If your old car drove its last mile yesterday and you need to quickly find a replacement so you can get to work next week, then it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the used car buying process. What if your neighbor sells you their old car and its transmission or engine fails tomorrow? What if you find a great car online and by the time you get to the car lot someone else buys it? The issues go on and on.
To buy your next used car like a pro, follow these tips and you will have success.
Tip: Identify the Makes and Models That Meet Your Needs
Before hitting the used car lot or the online listings, it is important you have a clear idea of what vehicles you are interested in purchasing. For example, if you are single and like to spend your time offroading and hiking on the weekends, then either a 4WD truck or SUV is a must. Perhaps you love Chevy and hate Ford; you have now narrowed down your options to a Chevy SUV or truck.
Armed with your budget and a clear idea of the vehicle makes and models you have identified, then you can start to narrow down the possible years and other specifics for your future vehicle.
Tip: Do Some Pre-Shopping Online Research
Once you have a shortlist of vehicles, your time is well served by searching each one online and reading other owners' opinions of the vehicle. Your research will help you screen out vehicles that are known to have mechanical issues now that they have been out on the road for a while.
When searching, ignore the "best vehicle ever" and "worst vehicle ever" stuff and look for mileage and repair trends. For example, does everyone's review you read mention that a 1990s-era Chevy Blazer starts having transmission problems by 120,000 miles? If so, then this tells you that if you choose to buy one with similar mileage, then you might soon find yourself in a transmission shop with an expensive bill.
Tip: Look for Signs of Flood Damage
Since a huge number of vehicles were submerged in water during in last year's major storms across the southern portion of the United States, it is essential you check used cars for the telltale signs of previous flood damage. This is important because people often sell their flooded vehicles and then the cars find their way onto the secondary market through the same auctions used car dealers use to source their inventory.
To identify a car involved in a severe weather event, look for these things:
- mud around the spare tire
- mud in the trunk
- frame rust
- moisture trapped in the headlights and taillights
In addition, cars with a collection of minor electrical problems or musty odors are also suspect for water damage.
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