What’s the Oldest Used Car You Should Consider?

Choosing a pre-owned vehicle for your St. Louis commute and other driving needs can be an affordable alternative to choosing a new vehicle. While a pre-owned vehicle will obviously be older than a new car, how old is too old for a used car? Suntrup Automotive Group covers the oldest used car you should consider among other factors that you should search for while you find the perfect pre-owned vehicle. When you’re ready to find a great pre-owned vehicle for you, you can visit our dealership online or in-person to explore our current inventory.

How Old is too Old for a Used Car: Safety

Safety is a priority you should consider for any vehicle in the St. Charles area, especially a used vehicle. Obviously, the newer the car is, the better its safety quality will be, but you should also pay attention to how expensive the car was when it was brand new. The more expensive the car was when it was new, the better the safety quality will be. Here are some significant safety additions throughout the years to keep in mind:

• Dual airbags became federally mandated in 1998.
• Anti-lock brakes and side airbags became more widespread between the late 1990s and early 2000s.
• Stability control became mandated after 2007.

How Old is too Old for a Used Car: Reliability

What’s the oldest car you should consider for reliability? For reliability, you probably want to avoid anything that is too old as age will decrease a vehicle’s overall reliability. Mileage will also play an important role in determining a vehicle’s reliability. For vehicles with more than 150,000 miles on the odometer, try to find something newer than the late ‘90s. As always, you can view the maintenance history and overall vehicle history report.  You can also check out our inventory of certified pre-owned vehicles at Suntrup Automotive Group to get a vehicle with assured and inspected quality without a new model price tag. When you find the car you like, you can set up a test drive in St. Louis at our dealership.

How Old is too Old for a Used Car: Technology

If you want a vehicle with more advanced technology features, then you might consider getting something no older than 10 years. What was considered luxury technology 10 years ago, like heated seats, is usually standard in most new vehicles today. Depending on the model you buy, a vehicle with more advanced technology features might end up costing you more in maintenance bills. This is something to consider before getting a vehicle with more technology features.

Find a Reliable Used Car at Suntrup Automotive Group

So, what’s the oldest used car you should consider? This depends on whether you want a vehicle with more technology features or just something that is reliable. Contact us at Suntrup Automotive Group near Fenton and take advantage of our used car specials.