How to buy a used car?

[amanfang]

How do you go about buying a used car?  I am looking for a decent, slightly used vehicle.  Where do I look?  What should I look for?  What kinds of questions do I ask?  What kinds of problems should I avoid?

[Torp]

Start with a budget. (Will you have cash to pay for it or are you going to borrow the money)

Have an idea what you 'need' in a vehicle.  Is it basic transportation, do you need to carry things, will your driving be around town, on the freeway, etc.

Any local newspaper will have a selection of vehicles in the classified section.  However, if you want to broaden your search you can use the internet.  Additionally, there is a periodical called "Auto Trader" that you might be able to find.  (This is a US publication)

Talk to friends and coworkers and let them know you're looking.

Once you find the car of your dreams I suggest taking it to a reputable mechanic to have them look it over and tell you what is obviously wrong.  Mechanics around where I live will usually charge about $50-100 for this service.  Cheap piece of mind if you going to drop several thousands on a vehicle.

Some questions to ask:

Maintenance records and reciepts (i.e. can they prove to you that the car has been maintained)
Are they the original owner?
How many miles have they put on it?
When were the tires replaced?
Any major service performed recently?

Basically, I try and ask questions in a way that lets me know what I'm getting into.  I don't like surprises when I buy a car.  Having said that, when I have purchased used cars in the past, I've invariably ended up with a surprise within the first six months.  Be prepared for that.  However, when talking to the owner, just let them know that you don't expect the car to be perfect, you just want to know what you're getting yourself into.  Every car has it's own set of problems.  If the owner continues to tell you that the car is perfect in every way, then move on, he's feeding you a bunch of BS.

Hope this helped.

[BoliverAllmon]

if you go to a used car dealer. ask for 5 grand less than what they are offering. stick by your guns. if you do you will get a deal in your favor.

[Aziel]

Research.

[classicarts]

I would have to agree.  Research before you buy.  And choose a right salesman to make the deal.

[classicarts]

Look for mileage on the vehicle, test drive the car, and take it to a mechanic for inspection.  

[gorbee natcase]

I always look into weather the previous owners were women. then you can't go wrong

[rimv2]

I always look into weather the previous owners were women. then you can't go wrong

Eh... That's a joke right... Yes a joke... ahahhah... You got meh ...ahahaahahah

Ironically