Each year in the United States, consumers buy about 40 million used cars.
Buying a used car can save you a bunch of money, but it can also cost you more money in the long run if you don’t buy one that works well.
If you’re thinking about buying a used car soon, you may be wondering how to buy a used car without having doubts. Check out these helpful tips!
Set a Budget
Before you can start looking for a car, you need to set a budget. This will help you narrow down your search and determine what type of vehicle you’re looking for.
When you budget for a car, you can’t just budget for the sale price of the car. You’ll also have to consider how much it will cost with a loan, how much you’ll have to pay for gas and insurance, and how much maintenance will be required on the car.
If the car is cheap but really old and worn down, you may end up paying more in costs later on down the road when you have to keep fixing and repairing it.
Do Your Research
Once you’ve set your budget, you can start doing your research. This can be the fun part of the search as you get to decide what kind of car you really want.
If you’re on a tight budget, you should try and find a car that is practical for your needs. For example, if you have a big family, you may want to get a used Honda CRV or a van instead of a small sedan.
It can be tempting to get a nicer, more luxurious car, but this where your budget will help you stay focused.
While you do your research, try looking up what models and brands last a long time. Since you are buying a used car, you want to buy one that others have said lasts a long time. There are even some tests and reviews of each car and brand that you can find online to really help you feel confident in whatever your choice ends up being.
Check the History of the Vehicle
Once you have done your research and find a vehicle that you’re interested in purchasing, you should check out the history of the vehicle.
If you’re buying a car from a close friend or family member, you might not need to (as long as you trust them). Buying from strangers can be a little bit more difficult.
The seller should disclose all of the vehicle history to you, but in the event that you don’t trust them, you can always look up the car on AutoCheck. This will be able to give you the history of just about any vehicle (as long as there’s documentation).
Using this information, you might be able to find details about the car that might end up making you think twice about purchasing the car.
Negotiate With the Seller
Next, you can start trying to negotiate with the seller. If you like the car and it seems good to buy, you don’t always have to pay whatever the sale price is listed at. Normally there’s a little bit of wiggle room.
Most people are going to try as hard as possible to get you to pay the most for the car, but you can sometimes talk them down if they’re willing to sell it soon and be done with it.
This is where the research you’ve done earlier can come in handy. You can normally get a good idea of what price these types of cars go for, so you should be able to negotiate for a lower price if this car is on the higher side.
When you negotiate, you should also take into consideration the condition of the car, where it is, and how many miles it has on it.
Test Drive the Car
Once you’ve looked up the car’s history, you should ask to test drive it. This will alert you to any obvious problems with the car, but you’ll also be able to tell if it’s a car you’re comfortable with driving.
While test driving the car, you should check for a few things like if there’s enough space for you in the car. Are the seats comfortable? Does the ride feel smooth?
Is there a check engine light on? Is anything else not coming on that should be? Does anything get stuck?
You should also try smelling the car. Is there a heavy smell of smoke that bothers you? Do you smell oil or gas? If so, this could be the sign of a bigger problem with the car.
Trust Your Gut
After you’ve test-driven the car, you’ll need to make a decision.
If everything else lines up but you still have a bad feeling about it, you should walk away from the car.
However, if you have a good feeling and everything seems okay, pull the trigger and buy the car! But if the car does turn out to be a lemon, how does a car qualify for lemon law?
Learn More About How to Buy a Used Car You Will Love
These are only a few tips on how to buy a used car that will actually work, but there are many more out there.
It can be difficult to know how to save money and budget it in order to be able to afford a used (or new) car. Thankfully, we have you covered.
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