Used Car Dealerships St Augustine FL

Are you looking for a used car dealership in St. Augustine, FL? Then you've come to the right place! Family Kia is proud to offer the best Used Car inventory in St. Augustine! Whether you are looking for a fuel efficient sedan or a full-size family SUV, we've got you covered. Our professional sales staff is standing by to help answer any questions you have regarding your purchasing decision. Call, click or stop by our used car dealership in St. Augustine today!

Family Kia Used Car Buying Guide

Filing through online marketplaces and heading to dealers seems daunting. Being prepared is essential to get the best used car for your needs. If you don’t know where to begin or what to look out for, this ultimate used car buying guide will get your car buying journey off to a good start.

What Type of Used Car Do I Need?

Finding the right vehicle starts by looking at what you demand from a car. People decide on used cars for looks and style, size and practicality, economic factors, or are environmentally conscious. Ask yourself the following questions:

How many people do I need to transport?

What type of driving will I be doing? Off-road, highways?

Do I need good fuel economy for long commutes/budget?

What tech do I feel is important? Examples are: Reversing camera, Apple Carplay, USB charging.

What Safety features I feel are important?

Do I need a lot of cargo space?

Are children being transported?

Do I have a trailer or caravan I need to tow?

Is there enough space where I live to store or park my next car?

What's My Budget?

With many options in today’s market, it can be hard setting a monthly budget. The general rule if you are leasing is to not exceed 15% of your monthly take home pay (If you decide not to pay cash). Add another 5-7% of this monthly figure to cover maintenance and insurance costs as these are often forgotten. If you have available cash in the bank, then a vehicle can be bought outright. With either of these make sure you do not intend to buy a car that you cannot afford later down the line.

What Type of Used Car Do I Need?

With so many areas of the market to explore, brands are releasing new vehicle types all the time. It can be complicated to narrow down which one’s work for you. The main categories are explained here.

Sedan

Having four doors and a conventional trunk lid, a sedan can be small, compact, midsize, and full size. With limousine style executive sedans coming from the likes of Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. Nissan Versa is an example of a small sedan; Honda Civics are mid-size and Dodge Chargers are full-size sedans. 

Coupe

A sporty car with two doors and a low-slung body style - but not a convertible. These can have two of four seats and examples include Ford Mustang and Audi A5. Two seaters such as a Corvette or Porsche Boxster are also considered coupes. 

Sports Car

Sports cars are for style, entertainment, and substance on the road. They are more expensive with the likes of a Mazda Miata and Porsche 911 coming under the sports car name.

Station Wagon

Volvo practically invented the station wagon in Europe. But America has seen these style for some time now. Slowly phasing out, a station wagon is an extended version of a sedan, with larger, boxier trunks that can store more items. Subaru Outback’s and Audi A4 all-roads are examples of a station wagon. Some are made capable of off-roading too, offering a higher ground clearance.

Hatchback

A subcompact or compact squared off sedan is what classes a hatchback. A flat rear end and boxy shape forms the main ingredients. With the Volkswagen Golf and Kia Rio being popular examples of this body style. They are normally economical and easy to park.

Convertible

Like a sports car, a convertible is designed for luxury, style, and performance. Some are more for fun like a Miata or BMW Z4, and others are for showing off with the likes of a Porsche 911 Targa.

SUV

Arguably the second most popular body style in the US. An SUV or Sports Utility Vehicle are taller than sedans or hatchbacks. They feel more commanding on the road and can sometimes have all-wheel drive. Small, midsize, and large SUVs are on the market today. Spanning from a small Nissan Kicks to a mid-size Kia Sportage and giant Cadillac Escalade.

Minivan

For families and transporting goods. Minivans are typically equipped with three rows of seating, are boxy looking and have sliding rear doors. Practicality is the main reason for buying a minivan as families can transport all their kids and their luggage when heading on vacation.

Pickup truck

The most popular selling vehicles in the US are pickups. Depending on the style, pickup trucks can have two to four doors, and up to five seats. The open cargo bed in the back give’s pickups their name. Most are all-wheel drive and suitable for farmers, contractors and families that enjoy adventures.   

Used Car Maintenance and Repair Costs

Some cars are cheaper up front but more expensive to own. With certain cars deemed more expensive to insure because of their accident statistics and reputation. Premium brands also have more expensive parts. It may be preferable to buy cars built from the country you live in, e.g., Ford in the US. But reliability is an important factor and Asian brands such as Kia or Hyundai normally come top of the reliability list.

It’s also important to consider fuel costs and economy when deciding on your next car. When comparing two cars, one of them may have a smaller engine, but with a turbo and efficient setup - it may produce the same (or more) power than the other. Being more fuel-efficient saves your money over the long term.

Where Can I Find Used Cars For Sale?

The majority of shoppers look at Auto shopping sites for their next purchase. With CarGurus amongst the most popular, along with Auto Trader, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace.

Recommendations from others is also a major decision factor when buying used. Research and communication with dealerships happening on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. 

The choice is yours, and many options are out there but when dealing with dealers direct, they may have room to negotiate. With trade-ins they receive, they might want to sell them quickly.

Take a Test Drive

Also make sure to test drive your car by arranging this with the seller. It’s good to test drive a range of makes and models in the same class to get a comparison with the features available, how the driving feels and the practicality you might need day to day.

Make Your Decision

If you can’t decide straight away, then take a day or two to think about it in your own time. Try other models and dealerships, sellers, and websites if you aren’t completely satisfied. Once you have decided it is important to finance it correctly and getting the car checked over by a mechanic.

Thank you for reading our used car buying guide. Family Kia is proud to offer a wide range of used cars, trucks and SUVs for sale to customers in Florida. Call, click or stop our used car dealership in St. Augustine today!