How to Buy a Used Car Even If You Know Nothing About Cars

We've got a few simple guidelines. Follow these, and you will put yourself in the running for a good deal on a car that suits you. jetcityimage|Getty ImagesDoes buying a used car give you a feeling of dread that lasts longer than an IRS audit? Don’t stress it. Really. Buying a used car doesn’t have to be scary. As a dealer with thirty years of experience, I’ve bought over 5000 used cars and sold well over 150,000 used cars as an auto auctioneer. Buying one great car? You can do it provided you know a few of the tricks of the trade. Here are a dozen or so that will make buying your next used car far easier than you can imagine. The used-car world has plenty of bad options, so consider consulting Carfax, the website that allows shoppers to buy a vehicle’s history, from how many people owned it and where they lived, to maintenance records, to accident reports. Carfax is a great tool to uncover the worst cars. Carfax doesn’t really point out the best used cars. Just the worst. Before reading the Carfax, please forget about the conventional wisdom you may have read about using these reports. The number of owners? It doesn’t matter. Any car out there can have one bad owner and several great ones. Accidents? You won’t know the extent of the damage or the quality of the repair until it’s inspected by a professional mechanic. And many cars have accidents that slip by Carfax and therefore have clean Carfax histories. Tons of records? It can still be a rolling money pit. I’ve seen cars with over 50 service records that had a blown engine and a bad transmission. See all results for used cars for sale near v1j 1a2 The key is to figure out why the prior owner got rid of it, and that can be gleaned by researching the car’s history. What were the owner’s maintenance habits? There are three things that are important on a Carfax:1. Oil change intervals. 2. Transmission fluid services: should be at no more than 60,000 miles if it has a continuously variable transmission (CVT). 3. Where the vehicle was registered if it's eight years or older. See all results for used cars for sale near v1j 1a2 Not every oil change is going to land on a Carfax report. But if you see that each registered owner changed the oil at a short interval at some point in their history (every 3000 to 5000 miles), then it’s generally one that does not deserve a quick rejection. Evidence of a transmission fluid change at around 60,000 miles (or sooner if the vehicle has a CVT) is another good sign. Do drop the rusty relics! Check the registration history on the Carfax to avoid older used cars that came from the Rust Belt or near the beach. The heavier the sand or snowfall, the quicker you should kick it to the curb. The history will also reveal if a car was owned for a short amount of time. Avoid cars that were owned for less than a year because a lot of car owners like to kick the car of expensive problems to the next owner. If you see a car that has recently been sold to the current owner that had to get some work done recently, just skip it. If they owned it for a while, though, take the next big step. Call the shop that worked on it to find out what was done, “I’m thinking about buying a car that was recently serviced at your place. If I gave you the full VIN or the last six, could you possibly look at what repairs it needed when it came in?” Nine times out of ten they will share not only what was done, but what needed to be done which is a better indicator of the vehicle’s condition. Be sure to ask if the previous owner had every item repaired and if they didn’t, how much it would cost to fix it. Thank them and return the favor by leaving them a good review online. Always pay it forward! If you’re dealing directly with the owner, manners matter. Be nice. Most people open up when you’re genuinely kind. Some will even tell you more than you ever imagined. So don’t spam a stranger to death with six straight questions right off the bat. Instead, have a genuine conversation. See if they really do know the car’s history because sometimes, the person on the phone doesn’t own the car. Used-car listings can be full of scammers. For example, I always ask, “I like to catch up on maintenance on any car I buy. Could you let me know when it was serviced and what was done to it?” If the owner can’t answer that simple question or flat-out lies based on the Carfax history, scratch that one right off your list. Conversations should be all about listening. Use conditional words and phrases: Would you recommend? Is it possible? Have you found? That way the conversation remains non-threatening and polite, but probing. Remember you’re not just gathering information. You’re also making the seller more comfortable with you for the test drive. When you are ready for the test drive, start by not moving at all; sit with the car parked first. No test drive should be less than 20 minutes, and you should stay parked with the car running for at least five minutes. E

How to Buy a Used Car Even If You Know Nothing About Cars

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