Many car buyers may not realize that used cars that have only had one previous owner are much more highly regarded than used cars with a history of multiple owners. But there are some very good reasons why that is the case, and we'll cover them here, along with the best way to go about finding and choosing one.
Benefits of Buying One-Owner Cars
There are three main reasons why you might prefer to buy a car that has only had one owner before you to one that has had multiple owners.
Condition
One-owner vehicles generally tend to be at least a little newer, have lower mileage, and noticeably less wear and tear than cars that have had more than one owner.
Maintenance Records
A car with a single owner is much more likely to have a clear maintenance history. Whether they were good or bad at maintaining their vehicle should be easy to tell from their records. On the other hand, if you buy a car that has had more than one owner, the chances are lower that they all had great maintenance and driving habits. Plus, it will be harder to tell from the records.
If you limit your search to only one-owner cars, you stand a better chance of being able to find out whether it has any issues. This is particularly true when an owner has saved all the repair and maintenance records.
Vehicle History
It's not uncommon for car owners to sell or trade in their cars once problems start making themselves known. If they do so without being completely honest with potential buyers, then the issues will not be addressed and can become much worse over time.
Fewer Drivers
It's often not just owners who drive the car. Other members of the family may use it or they might lend it to friends. The more owners a car has, the more possible drivers there are in its past. One-car owners have potentially fewer drivers, meaning there is less of a chance that it was driven by someone who is careless.Â
