Opinion: Should You Buy a Used Car That's No Longer Made?

When you make moves to buy a used car, there are a lot of things to consider. What kind will you get, where will you get it, how much can you spend, or will it answer all of your needs? Something a good amount of people probably don’t think about it is whether or not the car they’re interested in is even still made. It’s possible that your dream used car is no longer manufactured, but don’t let that deter you from buying the ride you want.

Just because a car is no longer being made doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider it for your next vehicle purchase. If you do all the necessary homework that goes into buying any car, you should be able to determine if that car is right for you. However, even if you do the normal amount of research, there are some extra things you should keep in mind when considering a car that’s no longer in production.

Will I Be Able to Find Parts?

Something many used car shoppers are concerned about, especially when a car they’re interested in is discontinued, is whether or parts will continue to be available after the car is no longer made. Generally speaking, the answer is yes, automakers will continue to make parts for a car they’ve discontinued for years after the car goes out of production. Some third-party companies will build parts that you would need, as well. In addition to that, most modern cars share parts, so there are likely many ways to get most parts that you would need if the occasion for that arises.

While you can hope to find parts for your discontinued car, you may run into some hiccups if not only the car, but the brand itself has been canceled. If you take Saab or Pontiac for example, both discontinued brands. Both were GM brands and parts should be still available by the original manufacturing entity or on the web. They're by no means as available as parts for car made by brands that still exist, but they are available.

If you do your research and make the right decision for yourself, there’s a good chance that you won’t have much to worry about concerning replacement car parts for the canceled car.  

Will the Car Be Reliable?

For a lot of people, buying a used car with good ratings and reviews is a smart way to get a car that will be reliable in the long run. While this is a good place to start, getting facts on how the car you’re interested in was taken care of by previous owners will help even more. Brands like Toyota, Lexus, or even Porsche have pretty good predicted reliability, but the longevity of a used car is going to depend on the driving and maintenance habits of the previous owner.

Whenever you’re buying a used car, regardless of if it’s been discontinued or not, it’s always a smart idea to get it inspected by a trusted mechanic before taking it home. Buying a car sight unseen isn’t recommended either, as you could end up with something completely different than what was advertised. However, if you must without going to go see the car, Edmunds outlines the way in which you should go about it.

What About the Car's History?

As mentioned before, you don’t want to rush into buying any used car without knowing the car’s history beforehand. Most used car ads will provide a vehicle identification number (VIN), if you’re looking online. If at a dealership, many will have the vehicle’s history on hand, which helps potential buyers decide if the purchase would be a good one.

Even if the car you’re looking at has good rating and holds up good to time, if it has been mistreated in the past, it’s more likely problems will arise in the near future.   

Can I Get a Good Deal On a Discontinued Model?

Some people focus their car shopping efforts on discontinued models because they believe they can get a good deal on them, and more often than not, it’s the truth. The fact of the matter is that if a car is discontinued or soon to be discontinued, a dealer won’t want to keep it around for much longer. This is usually either because something new is on its way, or other nearby dealerships will drop prices to move inventory, resulting in a cycle of lower prices and dwindling profits. This will result with a great deal on a canceled car.

Forewarning though, just as the car may have come at a deal, the resell value might not be great. Chances are the car was discontinued due to low sales success, so unless the car makes a comeback in demand someway, it might not be worth much in near future.

Conclusion

Having bought a Nissan Altima Coupe recently, a car that's no longer made, I can tell you that things work out. The one I bought came with low miles for its age, had a clean history, and comes with the benefit of sharing parts with the Altima sedan that is still produced, so most parts won’t be hard to come by. If you cross all of your “t’s” and dot all your “i’s,” you can get the car you want how you want it, no matter if it’s still in production or not.