Ask Clark: Do You Have Advice on Buying a Used Electric Car?

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Welcome to Ask Clark, a column designed to answer your financial questions by money expert Clark Howard.

Where Can I Get a Used Electric Vehicle Checked Out Before Purchase, and What Model Year Should I Buy?

Robert from Georgia asks: “I’m planning to buy a used electric vehicle within the next year. I’m an educator so I need to be budget-conscious: no Teslas for me. Does Team Clark have advice on getting the vehicle and battery checked out before purchase? I”m assuming a traditional mechanic shop won’t be able to do it. Also, do you have any advice on what model year to buy?”

Clark’s Take on Buying a Used Electric Vehicle

Clark says: “The electric vehicle market and what you buy depends so much on how many miles you’re driving per day.” He adds:

“If you’re driving a relatively small number of miles a day, then you can go way back in model years … but if you drive a more moderate number of miles per day, you want to look at … maybe a 2015 to 2017 used vehicle purchase.”

“As far as having them checked out, in mid-sized and large metro areas, there are now places that specialize in electric vehicle sales and maintenance and repair,” Clark says. “And that’s who you would go to when you’re looking at buying a used electric vehicle.”

Clark says those specialized repair shops should be able to tell you the battery health of an electric vehicle before you make the purchase.

Here’s more of Clark’s advice on how to buy a used car.

To hear Clark’s full take on this question and many more, listen to the full episode here:

Do you have a question for Clark? Use this form to ask him! And remember that you can listen to the Clark Howard Podcast at any time here.

If you have a question but you don’t want to go on-air, contact Clark’s Consumer Action Center for free money help.

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