QuickOverview

by Jakalyn Mitchell

There are many reasons a person might choose to purchase a used car, as opposed to a new one. These can range from not wanting to have to make a payment (which is still possible with some used cars) to lower insurance, and more. There is nothing wrong with buying a used car, but the trick is to make sure you are getting the most for your money. The more you know about the type and year of the car you are buying, and about the person or dealership you are buying from, the better off, and more satisfied with your purchase, you will be.

While it may sound like a lot of work to do the research in purchasing a used car, it can be well worth it in the long run. The first, and one of the most important, thing to pay attention to is the price. Not just whether you can afford the price, but how does it compare to the Kelley Blue Book value of the car? This is an important thing to be aware of: you do not want to purchase a used car that is priced at twice the normal value, because you are getting ripped off. But, you may not want to buy a car that is priced at half the value, because there is very possibly something wrong with it that is causing the price to be so low. While just hearing the low price may sound as though you are getting a good deal, this will no longer be true if, within a matter of weeks, you are having to put thousands more into the car to keep it running. The safest bet is to buy a car that is priced a few hundred dollars under the blue book listing. A price says a lot. A too low price says something is wrong with the car. A too high price says you are paying too much. A just under value price says they want to sell the car quickly, but it might be worth listed value.

There are a couple of ways to check out the Blue Book listing on a used car- you can buy the book and keep it on hand or keep their website on hand for easy lookup.

When you are searching for used cars, it is best to not only research the average price of that type of car, but also the histories. There are many ways to do this, by researching the exact history of a particular car by VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), or to do research on a particular type of car (but not a specific car). For instance, you can get a carfax report (some are free, some are for a small fee) which is a report of that vehicle's history by VIN. You can access these reports at www.carfax.com or many other car buying websites. To research a type of car's typical mechanical history, you can go to many message boards or talk to mechanics. There are many different types of cars that are notorious for certain things going wrong. Some have typical histories of small things, such as the hoses needing to be replaced constantly, some are more serious, such as transmissions going out earlier than average, or engine blocks cracking. Any cars that have well-known histories such as these should be avoided.

There are many different places you can search for used cars on the internet, including such sites as www.cars.com and www.thriftynickelads.com. You can even usually access your local newspaper through the internet. The thing that makes searching through the internet slightly better than picking up the newspapers, is that often there will be a picture with a car. This can save the time of driving to many places to look at cars that, on first glance, you know you don't want.

Another way to consider buying a used car is through car dealerships. This is the best way to go if you don't mind a payment. They will often have cars that are slightly used but are way cheaper than buying one brand new. There is, of course, the added cost of financing these cars. Depending on your credit, trade-in, warranty needs, etc. this may or may not be the best way to go. If you do decide to go this route, when you are searching for a car with the right price, be sure to factor in interest to be able to determine what your payments would be. Along with doing this, it is a good idea to do research on what type of car insurance rates are. Whether you finance through a bank or the car lot, if the car is less than ten years old, the financer will most likely require that you keep full coverage insurance. This is a good thing to have, but you must make certain in advance that you can afford to pay the monthly payments plus the monthly insurance payments. If you are thinking of purchasing a used car that is still rather new, it is possible (depending on the car, the driver's record, age, and more) for the insurance to raise monthly spending on a vehicle by as much as $300, possibly doubling the payments. This can be quite a difference, and if it is not figured in before purchasing a car, a buyer may find themselves in a bad position by not being able to afford the car they just bought.

When considering purchasing a new car, you will most definitely want to take the car for a test drive. Drive it on the highway at high speeds (this can help test for wheel alignment and more), and also test it in town where there is stop and go traffic. This can help you determine if the car makes any noises when idling, can test the brakes, and more. Check the tread on the tires, look under the hood. Take a mechanic with you or take the car to a mechanic during your test drive. Many places will take a look at a car for free. They won't always be able to tell you everything that might be wrong, but often they can recognize unusual noises that the average driver may miss. You will want to pay attention to every detail about the car- the noises it does or doesn't make, any strange smells, such as oil burning, etc. Know in advance the requirements for getting a car inspected, and check these things. Does the horn work? Do the lights on the car work? Are there any large obstructive cracks in the windshield or rear glass? If you buy a car only to not be able to get it inspected until you have work done, it may not be of much use to you. There are other details you might want to check that can normally be very easily overlooked. Doe the trunk open and shut as it should? Is there plenty of room in the trunk to store anything you may carry on a regular basis? Do all the doors open and shut like they are supposed to? If the car has mechanical windows and locks, do they all work. These are minor things that often go overlooked, simply because a driver is in the driver's seat when test driving and may not think to roll a back window down. Another thing to be sure and check is the air conditioning and heating. Often, a tester will test a car in the summertime and will be sure to test the air conditioner, but won't think to test the heater. Or, the opposite may happen in wintertime. Be sure to test both, or you might find yourself investing a lot of money a few months down the road.

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