So you are finally ready. You have saved for years, done your research and finally decided on exactly what make/model of car you want to buy. You know you don’t want to buy a new car, but what kind of questions does one have to ask and consider when purchasing a used car? The task may be daunting and with all the myths about car dealers wanting to rip you off every chance they can get you can give yourself quite a headache.
First off, you want to narrow down what make and model vehicle you want. After you have decided on a particular vehicle you may want to check out consumer reports and safety reports for all of the various years and styles of the make and model. You don’t want to buy a car with a model year that had many recalls and defects. Double check so you know the year model you want is the most problem free you can find.
Questions number two is also a simple one: Who was the original owner and did they keep up on maintenance and repairs? When buying a used car you always want to make sure the vehicle was well maintained by the original owner. If the owner can’t or won’t answer questions regarding the quality of the vehicle or how well it was maintained, I suggest you walk away no matter how tempting the deal is. If you are buying from a dealership, you can usually get the records on the vehicle, especially with companies like Carfax surfacing up all over the place in the last few years. Plus, dealerships want your repeat business and for you to refer customers to them, so the sales representative will make sure you have all the information you need and want about the car you are considering. Forget about all the horror stories and myths you have heard about crooked salesmen goading you into buying an unreliable car you don’t want. The majority of the time they will be very helpful. Another important things (not a question) you should do before buying the car is a no-brainer…….DRIVE IT! Make sure you take the car on a test drive and make sure you note anything that may not be running or functioning correctly during the drive. This is possibly the most important part of shopping for a used (or new) vehicle. It should be comfortable for you to drive and not run rough. Also, while you are testing the car, you can make sure all of the electrical components (lights, signals, etc…) are also in working condition. If you follow these few easy steps, it will save you a big headache and make you shopping experience easy and even fun!