus you can even run the vehicle identification numbers to determine if a specific vehicle has been in an accident. It is probably a lot less risky to buy an used car than a new unproven vehicle that might turn out to be a lemon. You can also get a pretty accurate value for a vehicle so you know how much you should pay.

Finally, buying an used car takes a lot of the stress out of new car ownership while still letting you enjoy the benefits of a new vehicle. Dealers will give a vehicle a turnout so it will have that new car smell, but because you do not have to worry about the price you paid you can sit back and enjoy your new-to-you vehicle without worrying about tempting fate. Plus, many dealers have more room to deal on an used car than they often do with a new car so you have more bargaining power.

So if you are looking to buy a car then you should consider buying an used car because it will save you money, it is safer than ever before, and it is less stressful.