Buying used cars can offer great benefits. You have more bargaining power and can buy a car for less money. You can still purchase a nice vehicle even though it generally has more miles. When buying used though, you want to make sure you avoid any scams—especially among car dealerships.
Here are some things you may want to consider when looking at used cars. This information will help you in determining which used cars are best for you.
Buying From Rental Agencies
Car rental agencies generally take good care of the cars in their fleets. They need to maintain them in order to avoid having breakdowns and losing credibility as a company. Many of the rental cars are released for sale after one or two years of service. This means buying from a rental agency can be advantageous because the cars still have some factory warranty on them. Make sure you are aware of warranty information on the car. Don’t get scammed on warranties. You want to know when the warranty started and with whom, and you want to know how long you will be covered under the warranty.
Conduct a Vehicle Title Search
A vehicle’s title search can give you some great information when researching used cars. You may not know if the car has been in a wreck before and auto dealers are not going to volunteer that information. Even if you ask, they may try and tell you that nothing has ever been wrong with the car. Don’t take a car dealer’s word for it. Do your own research on the vehicle you’re interested in and find out the auto history. Auto histories can reveal needed information about used cars. Auto histories generally check the following:
- Odometer mileage and whether the odometer was rolled back
- If the car was in an accident, it typically shows up in the title search
- If the car has been flooded, totaled by insurance or sold at an auction
- Number of owners, when each owner had the car and the type of car, i.e., rental, government, fleet or leased
- When auto dealer accepted delivery
If you run an auto history check and you see a vehicle had 5 owners in 3 years that could be a good indication something may be wrong with the car. Don’t buy a used car when you don’t know a detailed history behind the car.
Make Sure Warranty Information is in Writing
Don’t take a car dealer’s word for it when it comes to warranties. If you’re looking at buying a used car, have the dealer write down and sign a contract about warranty service. Make sure the warranty covers more than the power train. If the engine, AC, water pump, or other components fail, would you be covered? Make sure it’s known in writing.
Most dealerships will want you to buy an extended warranty with the car, too. If the dealer is confident in the car, have them throw in the extended warranty. This gives you some additional coverage when buying a used car.
Don’t be scared of used cars either. Buying used can save you a lot of money in the short and long-run. Just understand that buying used cars needs to be done carefully and you need to do your homework before buying used cars.
By John Ivie