Used Car Buying Tips

Many people prefer to purchase a used car rather than a new one because it’s less expensive, but also because they’re confident in the quality and value they can get with a used car if they find the right one. There are several proven tips to be concerned about when buying such a vehicle.

Professional Automobile Inspection

Whenever a person is considering buying any car, it should be thoroughly evaluated first. But a used car requires an even more extensive evaluation. The best way to do this is to pay a local auto mechanic who is certified and highly trained in the type of car the person is looking to buy. The mechanic should not only test drive the vehicle but he should completely examine all the major components such as the engine, transmission, drive train, belts, hoses, shocks, tires, wheels, exhaust system, the body, as well as the interior components such as the air conditioning, the global positioning system and power accessories to see if everything functions as it should.

How Many Miles?

While there’s no specific cut off point in terms of how many miles a used car has, using proper judgment and reasoning is essential. It doesn’t make that much sense to buy a car with over 200,000 miles no matter how cheap the price and no matter how well it runs. This is because it’s highly unlikely that a car with such high mileage is going to be reliable down the road. Plus, it’s lifespan won’t be very long. It’s best to select used cars that have less than 100,000 miles on them, except for a few rare, used car models that are known for having heavy-duty, long lasting engines and powertrains.

Warranty Coverage

It’s an intelligent move to only purchase a used car from a dealership rather than from a private party since there’s a good chance that the vehicle will come with at least a limited warranty. Some warranty coverage is much better financial protection to the buyer than no warranty at all. If the buyer does enough comparison shopping, he will definitely find the used car model he likes that comes with a solid warranty. This will save him big money in the long run if a major repair is required down the road.

Don’t Overspend

When a used car buyer starts out his quest to find just the right vehicle, he should set a price point limit in his head and make up his mind not to ever surpass it no matter how much he emotionally falls in love with the car. He needs to constantly remind himself that he has to stay within his budget. So he shouldn’t go looking for big luxury cars or flashy sports cars when buying used as they don’t depreciate as much as more conservative cars such as mid size sedans, economy cars, and family vehicles. A buyer of a used car really doesn’t know everything that might be wrong with or go wrong with his purchase even if it was thoroughly inspected and has low mileage. So he should buy a moderately priced vehicle to have reserve funds in case significant repairs are needed that even a warranty might not cover.