Tips for Buying Used Hybrid Cars
What to consider? How to consider?
Generally, buying used hybrid cars are no different than buying regular or conventional cars. There are certain things one must look into first. Start by selecting a choice of model year and make. Does one on your list have more problems than the other? If yes, what are the problems? And can they be easily solved? Or is it less encouraging to buy? The most common thing to do will be to look up different websites or magazine and read up on as many reviews as you can about the car make and model you had in mind. What common complaints do owners of that particular car have? This will help prepare you when inspecting the car for yourself.
Secondly, check the physical aspects of the car when selecting. Test to see if the odometer is reading and what is the reading. Has this specific car been in accident? If yes, how many were major ones? It is better and recommended that you purchase used cars from certified dealer (dealer that is authorized for that vehicle make).
Now for the main focus.
When it comes to buying used hybrid cars, the main concern should be the batteries. Here is where sufficient homework is needed to be done – do your own research! Different manufacturers may offer different warranties in comparison. And the warranties are often accurate implications of how long the battery is expected to last. If it is still under warranty, then rest assured you most likely won’t need to spend on a replacement battery until the warranty is well expired. Current costs of replacing hybrid batteries range from $2000 – $3000. These figures are naturally expected to reduce as the number of on-road hybrid cars increase and battery technology improves.
Be sure to check other important components of the car as well for warranties (not just the batteries). You could also seek auto shops’ to inspect the hybrid.
Mileage – another vital aspect to look into. Basically, buying any used cars with lower mileage is better than having bought cars with higher mileage simply because lower mileage means that there are less wear and tear (especially on the hybrid’s components). Take not that most hybrid cars especially the first batch (2000 makes) have exceeded 100,000 miles. So far hybrid cars have been as reliable as non-hybrid cars if not more, any problems would have been corrected by the manufacturers for later hybrid production batches.
Air filter of the vehicle needs to be changed once every six months. It is the lungs of the car so be sure to check the air filter of the hybrid during inspection. And ensure that you continue to maintain it after purchase, not point in buying the right car but not maintaining it the right way.
Inverter coolant should also be inspected because under normal circumstances, it is expected to be replaced at the 30,000 mile service. Sometimes you can inspect this by looking at the car’s service receipt. If you can’t tell that it has been recently replaced, replace it!
Finally, it is often that the importance of the owner’s manual is overlooked, read it! You’ll never know what you find out that could prove helpful should the situation arise!
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