The same way that buying a new car vs. an old car is not the best financial decision.
No offense, but I don't agree that buying a used car is a better financial decision. A used car CAN be the best decision in some cases, but in general I still think you are better off buying a new car than a used one. Let me explain why I say that.
When you buy a used car you never really know for sure how the car was treated before you bought it. Did the previous owner properly take care of the maintenance on the vehicle? Did the previous owner have kids that drove it and hot-rodded it to death? Why did the previous owner get rid of the vehicle? Was the vehicle continually breaking down and the owner felt it was time to get rid of the piece of junk? There are probably hundreds of possible reasons why the used vehicle is sitting on the dealer's lot. It may even be the previous owner came into some unexpected money and just wanted to purchase a nicer vehicle. But do you really want to take the chance that you may be buying someone else's problems?
Additionally, when you buy a new car you can usually get a rather low interest loan right from the manufacturer. Plus, for some strange reason that I don't fully understand, lending institutions such as banks, credit unions and savings and loans, tend to be more lenient in giving cheap loans on new vehicles than they are lending money for used ones.
Also, when you buy a brand new vehicle, you have a substantial warranty on it. If you have a problem, you can get the problem resolved without all that much of a hassle. Try taking a used vehicle back to the dealer 6 months after you buy it and tell them you want it fixed for free because it now has some major problems with it.
I know you can take precautions when buying a used vehicle. You can take that vehicle to a mechanic you trust and have the mechanic go over it with a fine tooth comb. But unless you are good friends with a mechanic, it will no doubt cost you to have the car checked out. However, doing so can potentially save you a lot of money down the road so it is in your best interest to have the vehicle checked by a mechanic. The only problem is, not very many people do this because it will cost them some money and they don't want to pay it, and that is very unfortunate.
If you purchase a brand new vehicle, and if you take really good care of it, it will most likely last you at least 150,000 miles and probably a lot longer. Right along with this is would be the idea that when you buy a new vehicle you get the latest and greatest technology in-so-far as fuel economy and safety features. If you buy a used vehicle, the odds are it will get fewer miles per gallon, it won't have all the latest safety features, and let's face it, you will have no real way of predicting how long the vehicle will last. How long the used vehicle can last will depend upon several factors. Factors like how many miles the vehicle had on it when you bought it, how well the vehicle was maintained before you got it, how the car was driven before you got it, and no doubt all sorts of other factors that I can't think of off the top of my head.
Anyway, I am of the opinion that buying a new vehicle, in most cases, is a better financial decision than buying a used vehicle. That is just my opinion and I am quite certain there are many others who will disagree. That's OK, this is America, we can disagree and still be friends.
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