How to buy a used car, and not get suckered.

I recently bought a car.

I won't say new, although it is new to us, because it's definitely used.  It was actually for my husband to drive to and from work, but because I'm more picky and he's more of a push-over, I usually do the car shopping. It is an exhausting process (no pun intended), and not one that I like to do very often, but with an ever expanding family, and increasingly complex schedules, we keep having to do it. Honestly, I don't know how we survived with only one car this long.
Anyway, this is a list of things I've learned in the midst of this process and over the years and I thought I'd share my tidbits of wisdom with anyone who cares to listen.

 #1.  Plan on looking for a long time.  Don't imagine that you'll find the right car right away.  Patience. (Hopefully this is a possibility for you, I imagine there are circumstances where you can't wait, and I wish you the best of luck.)

#2.  Make friends with a certified mechanic, preferably in another state, who has nothing to gain by his answers to your questions, but is truly concerned for your welfare. (I am lucky enough to have a best friend who's brother-in-law is a certified mechanic in Utah, I trust him).  Bug him lots with every question that may come up, and get his honest opinion of every make, model, and year of every car that you may be considering. After all is said and done, bake him cookies.

#3.  To save yourself some phone calls to said mechanic friend, invest in consumer reports and read them religiously --knowing exactly which cars to stay away from. Also look at Kelly Blue Book (KBB) prices to know how much each car that you find should be worth, taking the condition and mileage into account. A good website I found, www.carcomplaints.com is also pretty helpful, although remember that there's going to be relatively more complaints for more popular cars, but take a look at the seriousness of those complaints --fog lights burning out = not a problem, transmission falling out = big problem. Also be aware of how much certain repairs might cost you.  Some are worth more than the car itself.

#4. To save yourself even more time, don't even bother with any German made cars, Dodge the Dodges and Chevys, and don't bother with salvage or "branded" titles, especially if you ever want to re-sell the car.

#5. When looking at a car, check:  Mileage (some cars can get more than others just fine, and different kinds of miles are better than others --just be aware of what you're getting and how that affects the worth by KBB standards), tires (-especially look for weird wear patterns like if just the inside or outside of the tread is worn you may have alignment issues), tailpipe for soot( means it's burning oil or something), rust around the wheel wells and on the body, under the car for oil leaks. If you can, look at the engine for signs of leaking, rusting, or corrosion, and in the trunk for dead bodies.  j/k

#6. When test-driving, make sure all the dash lights go on when you first half-turn the key (and make sure they eventually turn off), and of course listen for weird noises on start-up and as you're going.  Test the lights, blinkers, A/C, heater, and sound system as well as power stuff like windows and locks and stuff. Even manual windows, if they don't open or close it may be a sign that the frame of the car is bent or something (this goes for doors as well). Make sure the speedometer works, because if it doesn't probably the odometer is wrong as well.  While driving, try out all gears, listen to and be aware of the feel of the brakes.  If possible, have someone follow you to see if any smoke is coming out of the exhaust while on a straightaway let go of the steering wheel for just a moment, and see if the car pulls to one side or the other.  Pull into an empty parking lot and do some figure eights to test the steering and listen for sounds.  Go over a few speedbumps to feel how the shocks are holding up. Be aware of the smells of the car --exhaust, brakes, smoke, dead bodies, etc.  And if possible, go ahead and take it to a mechanic to have them look it over, or at least one of those free emissions testing stations (but again, make sure it's someone who has nothing to gain).

#7.  If you're buying from a dealer, cash-in-hand can often save you up to $500, they really perk up when you use this phrase, and are more willing to cut you a deal. (Don't actually have the cash in your hand, or even on your person, they'd probably send their thugs after you once you left. It's just a way of saying you're willing to pay the whole amount on the spot with cash. If you really like the car, you could maybe take it for a test drive to your bank).  I personally don't buy a car unless I have the funds, but I know that's not always possible, and I've been pretty lucky in those regards.  I'm also pretty cheap, and don't mind old cars, but I do want reliable ones and get the best I can with the limited funds I have.

#8.  If you're a woman, they'll probably patronize you and think you don't know anything about cars. "This is a great car... see how shiny the rims are?" (yeah, I actually had a guy try that one on me.)  Try to channel that inner lumberjack, throw around words like 4 cylinder or V6 even though you don't know exactly what they mean or even look like, and tell a few white lies like, "Yeah, my dad is a mechanic," to give yourself credibility. Always be skeptical, and don't let scripture verses on their business cards fool you.

#9. Anticipate title and document fees (which can be anywhere from 50 to 200 hundred dollars depending on the dealer and how big of crooks they are, er... I mean, how they do things), don't be afraid to haggle.  If' you're not a haggler, at least talk them into including the taxes and fees in the total asking price of the car. To avoid those all together, and the exorbitant prices that dealers can charge (they do have to make a living you know) try to buy straight from the owner.  You'll have to beat the dealers to them, because that's often where they get their cars from. Keeping up on the ads, being diligent, knowing what's out there and staying ahead of things in those regards will help.

#10.  Remember that nothing is guaranteed with an old or used car, and things may still go wrong.  Go with your gut feeling, work hard at it, and you may just end up getting a deal.


Now I am not by any means an expert on cars. This probably isn't the most complete list out there, but I did my homework, gleaning as much as I could from friends and family (my dad actually is a mechanic, he's just not certified, or even paid as one, but he can fix most things). I searched high and low, and each time it took me more than a week or two to find what I was looking for.  But to my credit, over the last 8 years, I have gone through this process and bought three used cars; two of which (because I just got the third) I was able to sell for more than what I bought them for, even after driving them for several years --and I think the people I sold them to still got a good deal too. 

Anyway, hope this helps. Let me know if there's anything else you can think of.