Common Used Car Myths Debunked for Smarter Buying
Key Points
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Online Car Buying Does Allow Test Drives. Many reputable platforms now offer at-home test drives with flexible return policies—one of the most common used car myths debunked—making online used car shopping safer and more practical than many assume.
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Financing Through Dealerships Isn’t Always a Bad Deal. Dealership financing can sometimes match or even beat bank rates—it’s worth comparing multiple offers before deciding.
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Certified Pre-Owned Cars Offer Significant Advantages. Unlike regular used cars, CPO vehicles undergo strict inspections and often come with extended warranties, making them a more reliable choice.
If you’re in the market for a used car, you might have gone through the process before.
If so, then you likely know enough to feel confident as you look through all the different options you’ll find available.
However, if you’re a relative newcomer to the car-buying process, you might have a hard time separating fact from fiction.
Waxahachie used cars are there for you when you’re ready to buy, but before you take the plunge, we should tell you what’s true and what’s false among the many used car-buying claims you might hear.
You Can’t Take a Test Drive if You Buy a Car Online
There are many websites and apps that now allow you to buy a car online—proving one of the most persistent used car myths debunked.
Many shoppers find it easier than visiting a dealership in person.
However, you may shy away from buying a car online because you believe you can’t test drive it in the same way you could if you went to a dealership in person.
If you believe this, you are operating under a misapprehension.
It is indeed possible to test drive a car that gets delivered to you from an online website or app.
These sites and apps generally give you a few days with the car to try it out.
If you find that one’s not working for you, then you can usually return it with no questions asked.
It’s Always a Bad Idea to Get Financing from the Dealership
You might have heard that it’s not a smart idea to get financing from the dealership.
Instead, if you’re buying a used car, you should get financing through a local credit union or a bank.
This is not necessarily true—another one of those used car myths debunked. While dealership financing might not always offer the best terms, it can sometimes match or even beat rates from banks or credit unions.
It’s helpful to get quotes on financing from a few banks and credit unions in addition to the dealership itself.
That way, you can be sure you’ll pick the one with the terms that make the most sense for you.
Women Get Treated Differently at Car Dealerships Than Men
It would be nice to say that this one isn’t true, but unfortunately, many women report that they get treated differently when trying to buy a car in person versus their male counterparts.
This happens so often that some women like to bring one of the men in their life with them to buy a used car because they feel they won’t get swindled that way.
Not every used car salesperson will treat you differently because of gender.
If you feel that this is happening, though, there is no reason to give that particular dealership your money.
Show them how you feel by going elsewhere.
It’s Best to Put as Much Money Down as Possible When You Buy
This is sometimes true.
If you put more cash down when you buy a used car, that means your payments on it going forward will be for less money, and you won’t have to make as many of them before you own the vehicle outright.
In some instances, though, you simply won’t have that much money to put down at the time of purchase.
If that’s the case with you, it’s still fine.
Getting a car for no money down is not ideal, but if you absolutely need to have wheels right then, there’s no reason not to move forward.
That’s assuming, of course, that the deal you sign does not seem to be unfair or downright predatory.
You Can’t Get as Good of a Warranty if You Buy a Used Car
Unfortunately, this is sometimes true. It makes sense, if you think about the reasoning behind it.
If you buy a used car, it is much more likely to break down than if you purchase a brand-new one.
Accordingly, the dealership does not want to be responsible for having to fix it for as long as would be the case if you bought a brand-new vehicle instead.
You will probably want to give preferential treatment to a dealership that will still give you a decent warranty if you buy a used car from them.
It’s almost always worth paying more for a vehicle if you can get a one or even a two-year warranty over a three-month one.
There is No Difference Between a Certified Pre-Owned Car and a Used One
This is patently false. There is often a major difference between a car being described as “used” versus one that is described as “certified pre-owned.”
Certified pre-owned vehicles are often still sold by the vehicle’s manufacturer.
Before they put it on the market, they will check it very rigorously to make sure everything is in good working order.
This is something that is far from certain if you buy a used car.
If You Happen to Buy a Lemon, There’s Nothing You Can Do About It
When you’re shopping for used cars, you should always be on the lookout for the dreaded lemon, a car that looks okay, but then starts giving you problems the moment you drive it off the lot.
Luckily, many states now have anti-lemon laws.
You can complain to the state’s attorney general.
They should take that kind of thing seriously and come down hard on the entity that sold you the vehicle.
It’s Not Necessary to Take the Car Out on the Highway During a Test Drive
While it is not technically necessary to take a used car out on the highway before you buy it, it’s still a smart thing to do.
Driving it on local roads won’t allow you to press down on the gas and see what it sounds like at higher speeds.
During the test drive, try to operate the vehicle on back roads, highways, and in as many other situations as possible.
