During the pandemic, new car prices have risen by about 30-40%. Many motorists turned their eyes towards the “secondary”. In the article we will talk about the most liquid cars in the secondary market and share tips on choosing.
Why buy used cars when there are new ones in showrooms
“The car is not a luxury, but a means of transportation.” It seems that this famous quote from the work of Ilf and Petrov has lost its relevance. According to analytical agencies, the weighted average price of a new car in Russia now is about two million rubles. Not everyone can afford an iron horse for such a price.
The situation in the secondary market is no better. In just one year, prices for used cars have grown by 60%, according to Avito.Avto experts. The average price tag at the moment is 640,000 rubles. Compared to two million, it doesn’t seem so predatory. Therefore, Russian motorists, who used to be prejudiced about used cars, reluctantly change to them.
In addition to them, there are several categories of people who fundamentally do not buy new cars. For example, beginners after driving school. Lack of driving experience can lead to accidents, both minor and serious. A new expensive car is much more offensive to scratch than a used cheap one.
Used cars are also chosen by motorists who are not distinguished by constancy. Some of them can change up to five cars in ten years. If you take a new car every time, you can easily go broke.
You will not have to delay buying a car if you take a car loan from Sovcombank. With it, you can buy both new and used cars. Choose the right program and calculate your monthly payment right now !
Where to look for used cars
You can buy a used car from the following categories of sellers:
- owners;
- resellers – private individuals;
- car dealerships.
The first option is the most profitable and reliable for the buyer. The price of intermediaries can be higher by 20-40%. In addition, it will not be superfluous to chat with the person who drove the car before you. It’s one thing – if it’s an intelligent grandfather with glasses, and quite another – a smoky student.
In search, we advise you to immediately go to the Internet. All the sellers listed above publish offers there – including car dealerships.
Among the numerous online services, four of the most convenient and popular can be distinguished.
- Avito
An online platform where you can buy absolutely everything. Car search is very convenient – you can specify all the necessary parameters and filter out inappropriate options. Of the minuses – sellers are not required to indicate prices, so you often have to find out this information yourself.
- Auto RU
A portal specializing in the sale of vehicles and their components. Of the chips of the service is the function of comparing car models and specific ads for sale. The downside is the irrelevance of some ads, since after the sale they are not deleted.
- Drom.ru
This is not only a platform for buying and selling cars, but also the largest auto forum in Runet. Here you can read reviews of different cars and participate in the discussions yourself. In a special section, you can see cars that are sold at car markets in different cities.
- en
In addition to ads, the site has a section with news from the automotive world and reviews of various models. You can get acquainted with the characteristics of the machine of interest and immediately find a suitable option. Of the minuses – the portal publishes ads from other sites, which may be out of date.
What cars are the most liquid in the secondary market
Before purchasing a car, prudent buyers think about how they will sell it in the future. Few people buy a car with the expectation of driving it for the rest of their lives.
After 3-5 years, when a person decides to part with the iron horse, he may encounter problems. The fact is that some models in the secondary market are sold with difficulty due to low demand for them. And some – very much lose in value due to wear. You will either have to lower the price, or wait for the buyer for several months.
In early February, the Avtostat analytical agency published a rating of the most popular cars in the Russian secondary market for 2021. The top five looks like this:
| brand, model | Sold in 2021, thousand units |
| Ford Focus | 138.9 |
| Lada 2114 | 132.6 |
| Hyundai Solaris | 126.8 |
| Kia Rio | 126.8 |
| Lada 2107 | 126.1 |
However, these statistics do not take into account the loss in price during the resale of cars – and this is a very important factor in assessing liquidity. In five years of operation, some machines can lose up to 50% of their original value.
A study conducted by the Right Price project and the Avtostat Info company at the beginning of 2021 identified cars that lose the least value during use. The top 5 most attractive cars from this point of view are presented in the table.
| brand, model | Residual value after three years of operation |
| Hyundai Creta | 90.3% |
| Mazda CX-5 | 88.6% |
| Mazda 6 | 84.5% |
| Toyota RAV4 | 84% |
| Kia Sorento | 82.7% |
The rating included cars with a service life of three years. The average percentage of the cost was calculated from the price of selling a new car at a dealer. With other parameters, data on liquidity may differ.
Dreaming of a new car? It’s time to act! Buy a new or used car in a showroom or directly from the owner, and Sovcombank will lend money for the purchase . A loan with a rate of 14.9% per annum will allow you to quickly and easily get behind the wheel of that car, for the purchase of which there were not enough funds. A convenient calculator on the site will help you calculate the terms and amount of payments. Fill out the application online, it takes less than a minute. A bank employee will contact you to clarify the details and make a quick decision.
What used cars can not be bought
Buying a car in the secondary market is a lottery, especially for people who are far from the automotive topic. An ideal-looking specimen may turn out to be a pig in a poke. Therefore, it is worthwhile to prepare well for the purchase and, if possible, involve a knowledgeable person.
Experts advise completely refusing to purchase the following used cars:
- Daewoo Nexia;
- Chery Amulet;
- Renault Megane;
- Citroen C5;
- Mazda RX-8;
- Chevrolet Lanos;
- Nissan Primera III.
With what mileage is it generally better not to consider a car
Mileage and age are the main factors to consider when buying a used car. The optimal indicators are considered to be 40–70 thousand km and 4–6 years. On such a car, it will be possible to safely drive for several years and not know problems. Of course, provided that the previous owner operated the car carefully and regularly underwent maintenance.
As for the mileage limits, they differ depending on the price category of the car and the country of manufacture. Experts advise sticking to the following values.
Price category:
- up to 150,000 km – for budget cars;
- up to 250,000 km – for cars of a more expensive segment.
Issue country:
- up to 100,000 km – for Chinese cars;
- up to 160,000 km – for American;
- up to 220,000 km – for European and Korean;
- up to 250,000 km (and sometimes more) – for Japanese.
Of course, these figures are highly arbitrary. Many factors are not taken into account: the roads on which the car drove, the climate, the number of owners and their attitude towards the car, participation in an accident. Each specific case must be considered individually. Therefore, when choosing an iron horse on the “secondary”, it is recommended to enlist the support of a professional.
