California Used Car vs. Buying New

It’s hard to resist Elon Musk’s affordable Tesla Model Y electric crossover SUV in his 2020 line. It will go a full 300 miles without needing a charge. It’s the crossover version of the Model 3 that emerged in 2016, which people were clamoring for, according to Green Car Reports. Tesla got 115,000 deposits of $1,000 each in 24 hours before the Model 3 launched. Before delivery of the cars the company collected 450,000 deposits. 

Though it’s comparable with other new cars for sale, pricewise, if you have a modest budget you have more options looking at used cars for sale.

MoneyCrashers has an article with reasons to buy a used car rather than ponying up the big bucks for a new car. The most obvious is the instant depreciation when you drive off the lot. But there are other advantages to finding used cars for sale.

There are a lot of associated fees with new car purchases. Some state laws charge taxes on new cars, but not on the sale of used cars. If you buy a car from a private owner in Georgia, you pay no taxes at all. On the other hand, dealers have to charge you thousands of dollars when they sell a vehicle from their lot.

Your car’s registration fee is at issue also. Because they’re typically based on the value of the vehicle, you obviously pay more if you buy a nicer, newer car.

Companies selling new cars also get extra money using such catch-all terms as “dealer preparation” or “destination fees.” With a used car, the only one you owe is the DMV for tag, title and registration fees.

And consider the features on your new car – there are hidden losses for you if you purchase a new vehicle rather than going to a car auction or other source. Some of the financial overkill that new car dealers get away with is the presence of extras on a new car. It’s a tactic some of them use to get a few extra bucks from car shoppers. By including something like “anti-rust coating” or a pinstripe they can add dollars to the sticker price, but it doesn’t increase the resale value of the car at all!

If you’re thinking, “Hey, I like all the bells and whistles,” don’t worry. You can add those features after you purchase the vehicle, and the after-market price is almost always lower.

Car Auctions & Other Ways to Find Used Cars for Sale

If you’ve bought and sold cars very often, you know there are many ways to locate cars for sale in Los Angeles.

AutoTrader
An online vehicle marketplace launched in 1997, AutoTrader reportedly has the largest number of used car listings – including both dealers and private sellers. This used car purchasing platform connects you with cars for sale in Los Angeles – or another area – when you input the make and model you’re searching for.

There are other resources on the website, from research and reviews to videos, seller specials and dealer discounts.

Craigslist
Founded by Craig Newmark in 1995, Craigslist is a classified ad website with categories of individual sales in arenas such as housing, jobs, household items, gigs, used cars and much more. Its headquarters are in San Francisco, but it is internationally known. Some individuals list their vehicles here and deal with it themselves rather than sending it to a car auction.

CarMax
This used car retailer actually came out of Circuit City stores. Though the first CarMax location opened in Richmond, Virginia in 1993, the service wasn’t widely known until much later. It’s the country’s largest used car retailer and because of its resources, cars can be shipped to a CarMax near you for free. The cars you buy through the company can only be six years old or less, while vehicles at a car auction can be a wide range of ages.

Also, CarMax sells cars to registered dealers, as well as to car auctions.

Finding Cars for Sale in Los Angeles, California through Auction

Many used cars find new owners through the auction process. And even before you’ve decided to make a purchase, you can attend the car auction for free to see how it works.

Auctions for Los Angeles used car sales take place in the north San Fernando Valley once a week – every Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. You should arrive early to see the vehicles between 8:30 and 9:45 a.m. Entrance is free of charge.

While the gates open at 8:30, the auction begins promptly at 10 a.m. The used car auction venue is outdoors, so there are some recommendations for attendees:
• Wear comfortable shoes
• Wear lightweight clothing in summer months
• Bring portable chairs
• Bring water and snacks
• No children are allowed at auction
• No smoking is allowed

Sales are CASH only – no other form of payment is accepted, and all donated vehicles are sold AS-IS and may or may not be operable.

You may look over the cars scheduled to be auctioned the same day by checking a list at the auctioneer booth. To find Cars2Charities donated vehicles, find the section of the car auction lot marked for our cars.

When you purchase a vehicle at the car auction, you must pay the entire balance (again – in cash only) by 5:00 p.m.

For more information you can call (818) 767-6031.

Purchasing a Car through Cars2Charities

When you contact us at Cars2Charities with the desire to purchase a vehicle at the nearby car auction, we have a written guide to inform you in advance what to expect. It’s a unique form of used car sales, but there are many good reasons to support it.

Our Values

Service Excellence: For more than 30 years we have been handling car donations for clients with a goal to maintain service excellence at each phase of the process. We work to provide quality at every step, to every donor and partner – to be fast, simple, clean and timely. We constantly seek to understand the needs of those who count on us, and to exceed your expectations.

Integrity: We provide honest feedback, saying what we think and doing what we say. We are trusted because we are honest and dependable. We strive to align our beliefs with our every action.

Generosity: We seek to model cheerful, generous giving in our own lives. We express our gratitude freely and expect to see lives changed as a result of philanthropy and generosity. It is our hope that we inspire our clientele to generously give to the causes they care about, and a car donation is the beginning.

Accountability: You will not hear us say, “It’s not my fault” or “It’s not my job.” We follow through in what we tell you, taking responsibility for meeting commitments – personal ones as well as those of the entire organization. We own the results.

Partnership: We work together. Our teamwork strategy has served us well for decades, and it enables us to combine our strengths for the good of the company, our donors and charity partners. We genuinely care for and support everyone involved in our donation process.

Continuous Improvement: We add value to everything we touch, and we maximize the benefits others receive. “How can we do this better?” is our daily motto. We systematically keep making every step simpler, quicker and better.

When you buy your next “new to you” car through Cars2Charities, you’re supporting local and nationwide organizations. It’s the chance to contribute to charities needing finances. 

We have been the conduit for car donations to every imaginable category of needs. You can donate a car to veterans or donate to children’s causes. Some of our donors are animal lovers, while others want to contribute to expand research for a medical condition.

Some of the causes we’ve been able to support are:
Habitat for Humanity: You may know them as home builders, but Habitat for Humanity does so much more. What actually began as a community farm in Americus, Georgia is now an international housing provider and they also run what they call “ReStores” in more than 900 locations.

Reach Out World Wide (ROWW): Established by the late actor Paul Walker after the Haiti earthquake of 2010, ROWW brings practical help to those suffering from natural disasters all over the world.

Parkinson’s Foundation: Helping people suffering from the debilitating effects of Parkinson’s Disease is the mission of this nonprofit organization. 

Humane Society: One of the most widely respected charities in the world, the Humane Society provides safety to animals living on the street and treats those that are injured, neglected and abused. 

Children’s Hospital: No one can imagine what it’s like to have a little one with a life-threatening disease. The medical staff at Children’s Hospital are in the trenches, treating whole families with cutting-edge science every day. 

Whether you consult Angie’s List or Yelp, you’ve probably depended on the remarks of fellow consumers for household services, products and restaurants. Likewise, we post comments by previous Cars2Charities donors on our testimonials page.

The following are a few of those:
• “They did an incredible job … made the whole process simple.” – John V.
• “Working with Cars2Charities has been great all around. Highly recommend.” – Abigail V.
• “This is the place and the people that go over and above to help you with all the needs. They are friendly, reliable, and honest to their work.” – Rachel N.

You can read more reviews on Yelp; Facebook; and our Testimonials Page.

Testimonials add value to a company’s credibility. You know you can trust the services of an institution with positive reviews. According to Dimensional Research, which specializes in technology companies, 90% of consumers claim they’re influenced by online reviews when making purchases. 

Whether you’re on the donor side or you’re looking for cars for sale, we can help you. The benefit to you if you want to donate a car to charity, is that your car can join other cars for sale in Los Angeles, California, and it will come at no cost or effort for you.

If you’re looking for a used car to purchase, you can experience the excitement of a car auction nearby and you may find yourself like a lot of our past car buyers – coming back again for your next set of wheels.