Should I Buy a New or a Used Bus?
If you need a convenient form of transportation for a lot of people, then a bus is the ideal vehicle to purchase. You may be wondering whether you should look into buying a new bus or a used bus, since each option has its pros and cons. Is one option better than another? It depends on what it is you need from a bus, how much you can afford to spend and what your priorities are.
K. Neal Truck and Bus Center is your local bus dealer, with four locations in Maryland and Virginia. Read on to learn more about the benefits of both new and used buses so you can decide which option best suits your needs.
Cost
Like any type of vehicle, new buses undergo a process of depreciation once they’re driven off the sales lot. This results in a loss of thousands of dollars in value right off the bat and the value continues to drop for the first few years of ownership. After that, the value of a bus holds fairly steady, which means that buying a used bus saves you money. Your insurance costs should also be less with a used bus.
Maintenance
A new bus is less likely to require maintenance up front, which means that you can save money on maintenance costs. Provided you keep up with regular service check-ups, your new bus will remain in good condition for a long time. Of course, if you choose a well-vetted used bus from a reliable dealer, you can be assured that your bus won’t have any major flaws that you have to address yourself after you buy it.
Warranty Coverage
New buses are more often than not going to come with a warranty, which protects you in various situations from having to cover part or all of the cost of necessary repairs or part replacements. If there’s a factory flaw on the bus, then your warranty should cover it. A used bus will likely no longer be under warranty, so you’ll need to cover the costs of any repairs yourself in full.
Reliability
A new bus will be inherently more reliable than a used bus as it will have fresh parts and a longer lifespan. A used bus will be more limited in terms of longevity and reliability, which can leave your business in jeopardy. If your business cannot afford to accommodate downtime, this can be a major drawback.
However, used buses in good condition with reliable and thorough maintenance records can last for many years and remain dependable as long as you maintain them. Detailed maintenance records should definitely be available to you if you’re purchasing a used bus that was once part of a fleet, provided that fleet had a responsible manager.
Customization
Used buses can come with amenities and features already installed that you would have to pay extra for if you bought a new bus. If you find a used model that has the features you need, then you save both the money and time that would otherwise be required to modify a new bus to your liking. Used buses can also be turned into virtually anything you want them to be and painted however you like. A new bus is also customizable, but it will cost extra to add on the features you want and you may cause the value to drop much more if you customize the bus in such a way that it isn’t sellable.
Whichever option you choose, it’s always best to shop with a reputable dealer like K. Neal Truck and Bus Center. Visit one of our four locations in Virginia or Maryland today to take a look at our wide stock of new and used buses for sale. K. Neal Truck and Bus Center proudly serves the cities of Hyattsville and Gaithersburg, MD, and Lorton, VA.