Used Car Shopping Tips for Savvy Shoppers
When you look at a used car, what do you see? The color? An exciting or boring style? A brand name that you like? To get the best deal available, you need to put all of those thoughts out of your mind and concentrate on these things.
More...
Drive Multiple Cars
Do not buy the first used car you drive. No matter how pretty or exciting, you probably just like the fact it’s different from your old car. Test drive as many cars as you can. Go to different reputable dealers. Make a little extra effort and discover the real deals out there.
What does Inspection Really Mean?
Just because a dealer says a used car has been inspected doesn’t mean its problems have been fixed. It really is up to the used car dealer whether to be faithful to repairing cars or selling them ‘as is’. That’s part of the reason to find the most reputable used car dealers. They won’t risk their reputation by selling you a bad car.
How Old is the Car
Remember that a car’s actual age is the year it was manufactured, not the model year. Thus a 2018 model is really a 2017. A 2015 model was made in 2014. And so forth. If your dealer can tell you, find out what month and year it first went on the road. They may hate you for knowing to ask that question, but they have it in their files.
How Many Miles On the Car
Obviously you want to get a low-mileage car, but what does that really mean? Consider dividing the mileage by how old the car is. The ideal mileage for a car is 12,000 miles per year driven. So a four-year-old car (by manufacturing date, not model year) would have 48,000 miles. It’s acceptable to be around 15,000 per year, raising that to 60,000 miles for a four-year-old car.
More than 15,000 miles per year indicates that the car probably saw some rough conditions. Either it made many long trips or it made long commutes every day.
Then you can determine even more exactly how many miles have been put on it per month. Perhaps the best you can do is find a four-year-old car with 60,000 miles, but at least you are aiming for the lowest mileage.
Possible Warranty Coverage
If a car is new enough, find out if it is still covered under the new car warranty. You will have to calculate how much of the warranty still applies. You can also purchase a warranty. These add to the cost of your used car purchase, but they may provide some peace of mind. A certified preowned warranty is often the best deal, but also commands a higher price. These usually are lower mileage cars with good maintenance records. No matter what, read the fine print on any used car warranty.
Just Say No
Be sure to read the CarFax and all other information about the vehicle. Also slow down and take time to read every disclaimer about the car that you can find in the contract.
If suddenly a deal doesn’t look like such a good bargain, stop the process. Trust your instinct if an issue strikes you as a red flag.
A hasty purchase will be with you for years. It won’t hurt to walk away. Used cars are expensive these days, and you have every right to take your time and make the right choice.