The environmental benefits of choosing a pre-owned vehicle

In a world where everyone is looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint and make sustainable choices, it can feel challenging when it comes to owning a personal vehicle. You may feel torn between wanting to get a new car for the lifespan and features or a used car for the cost.

Let’s take a look at why buying used cars is an environmentally friendly choice that doesn’t break the bank.

Reducing manufacturing impacts

Simply put, opting for a used vehicle means you aren’t buying a new one. This leads to a lower demand for new car production.

In turn, the use of manufactured materials such as energy, steel, plastics and aluminium as well as natural resources like water is reduced. This is a great step forward in protecting and preserving our planet’s resources.

Less manufacturing also leads to fewer emissions being released into the atmosphere, lessening the impact of the industry on the local and wider environment. This could result in a cleaner water supply, better air quality and a thriving ecosystem.

Extending the life cycles of vehicles

When a car is no longer needed it often ends up on the scrap heap. Although the car is stripped and all of the hazardous fluids and materials are removed before crushing and recycling, the waste still needs to be disposed of. This contributes to harmful pollutants entering the atmosphere as well as landfill contribution.

Extending the life cycle of pre-loved cars means that fewer will end up in scrapheaps prematurely, reducing waste.

Comparing fuel efficiency in used cars

Whilst there is no escaping that new cars are being engineered with fuel efficiency and energy-saving features as a priority, used cars can still be impressive.

Used models of cars such as the Toyota Aygo and the Volkswagen Up! are considered to still be fuel efficient even though they are older and have been used. The Up! especially claims to produce CO2 emissions of 95g/km which result in free car tax.

Used cars are known to be more budget-friendly, and although new cars focus on fuel efficiency, you still won’t be out of pocket when it comes to filling up your tank regularly.

Supporting a circular economy in the automotive industry

A circular economy is one where there is a conscious focus on recycling and reusing parts of the industry as a means of introducing sustainable practices and reducing environmental impact.

Purchasing a pre-loved car helps to promote this philosophy, reducing the demand for manufacturing, transportation and sale of new cars. This keeps older vehicles on the roads for longer, reducing unnecessary scrapping and promoting repairing rather than retiring cars.