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Step 1
First, decide what type of vehicle you need. Are you looking for something with great gas mileage or something to haul around lumber in? Don’t forget this initial need as you go searching. The first thing you need to do is call some repair shops. You need to do this because any car you are interested in should be checked over before you purchase it. Ask the shop what their “check out” price is. It could be $100.00 or it could be free. Some shops will do it for free if you promise to have the car fixed there should you purchase it. Call around and see what deals you can find.
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Step 2
Next, check out www.craigslist.com, www.ebay.com (ebay motors), www.autotrader.com, and of course www.kbb.com (Kelley Blue Book). I don’t suggest going through a used car dealership, many of these have bad reputations for a reason and they are pros at getting you to buy something you don’t want or hiding any flaws. For any vehicle you are interested in, first check out what the Blue Book value is for the model you are looking at, this can give you bargaining power. Always see and drive any vehicle you are interested in purchasing, don’t buy a car from across the country sight unseen!
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Step 3
When you go to test drive your prospective car, always take someone with you. Print out the Blue Book value for the car in various conditions and take those with you. First walk around the used car and look for any obvious flaws such as scratches (could mean an accident), missing hubcaps, fixes, dents, changes in paint color (indicates a big repair), etc. Ask about any of these issues (a www.carfax.com report can be helpful as well, this report will report any accidents the car has been in).
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Step 4
Next, you’re going to drive the vehicle. An open parking lot is a good place. Start the car, turn it off, start it again (make sure the radio is off). It should start up smoothly and be able to sit in “Park” silently idling. Next, put it in “Drive” and accelerate slowly. It should run smoothly without jumping. Brake slowly and test out the brakes. Drive the car in reverse. Turn the radio on and off. Check the steering and gear shifting (it can help if you have someone knowledgeable with you). Also open up the trunk and check the spare tire.
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Step 5
If everything seems good, ask to have the used car checked out by the repair shop you called earlier. If the seller refuses, this is not a good sign. If everything looks good, it’s time to negotiate! Ask what the seller is asking for the vehicle, if it seems too high, whip out your Blue Book values sheet that you printed out and brought with you. Point out the Blue Book price for similar used cars. Finally, don’t be afraid to walk away. Sometimes a seller will be hoping for a price they won’t be able to get and you may be the first person to look, leave your name and phone number and tell them that if the car doesn’t sell, you might still be interested. Often, you’ll get a call from them in a few weeks.
