Let’s play This or That- What’s a better deal? New or Newer?

by Mark Jenkins

Ok, This or That- which is a better deal?  The brand new car with zero wear and tear, or the gently used one just like it?  By gently used, I mean just a few thousand miles.  Lets take a look at this 2014 Chevrolet Traverse LTZ.  It’s got all the comforts and tech that you’d expect from the top-level trim like the LTZ- lets make a quick survey:

• Heated and cooled seats
• Leather Upholstry
• Touch screen navigation
• All wheel drive
• Power seats with memory position settings
• Rear vision camera

Doing a little internet research, I found that I can spec and build this Traverse LTZ for a brand new MSRP of $45,150.

I know this is a really nice vehicle, but WOW!  Let’s do a little shopping before we drop that kinda coin on a vehicle.  Doing a little more research, I see a 2014 model with the same specs and features, right down to the color, for sale at the Woody’s Automotive Group.  It’s only got 4,600 miles on the odometer, yet it’s priced at $37,716.  Heck of a savings for a vehicle with less than 5K miles.

Rebates?  Yes, often times the new vehicles have rebates, and this one is no different.  Are they worth it, or just fluff?  The manufacturer is offering $2500 cash back on the new Traverse, dropping the price to $42,650.  The gently used sample is still a $4,934 savings.

This is a no-brainer, because Woody’s doesn’t charge any fees to make up for the lower price.  The other dealers? Roll the dice..