Don’t be fooled by those crafty salesmen and avoid trouble simply by following these simple tips when buying a used car:
Low mileage car:
Buy a car with low mileage. The lower mileage car will normally last longer and you will have lesser problems.
Car with warranty:
Buy used cars with a warranty. Normally for that you have to buy car from a dealer but on many cars the factory warranty is often transferable. Warranty is an excellent insurance if you have some issues with the used car even after long time of buying it.
One owner car:
Try buying a car that had only one previous owner. In this way car will be in a much better condition than the car that has had several previous owners.
Dealer with good reputation:
If you buy a car from a dealer, buy from a dealer with a good reputation. If you go to a crooked used car dealer, he’ll probably take your money, and quickly forget you or worse yet, ignore you completely.
Pay less than original price:
Don’t pay more for the used car than what it was actually worth originally. The real values of used cars are listed in the used car price guide easily accessible online.
Mechanic inspection:
You can have a trustworthy mechanic do a thorough inspection of the car you’re planning to buy. This will avoid any problems down the line. If the inspection turns out okay, it means you can buy the car. But if a problem in the car is revealed then you can use it as a negotiating point for lowering down the price.
Avoid cars previously used as taxis, rentals etc:
A very important tip is to stay away from those cars which have been used previously as police cars, taxis, rentals and so on. Because even though they can be bought for a very cheap price, you’ll probably spend a fortune on the repairs as they have been abused often.
Test drive:
It is recommended to test drive the vehicle very thoroughly before buying. For doing this you should put the used car through its paces i.e. Hard cornering, hard braking, hard acceleration etc. it is better to find any issues now with the car than after the purchase. If owner doesn’t let you test drive means it’s a sign of trouble so you should just walk away.
