CAN YOU ROAD TRIP WITH A USED CAR?

Of course you can. When you purchase a used car, you’re not purchasing it because you think it’s going to break down any time soon, are you? No, so why would it not be fit to take on a road trip? Having said that though, there are some things that you need to think about and consider, but this applies whether you are using a new or old vehicle to be honest. Let’s take a look at what these things are, so keep reading if you’re interested.

Person holding a sun hat out of a car window on a road trip

Look at the condition of the vehicle

First up on the list we’re going to say is that you need to look at the condition of the vehicle. Do you think that it’s going to make it on a road trip? If you have no reason to doubt your vehicle, then there’s no reason to doubt it, is there? But, you do still need to check under the hood to see if there are any obvious issues that might stand out. And, you need to go around the vehicle and check that you can’t see anything.


It’s a good idea to have a professional give it a once over as well, just to be on the super safe side. The last thing that you want is to encounter an issue that could have been avoided before you left.


If you are going to be towing

If you are going to be towing something along with you, like a caravan for example, then you do need to look at the maximum capacity for towing and ensure you are staying within the limits. As long as you do these things, it should be absolutely fine and there’s no reason that a used car can’t do this. For example, if you have just purchased a new used car, then you might be worried about its capability of towing, so just check the manual or do a quick google search. You can search for something like hyundai santa fe towing capacity and get the answer you are looking for for your make and model.

Think about the mileage

Lastly, you want to think about the mileage. Look at the miles that are already on the car, and decide whether it’s worth adding more to it. If it’s not, find another method of transportation for your trip. If it is, or it’s not really that many in the grand scheme of things, then who cares? Your car can do it, and that’s what matters.


At the end of the day, the answer is that of course you can as long as the car is in good condition. As long as it’s able to drive and do what you need it to do, with no issues that you can find, then there’s no reason that you can’t go on a road trip with a used car. Just make sure that you’re completing all of your safety checks before you set off, but we would expect you to do that with any car you were taking.


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