The Basics of Buying a Used Car

Though you can almost always save money on a used car purchase, you need to be ready to search as a savvy consumer. Whether you're dealing with a private sale or a certified dealership, you should keep your eyes open for good deals and discipline yourself to shy away from bad ones. If you're considering the purchase of a used car, keep reading to learn the basics of a wise search. Know the Car You Want.

The used car market is huge, so having at least a general idea of what you're looking for will really help you narrow your search and allow you to get a clear idea of pricing.

Once you've chosen a make and a model, don't just sniff around at dealerships, but watch your local classifieds. Also, put the word out to friends and family that you're looking. You never know when a good deal can arise through a private sale.

Find Your Price Point

Once you have a few vehicle choices in mind, research their actual resale value. Using the Kelley Blue Book (available at kbb.com), you can look up a car's standard sale price using its make, model, year, mileage and condition.

While the Blue Book value isn't hard and fast, it offers a basic guideline that will help you recognize a good deal and know when the price of another is just too high for what you'd be buying.

Before you Buy, Get the Papers

Whether you're buying privately or through a used car dealership, always ask to see the car's title search and even vehicle history report. You can obtain your own vehicle history report through a service like CARFAX that will tell you the car's sale history, past odometer readings, emission inspections, and major incidents.

If you're buying privately, ask the seller for copies of the vehicle's maintenance receipts. While not all owners will have full records, they should have some. Though such records certainly don't prove the vehicle is currently in good shape, they do provide a bit of additional evidence that the owner may have taken good care of it over the years.

Ask for an Inspection

Unless you're buying a used car that comes with a manufacturer's warranty, always have a car inspected by a third-party, certified mechanic. Getting their independent opinion on the car can help you make a wise purchasing decision.

Always Test Drive

Unless the car isn't drivable or road-safe, it's critical that you take it for a test drive. You'll get a feel for the car and a much better awareness of any potential problems.

So, if you're planning to buy a used car, remember to narrow your selection, have an idea of the Kelley Blue Book value, obtain the appropriate paperwork, secure an inspection and always take it for a test drive.

by Derek Hudson

Should You Buy a Second Hand Car?

A lot of people say that buying a second-hand car means buying someone else's troubles. This may have little truth in it. However, there are good second hand cars that can be considered as a best buy. In reality, there's no simple answer to the question as to whether or not you should buy second hand cars. It all depends upon your own personal experience on the road and how well you know about cars.If your budget can't possibly buy you a new car, you can try checking out the display of second-hand car dealers. These cars can actually cost half as much the price of a regular car. Some dealers even do financing on the vehicles that they are selling. But just because the car is cheap, it doesn't mean that it is the answer to your needs. Keep in mind that you're always getting what you pay for. Cheaper car may mean older car or a troublesome car of some sort. You have to practice total discretion when choosing.

Whenever you can, try to check out the second-hand cars being sold by individuals and not by car dealers. This way, you can personally talk to the actual owner of the car about its condition. You may not always get a totally honest answer, but at least you know that you won't end up buying a fully-battered vehicle. Look at the aesthetics of the car. Check its engine. You should have an eye for good cars and bad cars in order to get a best buy.

You should also test drive the car you wanted to buy. This is your chance to listen for odd sounds on the engine. You should also try all the controls of the car and see if they still work. Overall, you would be able to know whether the car is a well-maintained vehicle or not. A quick check at the mileage of the car would tell you whether the car is being used frequently.

Buying a second-hand car is much like buying a new car. You have to research the models you'd like to buy rather than just settling on what you see at the garage. Keep in mind that each car has its own features. It differs in the type of petrol it uses, transmission system, safety features, handling, and a host of other features. You have to consider all of these when buying second-hand cars too. As much as possible, make a checklist of the things you want in a car and bring it with you over the car dealer's. Ask the owner about all of them and see how each car fairs. Get the one that meets your expectations.

If you want to buy a car for your teenager, a second-hand car is a good vehicle to start with. While your son or your daughter might not like the idea, a second-hand car is actually a good breeding ground for them as they learn the basics of driving and as they move their way on the major highways. But you have to be very careful when choosing a car for them. You don't want to give them a car that is not safe to drive or always have to be sent for repairs. Choose wisely so that your teenager would like a second-hand car well enough.

By Mike Kay

Tips for Buying a Used Car Privately or Owner-Direct

Buying a used car is a great way to save money, and doing so either privately or directly from the owner can save you even more. However, with those savings come associated risks. As a buyer, you're not protected by warranties, guaranties or many consumer protection laws.

If you're planning to buy a used car direct from the owner, keep reading for 5 great tips that will help protect you as a buyer and potentially save you thousands of dollars.

1. Review the Vehicle Registration Document
The car's owner should be able to produce an authentic vehicle registration document or V5. This document will provide the car's full information, VIN, owner's name, owner's address and any other ownership details.
Try to avoid sales where the ownership on the vehicle registration does not match the seller's address or the contact information is incorrect. If you purchase a stolen vehicle and it is repossessed, the vehicle will be seized and your only recourse to get back your money will be civil action lawsuit against the thief. (Good luck with that!)
If the vehicle registration or V5 is with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) as a means of recording the ownership change, the owner should be able to present a green, temporary V5.

2. Ask to See Insurance Documents
If the seller doesn't have a current or very recently canceled insurance policy for the car, you may be dealing with a stolen vehicle. Ask yourself why someone would own a car for years, but never drive it or have registered insurance?

3. Obtain a Vehicle History Report
With just the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), you can obtain a vehicle history report from a service provider like CARFAX. They'll give you a full title history, along with odometer readings and any information about the car, like whether it has been involved in any major accidents or experienced flood damage.

4. Have the Car Inspected
Before you hand over any cash in a private sale, have the vehicle inspected by an independent, licensed mechanic. Either have the owner accompany you and the vehicle to the garage or ask a mechanic to come with you to examine and evaluate the vehicle.

5. Review the Car's Maintenance Records
A good seller will have a full file and record of receipts for most, if not all, the maintenance and repair work done on the vehicle. A mediocre seller will have at least some records, and a seller to avoid will have none.

by Derek Hudson

You Can Find Your Automobile Of Choice From Japanese Used Car Auctions

Used car auctions are getting to be a very popular way to buy cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, and other types of vehicles these days. People enjoy the process of a car auto auction, which usually means they are able to get a better price that they would from a dealership, plus they can avoid haggling with a salesman. A Japanese used car auction is one of the best ways to pick up your favorite model of Japanese vehicle and get a good price.While all kinds of different auctions are getting increasingly popular, from the online auto auction sites to the functions held at car auction houses, it seems the Japanese car auction events are gaining in popularity even faster than other types. Part of the reason for this is the general popularity of the Japanese cars these days because of their overall reliability and because they get better gas mileage than many American made vehicles.

Because of these factors, many more people are starting to consider Japanese models, as they represent some of the best values on the market today. Combine that with the prices that people can get through a Japanese used car auction and it makes a lot of sense to try to locate these special types of used auto auctions in your area.

There are many different types of vehicle auctions these days that will often feature Japanese automobile models, as well as many others brands of vehicles. A great number of the cars that are sold at any kind of car auto auction are seized cars and repossessed cars. These are cars that have been seized by a governmental agency because of some type of illegal activity on the part of the owner, or they have been repossessed by the financial lending institution because of failure to pay on the debt.

No matter what type of public car auction you attend, whether it is for a used Japanese car or a collector car, there are some basic things that must be understood about how all motor car auctions work. First of all, you need to either have cash, a cashier's check or a pre-approved loan before you can even register at the auction and participate in the bidding.

The reason why you have to have the money upfront is that all sales at auto auctions are final and you are expected to pay for the vehicle as soon as the auction is over. Because sales are final, you also need to be confident in your ability to spot any problems that a used car has during the brief inspection time that you will have before the bidding starts.

The bottom line is that a Japanese used car auction has the potential to help you get our favorite model of Japanese vehicle at a better price than you will find anywhere else. The tradeoff is that all of the cars that are sold through used car auctions are sold "as is" and they don't come with any kind of warranty or guarantee. And sales are final, so once you win the bid, any problems with the automobile are yours to take care of without any support from the seller.

by Mike Selvon

Used Car-How to Check a Used Car before You Buy it.

A used car always has faults that reduce the comfort of using the car or that must be repaired before using it comfortably and safely. This is all right, as long the prize you pay is not too high when you also add the prize, time and efforts for subsequent repair and adjustments. Here are some tips for checking a used car before any purchase.

The basic principles of assesing a used car before you buy it are :
- Look at everything.
- Test everything.
- Check the car's history.
- Write down what you find.

Before you begin checking the car, make sure you have ready something to note down your findings upon.
If you only remember these four depicted principles, you will probably make a good assessment even without any more detailed plan. However, in the following a plan for the assessment is presented. It is not always possible to do it exactly as described, but try to follow the procedures as well as you can.

Look it all over.
Before starting the car, you should watch the whole car externally and internally in a systematic manner:
- Go around the car and watch every point. Look for broken windows, unclear windows, unclear or broken mirrors, bumps, rust or damaged painting.
- Then look especially well at the channels on the sides. Look for any rust and injuries.
- Try to open and close all doors. Look around the doors, both at the doors themselves and the frames around the doors. Try the locks in every door.
- Look at the wheels and the wheel suspensions.
- Look under the car. Look especially for rust, broken parts or unsymmetrical parts.
- Look into the luggage room. Look under carpets and covers. Look especially for cracks, rust or unsymmetrical parts. Such symptoms can indicate that the car has been subjected to an injury.
- Look into the motor room. Check for loose parts. Does everything seems solid and in place? Is there much rust? Are there signs of oil leakage? Is it very dirty, and what kind of dirt is present? Some dirt is normal, but extreme and unusual dirt should give you something to think about. Do you see any cracks or any asymmetry? Are there any signs of repair work done? Such symptoms indicate that the car has been through an accident.
- Try the suspension by bouncing each of the corners of the car. They should bounce only one or two times in every corner, and without any cracking noise.
- Look to see if the car has spare wheels, standard tools for repair and wheel shift, and both summer and winter wheels present.
- Then turn the key so that the electric systems are activated.
- Look at everything in the cabin. Look under the carpets. Sit down in all seats. Try all regulatory possibilities of the seats.
- Try all electric windows, electric mirrors and other commodities that are electrically operated.
- Try out all lights, including the signal lights and the serene. If some of them do not work, set in a new bulb, to see if this is the only problem.
- Try the radio, car computer, music equipment and any GPS navigation unit.

Start the motor and test.
After having seen the car all over, it is time to start the motor. The motor should ideally be started when it is cold. A motor started easily when it is warm, does not necessarily start easily when cold.
- Start the motor. Does the motor start easily or not? Listen for sound of uneven motor work, sounds of vibrations or sounds of friction. Do you feel any vibrations outside the normal?
- When starting the motor, kick the brake pedal. It should easily go down and kick in the brakes when the motor is started. If not, the brake servo can be broken.
- Listen for unusual or high sounds from the exhaust system indicating breakage.
- Look at the dashboard panel. Do all indicators work? Does any indicator signal any problem?
- Try the steering by turning the steering wheels. How much do you have to rotate it before the wheels turn? It should not be more than around 2 cm or 0.8 inch.
- Try the window washers and the window wipers, and any light wiper and washers.
- Kick in the clutch, and try all the gears if it is manually geared.
- Try out the cabin heater or air conditioning.

Test drive.
Then there is the time for a test drive. When you are test-driving the car, you should try out the following:
- Set the gearbox in reverse, and back out of the parking place. Does the gas and the clutch work smoothly when backing? Does the car get smoothly into motion?
- Set the car in motion forewords. Does the gas and the clutch work smoothly in foreword motion? Does the car get smoothly into foreword motion?
- Increase the speed and gear up to second gear if the car is manually geared. If it has automatic gearshift, just speed up until the second gear sets in. Are there any problems to go up one gear? If the car has an automatic gearbox, does the second gear kick in when expected?
- Try the breaks from a low speed. Is there any problem with the brakes, like poor action, vibrations or unmoral noises? Does the car pull to one side when you use the brakes?
- Park the car and note down all your findings so far. Then start again.
- Try a wider range of speeds, and the rest of the gears. If the car has an automatic gearbox, do the other gears kick in when expected? Does the motor feel quick, or is it lazy?
- Listen to the car mechanics. Is there any rattling or whining sounds from anywhere? Be especially aware of singling sounds from the gearbox or unexpected motor sounds.
- Watch out for any smell of gasoline, diesel, oil or anything burnt during drive?
- Does the car go in a straight line and direction at higher speeds, or does it wiggle or pull to one side. Is it still easy to steer it both to right and left? Is the steering accurate?
- Try the breaks from a higher speed and notice any irregularities.
- Look at the figures for motor temperature. Is it in the normal range?
- Finish by testing the reverse once again when parking.
- When finished the test drive, look into the motor room. Do you see any oil leaks, or water leaks, or is there any unexpected high temperature? Is there any smell of burnt substance? Is there any smell of gasoline or diesel?
- Note down all your findings.

Check the papers and car history.
Then, before buying the car, check all the papers.
- Look at the service book. Has the car had all its services?
- Look at all repairs bills. All of these should ideally follow the car.
- Look at the mileage indicator to see how long the car has been driven.
- Take out a history report of the car from authorities, insurance companies or other instances offering such reports. An example of such a report is a Car fax report that can be taken out online.
- In some countries or areas dept issues or fines that an owner has generated follow the car to the new owner. Such issues are especially important to check out. How you can do so, will vary from place to place.
- Ask the seller about history issues, for example accidents the car has gone through. If you have found some signs indicating some issue, ask directly about them. Many sellers will be honest and tell any truth. In other cases you can guess from the way that the seller answers if he is lying or not.

Deciding.
At the end, you must decide several things based on the findings.
- First of all, is this really the car type you need? If not, decline the offer, even though everything looks fine.If you have decided that this is the car type for you, then think further.
- Is the car in such a technical condition that it is possible to bring it to the standard you wanted? If not, decline the offer.
- Then think about how much time and effort the repair of the car will cost you. Even though you let a workshop repair the car, you must spend time by bringing the car to and from the workshop, by explaining what to repair, by waiting, by checking after repair, and so on.
- What do you think the repair of the car will cost?- Now you can decide if the car is worth buying after all, and the maximal prize worth paying.
- As the last point, discuss the prize with the seller, even if it is within the right prize range. Then at last, after all checking, and all thinking, and discussing the prize, you can decide to buy or not.

by Knut Holt