How to Buy a Used Car on AutoTrader

Buying a used car online offers many different ways to find a car that's just right for you. On the AutoTrader Web site, you can search millions of new and used cars with only a few clicks and instantly find thousands of models that meet your specifications. You can also narrow down your search to a specific model, year, make, price, location and more. No matter what type of used vehicle you are looking for, you can find it quickly and easily through AutoTrader.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Financing or cash for the price of the vehicle
• Internet connection
• Computer

1. Visit the AutoTrader site and register for a free account. You will need to enter a valid email address and choose a password. Signing up will allow you to save searches for vehicles and access the results from any computer. With an account, you can also keep track of the cars you like, compare your favorite cars and narrow down your list of potential purchases.

2. Log in to your AutoTrader account.

3. Search for the vehicle of your choice using the site's search feature.

4. Once you have found the vehicle you wish to purchase, click on the vehicle's information to email the seller. The seller may either be a dealership or an individual. Using AutoTrader, you can set up a time to test drive the vehicle, arrange a meeting and find out about financing.

5. Meet the individual or dealer to purchase your vehicle. You can find out more about the dealership’s financing options on AutoTrader. If you are paying cash, then you can find out about making a deal on the vehicle that you have chosen.

Tips & Warnings

• Use CarFax to run a check on any vehicle before you purchase it. The CarFax report will tell you if there are any liens or holds on the vehicle and if it has been involved in any collisions. Vehicles that have been involved in a collision and written off are sometimes sold, even though they are not safe to drive, but an insurance company will not insure a vehicle that has been written off unless expensive testing is done to see if the vehicle is road worthy.
• Remember that it is important to test drive a vehicle and perform or read a safety report on the vehicle before you purchase it.
• You will need to have financing in place or apply for financing if you can not afford to pay cash for a vehicle. If you are buying from an individual, you will need to arrange for financing from your financial institution or other lending company.
• AutoTrader features cars from all over the United States. If you purchase a vehicle from another state, you may be responsible for picking it up or having it delivered. Be sure to ask about delivery or pick-up of your vehicle.
• The vehicles that appear on AutoTrader come from a variety of sources including dealerships and individuals. Be sure you know who you are purchasing the vehicle from before committing to buying it.