Used Car Buying Tips

If you're one of the millions of American looking for a used car, you probably know how difficult it is to find a reliable and trusted vehicle. There is a lot of anxiety that goes with it, not to mention the pressure and lack of trust associated with used car dealerships.

The most important piece of the used car shopping puzzle is probably finding a car dealer that you can trust. If you're buying from a private party,you need to find someone who is honest and trustworthy. This article offers some useful advice on how to find the right retailer or individual, what to look for in a used vehicle and minimize or eliminate negative issues and nightmares associated with used car buying.

Here are some of the important things to remember when you 're in a market for a used car.

Do Your Homework

It applies to pretty much everything you do in your day-to-day life. You have to plan ahead to be successful. Now a days when so much information is available online, there is no excuse to be an ignorant customer. You need to have a very clear picture in your mind about your monthly payment. Remember, cost of ownership doesn't end with monthly car payment itself. You have to pay for the scheduled maintenance and insurance as well. Factor in those costs as well. For example, if you're under 25, you might be able to make $300/month payment on that hot sports car you always wanted, but have you figure out your insurance cost? Depending on your age and driving record, insurance cost could be as much as $2,000/year on a very common and cheap used car.

Take Your Time and Shop Around

Buying a car involved real money and for most people, real money is hard to come by. So take your time and bargain hard for your money. While it is more desirable to find the vehicle in local market, keep your options open to look outside your local market as well. If you find a good deal 300 miles away, there is no reason not to take it. It i just a one time trip and will save you money. Online listing services such as cars.com, autotrader.com have thousands of vehicle listed every day. So check them out in addition to your local retailer.

Check the Vehicle and Its History

Most people are not mechanic by profession but everyone needs a car. Don't hesitate to seek professional help to have the vehicle inspected. If you can't find a independent mechanic, contact local authorized dealership as most of them can perform used vehicle inspection for about $100-$200. Don't try to save money by skipping the inspection. It could cost you lot more in long run. Also, make sure you run carfax on the vehicle to check the history. Carfax is fairly inexpensive service and for about $10, you can find out complete maintenance and ownership history of the vehicle. Carfax might not tell you everything about the vehicle, but it will tell you enough to make an informed decision. Make a list of questions and don't be afraid to ask them. Ask to see if there are any historical maintenance records available? Don't rush into anything - even if you think you have found the car of your dreams.

Test Drive the Vehicle

Never buy anything without test driving it. If dealer or private party refuses, walk away from the sale. Pay close attention to unusual noise or vibration during test drive. If it is a private party sale, investigate why they are selling the vehicle and how long they have had it. Test drive it on the route where you would normally drive. One of the trick of the used-car test drives is that sales people often choose a route that is quite smooth making the car feel perfectly fine. So don't settle for a test drive around the block. Make sure you include highway as part of your test drive. Sometimes a vehicle might feel perfectly normal at 35mph but it is a different story at 60mph. Check the acceleration and braking. Make sure tires have enough tread remaining.

Work Out a Final Sale

Remember, it is almost impossible to return a vehicle if you change you mind later. If you don't feel that you're 100% sure about the deal, ask to see if they would allow you to return the vehicle within certain time(usually 72 hours) and have it in writing if they say "yes". Make sure you have plenty of time when you go out to make a deal. Do not rush a deal because you're getting late for another appointment. Read the contract carefully and pay close attention to fine print. If dealer promise some warranty on the used vehicle, make sure it is in writing. Seek out reputable car dealers who do not use pressure tactics to sell vehicle. If a sales person is pushing a deal, they obviously have a different agenda than helping you out with a decent vehicle. don't allow anyone to push you around in a car deal, it is your money and you have to live with the car afterwards, so speak up.

Be Careful with Certified Car Sales

Certified vehicles offers a piece of mind and a comfort level that vehicle has passed a certain level of testing and inspection. However, there are hundreds of certifying programs out there. On one hand you could find a car that is certified by manufacturer, on the other hand you could find a vehicle that has certification from some odd car dealer and only a walk around inspection. Sometimes used car dealers change oil and clean the vehicle and put a certified sticker on it. this certification has minimal value so make sure you're not being charged higher price for these phony certifications.