How risky is buying used?

[fritobandito]

I have an order placed for a 24my but found a 22my that I am very interested in. It would save me a bit and is built fairly similar. It has low miles and clean carfax but I get worried with an off road vehicle if it is a bit on the riskier side for used vehicle since I don't know how they used it and how it could have been used. It is through a dealership and carfax show it had good maintenance records. Am I over thinking it?

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[HighVelocity]

Seeing some of the stupid, cheap and dangerous shit people add to them around these forums, I'd only buy one that is known to be 100% stock.

 

[lapazleo]

As long as you look at it in person under neath and so on you should get a good idea if it's been off roaded or not. Take a mechanicly savvy friend if needed. But generally not much more risky than new.

 

[lapazleo]

Seeing some of the stupid, cheap and dangerous shit people add to them around these forums, I'd only buy one that is known to be 100% stock.

I agree with that as well.

 

[Figmo]

You should be getting a decent warranty. So I wouldn’t sweat it. The offroad damage you’re worried about is usually visible. (dings/dents/scrapes underneath)

 

[Dialtone]

I have an order placed for a 24my but found a 22my that I am very interested in. It would save me a bit and is built fairly similar. It has low miles and clean carfax but I get worried with an off road vehicle if it is a bit on the riskier side for used vehicle since I don't know how they used it and how it could have been used. It is through a dealership and carfax show it had good maintenance records. Am I over thinking it?

I don't think it is any different than buying any used vehicle. Have a good mechanic look it over. See if it has a buy back guarantee, used car warranty, etc. I don't believe you can overthink spending that kind of coin. Realistically even new cars can be lemons. Just be sure of what kind of protection you can get.

 

[Az_Squatch_Bronco]

Personally with a vehicle like Jeeps and Broncos I would preffer to buy new, you never know what short cuts people take to install things themselves.

With that said you can save some money buying used that has some upgrades already. I would ask who did the upgrades and what has been done.

If its from a dealer, ask them if its certified used and if they will warranty any aftermarket items.

 

[HighVelocity]

As long as you look at it in person under neath and so on you should get a good idea if it's been off roaded or not. Take a mechanicly savvy friend if needed. But generally not much more risky than new.

I'm not concerned about off roading.

I'm concerned with stupid lights that are poorly wired, bolt-ons, cheap suspension modifications, engine "performance" modifications, etc.

 

[Beach_Bum]

I would crawl underneath. Scratches on the skids is no big deal. But if it has low miles, then it shouldn't look like a war zone. Open the hood. Dirt and dust is fine. But if it looks like it received a mud bath, I'd pass. Stock suspension is better than some janky Rust Country kit.

Buying used is probably the smarter play as you won't incur the larger depreciation as if it was new. You can also use it to figure out what features and capabilities are important to you and your use case. Take that learning experience and buy new in a few years.

 

[Ninjak]

The Bronco is no unicorn. It is the same as buying any type of "performance" vehicle use. Look for damage, or excessive wear on parts that should be worn out, check for mods, or the lack of, and know what was removed. IE if the shocks look brand new, then you know they were just added to be traded in. (That actually may be a good thing in some cases)

Check the engine for issues, and if you don't know then bring someone who does. You can sometimes pick up a great vehicle simply because someone bought a vehicle, especially one like a Bronco, that was hyped up, but then found it was not their cup of tea.

Just take care to do your homework.

 

[tock13]

I wouldn’t trust Carfax at all. I personally have had 2 vehicles in the last 4 years get major body work done at a reputable body shop (2 different shops). One I got pushed under the back of an F250 by a sprinter van, major front and rear damage. The other was a confused old duffer forgot he needed to turn in a parking lot and took out the rear door and quarter panel of my parked car.

A friend traded her Z that had pretty major front end damage done from a deer strike for her Black Diamond. She had the car repaired in a different town and reputable shop than I did.

I saw the Carfax on all 3 of them and all showed 100% clean.

 

[604Bronco]

Do your due diligence on inspecting it thoroughly, or having a 3rd party mechanic review it before you purchase it should give you peace of mind.

Keep in mind there's a lot of folks out there with Bronco's that don't take them off the pavement, or do so very moderately. You could also buy a brand new one and have issues, but hopefully there's some warranty left on the used one so you'd be covered.

Good luck!

 

[BlueBronco]

Not risky at all.

I mean, this one was only taken off-road to the beach once.

 

[USMCAg]

If you stay with your '24, you'll know everything it's been through since it left the dealership and went home with you. The question is how much is that peace of mind worth to you? A '24 will cost more short term, but unless you know what the previous owner did to the used Bronco, it could be cheaper long term. Plus, why did they walk away from their Bronco so soon (they've only been on the market 3 years)? Just some questions to consider. I'd recommend staying with your '24. I love my '24 2dr BB manual with 160 miles since Saturday that's dug trenches in 4H and 4L on my land.

 

[SHANUT]

I have an order placed for a 24my but found a 22my that I am very interested in. It would save me a bit and is built fairly similar. It has low miles and clean carfax but I get worried with an off road vehicle if it is a bit on the riskier side for used vehicle since I don't know how they used it and how it could have been used. It is through a dealership and carfax show it had good maintenance records. Am I over thinking it?

I would never buy used. 99.99% of the problems I see with vehicles comes from idiotic owners who have no idea how to break them in or maintain them or treat them. Unless you know the original owner and how they handle a new vehicle, you should run like the wind.

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