If you always purchase brand-new automobiles when you begin experiencing problems with your current car or simply get tired of driving it, then you are missing out on the many advantages of buying used cars. Just one of those many advantages is the ability to purchase a better-quality vehicle, such as a used luxury car, while sticking to a tight budget. If you have always dreamed of owning a luxury car, such as a Lexus, yet can't find room in your budget for the payments that would come after you were to purchase a brand-new model, then you may be surprised at just how much more affordable a luxury car that has been on the market just a couple of years is than a brand new model of the same vehicle. 

Read on to learn three additional surprising reasons you should buy a used luxury car next time you upgrade your vehicle. 

1. The Value of a Used Luxury Car Depreciates More Slowly than the Value of Any New Car

If you have been purchasing brand new cars for your entire life, or most of it, then you may feel disappointed every time you hear how much it has depreciated when you go to trade it in for your next new one. While, of course, all cars do depreciate over time and as more mileage is put onto them, new cars lose an average of 11 percent of their value as soon as they are driven off the car lot by their owners. 

By the end of the first year you have owned your new car, it is only worth an average of 81 percent of the price you originally paid for it. 

After the first year of ownership, the depreciation of most vehicles begin to slow down dramatically. That means that if you purchase a luxury car that is just a year or two old, you can get a great-quality car at a great price. When it is time for you to trade it in for your next vehicle, you may not be as disappointed at the trade-in value the car dealership offers you. 

To help get more "bang for your buck" at vehicle trade-in time, purchase a used luxury car from a brand that has earned the Kelly Blue Book award for "luxury vehicle brand with the best resale value" many years in a row, such as Lexus. 

2. Many High-Tech, New Safety Features are First Introduced in Luxury Vehicles

Since the cost of brand-new vehicle technology can be expensive to car makers, many new types of automobile technology are first introduced to consumers by the luxury car manufacturers. While this may not sound surprising, the fact that many new safety features are often first included in luxury vehicles before non-luxury care manufacturers begin adding them to their vehicles may. 

While it is important to check the safety rating of any new vehicle you purchase, whether it is new or used, you may be surprised when you find out that a used luxury car that you have had your eye on has a higher safety rating than brand-new non-luxury vehicle simply because the brand embraced a new safety feature not yet included in many other vehicles. 

3. Some Luxury Car Makers Are Now Offering Surprising Extra Perks to Their Vehicle Owners

When you purchased a used luxury car, you likely know you can can look forward to the many perks that come with driving many luxury vehicles, such as a potentially smoother ride and a softer interior made of high-quality materials. However, many luxury car manufacturers are now offering extra perks to their owners in the form of "rewards" programs. 

The perks included in luxury car owner rewards programs vary based on the automobile manufacturer, but the luxury car maker Lexus offers owners rewards such as free glasses of wine or appetizers at select restaurants, discounts on stays at some resorts, room upgrades at select hotels, and even discounts on clothing alterations at select retail stores. 

If it is time to trade in your vehicle for a different one, then consider purchasing a used luxury car instead of a brand-new non-luxury automobile. There are many benefits to buying used cars instead of brand-new ones, and even more when that used car is a luxury model.