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Buy Used Car From Dealers

Buying a car from a dealer can get pretty tricky because of all the haggling that comes with it. Not to mention all the things you have to be careful about purchasing any used car. Not all dealers are honest, as a matter of fact most aren’t. If you’re not careful you might pay a lot of money for a piece of junk that is going to fall apart the very next day, its extended warranty expires (so says Murphy’s Law).

First of all you have to do your homework well. Pay close attention to the car you pick. Take into consideration, vehicle history, costumer reviews, and opinions from specialized websites such as ConsumerReport or Edmunds. They deal with hundreds of thousands of used cars therefore have a solid idea about each of the cars.

Statistics in hand, now you’re ready to face the dealer. Keep in mind that you’re the customer, therefore you have the upper hand and you have a secret weapon: the walkout. So any monkey business and you’re out of the dealership. Any dealer that is smart will do his best to prevent that from happening.

Here are some of the most important “must knows” about a used car. And the dealer better have the answers ready.

Ask him about the car, is it certified, and if it is, ask to see the pre-certification inspection. Every used car, before it is placed on sale, must be certified by a mechanic. That piece of paper will hold all the repairs and modifications done to the car and it is a must have.

Then find out where the car was purchased from. If the car was acquired as a result of a trade in, than ask to see every maintenance record they have on the car. Tell them that they can erase the name and address of the previous owner so that there is no privacy violation. In case the car has been bought at an auction, than you can have a trusted mechanic check it from “head to toe” for any irregularities (we all know the quality of most auctioned cars).

If the car is a pre certified car, make sure that the certification was given by a manufacturer. Any other type of certification surely comes from insurance backed programs therefore not to be trusted. Only a manufacturer can provide solid certification about the condition of the pre-owned car.

We all know that the car market isn’t going that great so dealers will get any client they can. Take advantage of that. Make a request for an extended test drive, which involves keeping the car over night with the agreement of keeping the mileage below 100. This will give you a good idea about the car’s condition.

Getting a CarFax report is considered to be the ultimate test for a dealership. A reputable dealership won’t have any issues with it. On the other hand a lesser dealership might try to feed you a “fixed” report. There is a simple test. All you need to do is check the VIN number from the car and cross it with the one in the report. If you see a different number then you’re out of there.

Another method of detecting what kind of dealership you’re working with, is asking them about the return policy. If you’re dealing with a dealership that can barely make a sale, than you will get an absolute NO. On the other hand, a friendly dealership will give you a couple of days to think about your purchase and will prove equal value.