HOW DO I BUY A USED CAR
Here are some essential tips and guidelines from Cartimes Magazine so that your search for a quality used car does not turn into a nightmarish money pit.
Getting a Head Start
- Determine What Type Of Car Will Fit Your Needs
Once you have made your list, eBay and Edmunds.com are good places to quickly see the available car models within the category of your liking and budget. Compare prices by trim level, mileage and region. Narrow down your search parameters to no more than three car models.
- 2. Legalities
Don’t get stuck purchasing a vehicle that you cannot legally drive. Prior to looking at cars, contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicle, and visit their website. Make a summary of your state’s requirements for transferring ownership, and what the requirements are for registering the car. You must also make note of the requirements regarding your State’s mandated Emission and Safety inspections if any. Please bear in mind that a vehicle that meets those requirements, simply says that the vehicle is roadworthy. You must dig deeper to find a good car. That’s exactly what we aim to explore in this guide.
- 3. Research The Three Models That Will Work For You
The more familiar you become with the particulars of the models you are viewing, the easier it will be for you to catch abnormalities. Do a Google search for model and brand-specific enthusiast sites and forums. You will obtain first hand feedback from countless people who own the vehicle you wish to purchase.
- 4. Who Should I Buy a Car From
Private Owners: In term of value that is the best option but it can be extremely time consuming. You will also have to exercise the most diligence in making sure that you are dealing with real owner.
New Car dealers: They normally have the best quality used cars, and will afford you the most legal rights should something go wrong. It is the safest way to go but you will pay the full retail price and more.
Independent Used Car Dealers: If you are buying from these guys avoid the words “As Is”. And you must able to have the vehicle independently inspected. You want to buy from a dealer who has a long history at the same location.
Impound Lots And Public Auto Auctions: These venues can offer real bargains, but should be avoided unless you are mechanically inclined and willing to absorb worst-case scenarios. Most of these cars end up needing major repairs. You may also incur additional cost such as auction fees, storage fees, paperwork fees, and even locksmith and towing fees.
- What to ask the Seller
Before you call, have some questions ready and be prepared to take notes. — Hi, I’m Jane Doe and I’m calling about your car. Would you please tell me what sort of repairs you think the car will need within the next year or so? — Find out from the seller whether the car has had overheating problems, when the timing belt and water pump were last changed. Find out whether you are talking to the actual owner, whether the vehicle was in an accident that required bodywork, whether they are in possession of the car’s title and whether the title is a clear title. Do not hesitate to ask for receipts to support any claims made by the seller. Be sure to ask for the VIN# (Vehicle Identification Number). Ask them what would be a good day to arrange for a test drive, and let them know ahead of time that you’ll take the vehicle to a mechanic prior to purchasing it. Tell the owner that you will call back to arrange a time.
- Perform A Background Check On The Cars You Like
With the VIN# that you obtained run either a Carfax or Autocheck report. These sites will tell you of major reported events in the car’s history such as floods, thefts, accidents, odometer rollback, etc., At times, it will even provide you with the repair history performed by the factory authorized dealer, and whether there are open factory recalls for that vehicle. Keep in mind that these reports are ONLY a starting point. They are only as accurate as the information that was reported. Many incidents aren’t reported at all. A Full inspection by a competent mechanic should be what carries the most weight in the buying process.
- 7. How Much Is The Car Worth
A car is only worth what the market will bear. The only thing that matters in term of a car’s market value is what people are currently willing to pay for it. Sites like Kelley Blue Book are of no use. The prices are way off. While Edmunds is more accurate, it can still be off by a wide margin. The most reliable source, are the completed auctions of eBay. While you’re looking at those listings, make note of the region of the country where the car was sold, the mileage and most importantly the condition of the vehicle.
If everything so far meets your requirements, you are ready for the next step. Make an appointment with the seller to see the car. It is always best to bring a second set of eyes with you. Preferably a friend who is knowledgeable about cars. It is strongly recommend that you prepare a checklist for things to check, and be prepared to take notes.
Inspecting the Vehicle
You must inspect your future car from every angle: external and internal. This must be carried out in daylight. Depending on the car’s intended purpose and value, some defects might be acceptable as long as the vehicle is priced accordingly.
- 8. Triple Check The Vin#
Pull out your Carfax report and compare the Vin# the seller gave you to what’s on the car. Check the VIN number that’s on the dashboard, the one that’s inside the doorjamb and the VIN that’s under the hood by the firewall. Also compare the Vin# against the car’s title for discrepancies. They should all match.
- 9. Check The Body & Frame
Perform a visual inspection of the exterior. Beware if there is new paint on the car. Paint is sometimes used as a camouflage for rust, and body damage. Reassure yourself that every component functions as intended and didn’t suffer severe damage. Start by opening and closing all the doors, the trunk, the hood, and gas latch making sure that they all open and close effortlessly and are properly aligned. Take a look at the gaps between each section of the body, paying close attention to the gaps between the hood and front fenders. There should be some uniformity between all the gaps. Take a Look at the radiator support, is it bent, and does it look original? How about the headlights, are they fastened securely and properly aligned. Does the windshield have any stone chips, cracks or deep scratches? Take your time checking the windshield. Small stone chips can easily spread into full-blown cracks.
10. The Interior Speaks For Itself
The vehicle’s interior will give you clues of what sort of person the owner is, and how he or she used the car. Check the numbers on the odometer and see if they are properly aligned. Don’t overlook the small things; they can be extremely expensive to repair. Make sure that your horn, headlights, directional lights, reverse light, windshield wipers, power windows, power mirrors and other features function properly. Check the heat. You should get good heat once the car’s temperature gauge is within the normal range. If you do not have heat, be very concerned. The thermostat could have been removed; the heater core could be defective; you could even have a blown head gasket. Next, check your Air Conditioning. Turn on the A/C. It should blow out cool air within roughly 30 seconds. Most Air Conditioning repairs are costly. If A/C is crucial to you and it isn’t working properly, do not take the seller’s words on what the problem is. It needs to be checked professionally.
11. Mechanical Inspection
Before you start the car, begin by checking the fluids. There are two critical things to look for in the fluids. 1) Are they at the prescribed level. The level must remain within the normal range indicated by the manufacturer. 2) Make sure that the color of each fluid is consistent. An indication of two fluids mixing together should make you walk away. Engine Oil is light brown. Transmission and power steering fluids are normally reddish in color. Brake fluid is of a vey clear yellowish color. Radiator coolant is traditionally lime green. In recent years some manufacturers have used yellowish and even a reddish dye in the antifreeze/coolant. This fluid must be clear, with a slimy texture. NOT muddy. Be sure not to remove the radiator cap, if the engine is warm. And don’t forget to look for signs of leaks.
With the windows down start the car as you normally would. Give the engine sufficient time for the oil to circulate before you start revving the engine. That’s roughly ten seconds. Rev the engine without redlining it, and listen for uneven and abnormal sounds. Then, take a look at the smoke from the exhaust. If you see either blue, or white smoke it means that there are some major internal problems with the engine. You should walk away from that car. Thick black smoke normally means an engine that’s not tuned properly and should also be avoided by non-mechanics. A trickle of clear water coming out of the exhaust is normal. That’s from condensation.
While the car is running turn the steering wheel all the way in each direction to check the front tires. Then check the rear tires. Excessively bad tires on a car, is a clear sign that the owner didn’t care much for maintenance, and their own safety. Uneven tire wear, and deep grooves in the tires may indicate a whole slew of front-end problems.
12. Test Driving The Car
You’ll want to test drive the car at local and highway speeds for a good twenty minutes or more. If you can locate a very steep road, that would be a good test for the transmission. Start by checking the reverse gear so that you do not forget. Next, put it in drive. Does it take off smoothly or does it jerk forward? If it jerks forward from Park you should already be concerned about the transmission. Once on the road, the car should accelerate smoothly and it must be responsive to acceleration, and deceleration without abnormal skips, clunks, rattles or noises. If you feel that the engine RPM go excessively high before the transmission engages you most likely have a weak transmission. That’s known as a late shift. If the transmission shifts with a jerk you have a rough transmission. Both are equally bad and it is an indication that the transmission might give up very soon due to either burned, or broken internal parts.
Your test drive should also include some sharp left and right turns. When you turn, the steering should be smooth without noise. If there is some resistance, there are a number of possibilities. Some of which can be very expensive. If you hear abnormal clicking patterns when you turn, the car is in need of front axles. You want to perform some of your test drive with the windows down, so that you can hear possible exhaust leaks, and other sounds such as damaged brakes. When you press the brakes, the car must remain in a straight line. The brakes should work without having to apply excessive pressure on the pedal, and without grinding noises coming from the brakes or pulsation in the pedal.
Try to glance at the dash while you’re on the road. The temperature gauge should constantly remain close to the middle. There should be no check engine lights, no ABS lights, and no SRS lights during your test drive. By this point, you should know enough about that car to compare it to the other ones that you’ve driven and have a pretty good idea whether you can picture yourself investing your time, money, and safety into that vehicle.
13. After The Test Drive
When you return from the test drive, take a look under the car. The only acceptable liquid to be dripping from the car is clear water from the A/C if you had it on. That’s simply condensation. Recheck the engine and transmission oil. If the level didn’t remain within the normal range, or if the car is overheating you need to walk away and find another car. If you need more time to think it over, by any means do that. If you do like that car and are ready to move forward, let the seller know that you’ll buy the vehicle at an agreed upon price, contingent upon a third party inspection. Based on the market research we mentioned earlier, you should have a very good idea what the car is worth and what you wish to pay. If you’re confident, present an offer to seller. If there are some defects that are only discovered during the professional inspection, you can make the proper adjustments to the market value of the vehicle and revisit the selling price with the seller. You’re almost there. Schedule a professional inspection
14. The Moment Of Truth: The Professional Inspection
The best place to have a car inspected is at a garage where they specialize in that particular kind of vehicle. Arrange for the seller to meet you with the car at the mechanic or drive there with them.
Before the inspection takes place, prepare the notes you took during your own inspection and test drive. When you deliver the car for inspection, go over those concerns with the mechanic. A thorough inspection must also include: Putting the vehicle on a lift; Inspecting the undercarriage; Removing and inspecting the sparkplugs for signs of engine malfunction; Removing some wheels for inspection of the brakes, axles, suspension, and front end; Scanning the vehicle’s main computer for stored, and pending diagnostic codes; Checking the body panels for signs of accidents and body-fillers like Bondo; A test drive by the mechanic; And a written report by the mechanic which includes price estimates for needed repairs.
While you await the inspection, it’s a good idea to treat the seller to lunch to thank them for their time and to continue picking their brain about the vehicle. After the inspection, go through the report in details with the mechanic and see what they recommend. Should you decide to pursue the car, it’s time to determine the real market value, by factoring in all the repairs you’ve discovered it needs. Keep in mind that basic items like brake pads, oil change, tune-up, and battery should not be the responsibility of the seller. But if there are more serious issues, it’s time to show the report to the seller and talk.
15. Negotiating The Deal
The key to negotiating a good deal with the seller is to be knowledgeable, charming, and respectful. Show the owner that you’re not there to haggle just for the sake of it. You simply want to pay what the car is really worth. If the seller’s asking price is above what you wish to pay or above the true market value, show the seller what similar vehicles are selling for online. Let the seller know that you’ll take responsibility for basic maintenance items but you’ll need a reduction for the other repairs. Honest sellers will work with you if they were unaware of the required repairs. And most private sellers do not want to waste more time showing the vehicle, and having a slew of strangers at their doorstep. If your offer is reasonable, they will work with you. Splitting the cost of repairs 50/50 normally makes both sides happy.
If the seller believes that the repair estimates are too high, tell them you’d be willing to let their regular mechanic perform the work provided that their mechanic guarantees the work and uses OEM parts.
16. Sealing The Deal
Congratulations. If you’ve made it this far, you just purchased a quality used car at a fair price. Below are some guidelines to follow to make sure that there is a smooth transfer of ownership.
The buyer must take some extra precautions when purchasing from a private individual since there are little to no recourse if something goes wrong. Once you pay the seller, and they give you the keys to the car, it will be very difficult for you to reach them, and have them take time out of their schedule to assist you with any issues that arises with the paperwork. Based on what we discussed earlier in Section 2 of this guide, you already know of all the documents, and signatures that you’ll need to obtain from the seller. Don’t be afraid, to ask the seller for proof of ownership. The title is not enough. The name on their driver’s license, and on the vehicle’s registration should match the title.
One of the mistakes often made by private buyers and sellers is signing the title in the wrong place, and then attempting to correct the problem by crossing out what they previously entered. In most states this will void the title, and the seller will be required to obtain a new title in their name prior to transferring ownership. Some states can issue a new title over the counter, but others will make you wait several weeks. The best practice is to read all the instructions on that are on the title several time before entering any information. A second mistake often made is the omission of some required information on the title. If unsure of how to fill out the paperwork complete the transaction at Motor Vehicle. If the seller accompanies you to DMV for registration it is the icing on the cake. It’s time to Boogie!
Be Vigilant, and Happy Driving…