As one of the most popular pickup trucks on the market, there is a strong consumer attachment to the Silverado; people love to buy the truck in all its iterations, but buying brand-new isn’t the only option for those interested in picking up a cool full-size pickup.
If you were scouting a Chevy dealer for great deals on an affordable truck, some of your best options are pre-owned—and there is a significant rationale behind why. So, if you are looking to get your hands on a Silverado 1500, here are five reasons to prioritize buying used.
No. 1: It’s Far More Affordable
The top prerogative for many potential buyers is purchasing a vehicle that fits their budget—and when it comes to buying a car, cheaper is typically easier. Let’s be honest: used models are obviously cheaper than buying new. Sure, you’d miss out on the newest features of the latest model year, but you still can buy within your budget, and that’s the most important part. If you’re working with a strict budget, you don’t want to overspend, and buying used gives you that much-needed opportunity to conserve as much cash as possible.
You can save anywhere between hundreds to thousands of dollars by buying a used Chevy Silverado, especially if you opt for one of the entry-level trims. This gives you the benefit of owning a great full-size pickup truck without the expenses and costs of the MSRP that comes with buying brand-new. The other great part about buying a used model is that you can go as low as you need to when it comes to the price point to find something within your budget, or you can scale as high as you need to if you want to find something that’s not as expensive as buying new but is still as feature-rich. Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with buying new, but you can spare your wallet some of the heartache it might encounter otherwise if you opt to buy used.
No. 2: Pour Through Past Generations
One of the biggest selling points for buying used is that you can purchase from any model year and generation. It’s an awesome opportunity for shoppers to get their hands on an older model year Silverado 1500—for example, the very squared-away look that the Silverado had during the third generation, where the front fascia and flared fenders had a distinct look. You could easily separate the Silverado from the competition of that era, and those models are available today for a very low price.
As newer models become available, the older generations are phased out of many dealership lots, but you can still find older models from these generations with plenty of miles on them but also at super low prices. If you wanted a specific trim from a specific generation, buying a used older generation Silverado 1500 offers a great opportunity for those who want something distinct that’s not the same brand-new ones that everyone else might be driving.
No. 3: Filter Your Search By Features
Used models have one distinct benefit over newer models when shopping by feature: you can easily filter the used models based on what you do or don’t want. A lot of newer models are only available based on what rolls off the assembly line—unless, of course, you custom order your Silverado 1500 from the dealership. But buying used means you can filter through what’s already available, so you don’t have to buy a used Silverado 1500 with features you don’t want, and you don’t have to worry about buying a pre-packaged truck with things you don’t need.
In fact, at LaFontaine Chevrolet Plymouth, you can filter through and search for the exact kind of used model you want—be it by year, trim, price, engine, or even color. Alternatively, you can browse through Silverado 1500 models based entirely on work-compatible features or luxury, infotainment, or off-road purposes.
This is great for those who are searching for a used Silverado that fits very strict criteria. Maybe you have the budget but don’t want a truck over a certain kind of mileage, or maybe you’re willing to deal with the mileage but don’t want it to look a certain way. The beauty of shopping for a used truck is that you can specify more than just features you want or don’t want; you can select the truck based on a host of preferences that fit your shopping needs.
No. 4: An Abundance of Diverse Options
Oftentimes, when buying a brand-new truck, you are limited to whatever the supply is available for the new model year, as well as what you can pre-order, oftentimes ahead of the truck’s full release. The other solution to get exactly what you want is to custom order. But those options are expensive, and if you’re shopping for a used Silverado 1500, you’re obviously looking for a used truck that’s affordable and comes with the features you want.
If you need a work truck, a family vehicle, or an off-road machine, the variety is there because the trims are already available in different bed sizes and cab formats. You can simply pick through what you want without having to worry about waiting for the order to come through or dealing with a limited supply.
Another great aspect about buying used is that replacement parts are already available for the existing model years and older generation trucks. This makes it easy for those of you looking for a pet project to acquire additional components without worrying about whether or not there is availability for something new or rare. You can find a popular model and have access to plenty of OEM parts, whether for replacements, upgrades, or just to modify the truck the way you see fit. The abundance of model trims and part availability is a significant benefit to buying used.
No. 5: It’s Easy to Avoid Recalled Models
Maybe a specific model had a specific problem that demanded the vehicle be recalled, and you won’t want to deal with that issue—whether it was done correctly or done at all. In that case, the beauty of buying used is that you can simply avoid that model year altogether. You can look through what you want, find something that you think is reasonable, and—if it doesn’t have any recalls that affect your purchasing decision—you can go ahead and buy it without worry. It’s as simple as that.
If you follow the principles of this list, you can use inventory search filters to find the features you want: you can seek an older model from a previous generation for a low price, pour over the available trims for something that suits you, and avoid any models that had recalls. What you end up with is an affordable, feature-rich Silverado 1500 that can still tow, trailer, and haul as you would like—but it’ll also be a model with the features and amenities that appeal to your daily sensibilities, be that for work, recreation, or the family. It’s a win-win for shoppers looking to get a great deal on a Silverado 1500. So, when it’s your time to hunt, go with a pre-owned.
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