10 Steps in Used Car Shopping
Used car shopping can be a tricky ordeal. If it’s your first time, or you’ve never had to go alone before, it can seem more difficult than it actually is. There are several ways to make your trip easier, just follow the list below.
- Decide what you’re willing to spend before you start looking. Stick to your budget.
- Never buy a car the first time you look at it. Leave the lot, and go look at more. You’re likely to find the same thing cheaper.
- Always get a CarFax. With a private seller, you’ll probably have to ask for the VIN and purchase it yourself. If you’re at a dealership, many offer them for free, and those that don’t can often be convinced to.
- Use the Kelly Blue Book to find the value of the car you want to purchase. Make sure you aren’t being asked to pay a higher price.
- Clarify whether or not the car includes a warranty, or is being sold as-is. Be careful with the latter, because once the money leaves your hand, the car is yours, irrevocably.
- Search for recall information on your chosen make and model. Be sure that any recommended changes have been made before purchase.
- Check the car for excessive rust, signs of a cracked block, or interior water damage signifying a flood. If any are present, don’t buy it. Be sure to test drive, and consider everything. Do the heater and air conditioner work? Do all of the buttons on the panel function properly. Are the seats comfortable? Are you comfortable driving the vehicle?
- Check minor features such as the tires. At a dealership, you may be able to convince them to include new tires in the price. With a private sale, you could get lucky and have something knocked off the price.
- Bring the car to a mechanic, and have it looked over. A seller with nothing to hide will not have a problem with this.
- Haggle. No seller puts their bottom line price on a vehicle. They want to make more, but they’re willing to take less if they know they have to.