Tips on Buying Used Cars
I’ve purchased two used cars (see this post for the glorious history). For my January 17 column on Yahoo!Finance, I interviewed a few experts on used-car buying. Here are some of their insider tips that didn’t make the story: -Always check out the vehicle on a sunny day; evening and bad weather can alter your perception.
-If the door panels or paint inside the hood don’t match the rest of the car, or the shock absorbers have been changed, steer clear. There’s a likelihood the car was hit in an accident. -Make sure the tires match and have good tread on them.
-Get under the car and make sure there are no leaking fluids. -If you open the hood and it’s shiny, or covered with ArmorAll, the seller could be trying to cover something up.
-Check the oil – not only whether it’s at the proper level, but the quality of the oil – is it black? -Look for wear on brake pedal – if the car has 30,000 miles on it but the pedal is worn through, it might have had an odometer rollback.
-If you’re buying online, verify the seller’s street address and phone number before you send payment. Zip codes, area codes and addresses should match up; be careful if the seller is based outside the country. (Edmunds offers this story about buying a car on eBay.) -Don’t send personal and financial information (social security number, credit card number or checking account number) to a seller via email. Email communications are not secure and can be easily forwarded to others.
-Get a detailed receipt that states whether the car is being sold with a warranty or “as is.” And know what your state requires to transfer title to the vehicle. -Find out what other drivers have to say about your vehicle’s reliability; read the driver forums on sites such as Edmunds.com, CarandDriver.com and cars.com.
-Most importantly, set up an inspection with an independent mechanic or an inspection service, especially if you’re buying a car from outside your immediate area. -And finally, my favorite unscientific tip: Get in the car, turn on radio, and check out the station presets – if they’re set on an angry talk show or heavy metal, don’t buy it. If it’s classical, you’re good to go.
Here are some other articles offering used-car buying tips: “How to Get a Used Car Bargain” on Edmunds:
“How to inspect a used car” on Samarins: “Facts for Consumers: Buying a Used Car” at the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
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January 21st, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I just had a good used-car buying experience. I began at Carmax, saw a few dealerships on the web, and ended up at Carmax in Irvine, CA. Seems to be a good deal for the money. They do NOT negotiate, but their sticker is consistently $1500 to $2000 below Kelly Blue Book®. I like not haggling with some idiot who has to “go see my Manager” for every financial thrasing of you. I purchased a 2004 Chrysler Pacifica (Cross Over rules!!!) with only 18,000 mi on it, for $17,000. I was really pleased, as I got leather seats, very low miles, chrome wheels, a DVD/Entertainment system, an auto opening hatch, 3rd row seats, etc. etc. Also, it has AWD. I did purchase the extended warranty for peace of mind, for $1300. Well worth it. I financed 100%, including tax & license, at my credit union. I sold my 2002 MB E320 for a profit. I always buy used!.
January 21st, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Laura – Great articles…liked the Yahoo article today as well.
Automotive consumers don’t need to remain in the dark ages when it comes to purchasing used cars. The information is available to make educated buying decisions and eliminate the woes of buying a car from a traditional dealership.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:41 am
[...] a great safety record and boasts the best gas mileage in the category. (I never buy new — see this post for tips on how to buy a used car.)I surfed all of the local dealerships, checking their inventory [...]
July 17th, 2009 at 8:38 am
[...] Buy used. Sure, hybrids and Teslas are the new it cars of the sexiest celebs, but if they really wanted to be green, they’d drive an old used Honda Accord. If you buy a used, er, excuse me “formerly owned” automobile, you are ostensibly saving the planet from further manufacturing pollution. (Yea yea, I know, I know… the cars will be made anyway so we’d ALL have to engage in this practice to really make it work… but hello? GM is bankrupt. Clearly, something is changing here). For tips on buying used cars, see this post and this post. [...]