How to Buy a Used Car: 12 Things You Didn’t Know About Car Buying

For some buying a used car is fun, for others troublesome. The How to Buy a Used Car: 12 Things You Didn’t Know About Car Buying infographic from Toyota Certified gives some interesting facts and tips on buying a used car.

Whether you’re in the market for a family SUV, or a sporty little two-seater just for you, buying a used car is something that most of us do at least once in a lifetime. Toyota recently did a fascinating survey that outlines 12 Things You Didn’t Know About Car Buying and found that 26% of us find the experience fun and interesting… and 52% of buyers have no idea what model they want until they step into the dealership! Check out this fun infographic that takes a closer look at America’s car buying experience and you may discover some interesting facts you didn’t know… and some helpful tips about buying your next used vehicle, as well.

Good design, and I love that Toyota Certified (the used car division of Toyota) is sharing some of their internal customer information publicly.  They definitely need to do a better job citing the sources of the data, but some of these statistics are clearly based on Toyota sales numbers.  Others like the “Top Brand Loyalty” that shows Toyota as #1 are suspect because no source is listed.

A few of the percentage statistics could be better visualized.  A percentage is always comparing the statistical value to the total possible of 100%.   So numbers like “53% of buyers prefer their first dealer interaction to be online” should be shown as a stacked bar totaling 100%.  Others like “80% of people used the Internet in their car research” weren’t visualized at all, which makes them feel less important and secondary information to the audience.

Data visualization errors like the doughnut chart of the “Most Popular Colors” just hurt the brand credibility.  You can’t have a pie chart or a doughnut chart that only adds up to 88%.  They must total 100%!

Thanks to Belinda for sending in the link!

Comments

[Glenn]

The color chart not adding to 100% is not the biggest issue to me. The fact that they are not the actual colors offered by car makers bugs me along with no legend to colors. Where are all the light purple cars on the road if they comprise 20% of the car market?

Where's black? Where's tan? Green? It must be 2% or less of the car market.

Otherwise an interesting infographic!

[iCars]

very informative article, thx

[Terry W]

I don't have the design knowledge to comment much on the aesthetics but I think the infographic misses the mark in that the title suggests I will come away with knowledge about the buying process when in fact it simply offers statistics about what the masses are doing.
The fact that people are very loyal to particular brands doesn't really help me. The fact that most people watch "Survivor" doesn't influence my choice, to watch or not, at all.

[CarHelpout John]

Here is the 13th part that were missing. You should always have a pre-purchase inspection by a professional mechanic before anyone buy a use vehicle. You can get the best local mobile mechanic in your area here at http://www.carhelpout.com/location/

[Lokerpedia]

very informative, thanks

[Best Cars Oman]

Well, for me buying a used car was always a troublesome task simply because I was too skeptical about the condition and hidden flaws. However, I guess it is one of the best decisions that people take. Instead of inverting huge sum in new cars, buying a used one can save huge bucks. You article is great. Thank you for sharing.

[khushimehta]

nice inforgraphics. thanks for sharing

[Mehdi A]

What a cool infographic - and very informative! Buying a used car can be kind of daunting sometimes, but it shouldn’t be. With these tips anyone can get started!

[Milosch's Palace]

What a great infographic! So much information on used cars. When buying pre-owned vehicles, the more knowledge you have going in, the better off you will be.

[Courtney Galler]

Very helpful article; I thought the layout of the article was a really neat way to post your information. I'm currently in the market for a used car. I'm trying to buy a used car for my son, but I haven't purchased a vehicle in a long time. I've been doing research on different models that I've seen for sale, but I'm thinking about visiting dealerships, and seeing what's available. Besides checking car history, titles, and warranties, is there anything else I should keep an eye out for?

[Peter Simmons]

I have to agree with Courtney; the layout of your infograph was a great way to advertise your information. I didn't know only 10% of people only looked at used cars! I've been meaning to replace my bicycle, and I think that I might exclusively research used cars. I just hope that I can find some sales.

[cheap parking at manchester airport]

I believe your articles are very insightful and so much informational, yet very easy to read and understand. I am sure your articles will be helpful to everyone.

[Lorela Roderick]

Nice info-graphics! Buying a used car is often risky if you have not made a good research about the vehicle's condition before buying it. You have made a good research here and concluded the data and as per my view I too agree with this information. People always made a lengthy process before buying a car and wastes lots of time for it rather going for a good dealership. My concern is: it is better to find out a good dealer to buy a used car from because if the dealer is a good one then you don't need to think a lot for the car you are going to buy and you can simply trust the dealer.

[Anna Picket]

I'm not surprised that 80% of people use the internet to research cars before they buy one. It's kind of funny that the average age of a car in the U.S. is 11 years, though. That's exactly how old my car is now. No wonder it's starting to give me problems. If I want a new one, I'll have to start researching now, though. There's probably a reason that people tend to spend months looking at different models.

[Robin Sinclair]

As per my view, it does not matter whether you go for a new car or a used one, the only thing matters is proper care and maintenance. Even if you are dealing with a used one but with timely servicing, it can perform the best for a long time. As these are machines so care is the most important to them. Anyways, thanks for the cool idea. Anyone desire to buy a used car must go through these points sharply. Thanks. http://www.foreignaffairsauto.com

[Jade Brunet]

I am pleased to have found this article about how to buy a used car. It is good to know that on average, a person spends nineteen hours online researching cars and getting to know what they want. It would be beneficial to consider looking at gas miles and how many miles are already on the car before committing.

[Ali]

I realy like this post thank you very much for sharing us.

[Octavia Marley]

While purchasing a new or used car we must know about its features. There are some advantages of buying used car such as price, depreciation, insurance rates and choice. Some of the fuel economy features must be checked as cruise control, manual transmission, energy size and authentic features such as interior, entertainment system and powered features. Before buying a car we must properly decide that the car is in our budget and it is comfortable for us in driving . I have also purchased a Mini Cooper Car just before a month ago . It is having good features and running very smooth. If any damages occur then I will give it to the Mini Cooper Repair in Encino as it is the best repair centre of that place .

[Kierr]

I recommend buying a Toyota Certified Used Vehicle. I worked once in a Toyota dealership and I saw how they really check the vehicles. And you can be sure it's always in great condition. Although it's a bit pricier compared if you go online, but, man it's certified. But if used cars are not your thing, you can try new car leasing. That's also a great alternative.

[Noah Carter]

Well , buying a used car always a trouble some practice as car owner often find used car has number of internal flaws and it is fair enough to stick to your decision of buying a used car and, at the end of the day, you have to decide what suits your think-tank. Used car need lot of maintenance and also you will not get the higher price list that you are hoping for. However, buying a branded and expensive car also not make any sense since you hardly drive regularly . I reckon it is individual decision to stick to your plan and buy affordable and less maintenance services. Thanks for the excellent tips . Engaging to read.