How to Buy Your First Used Car

Beware of "Dealer Fees." You may be quoted a price that
sounds too good to be true, and then the dealer adds a
mysterious "Dealer Fee" at closing. It may be as much as
$2,000.00 for no reason other than to compensate himself
for lack of profit.


Want to find a great deal on a used car in this tough economy?
Buy the used car that people aren't looking for. There are
comparable makes and models to all the top used cars on the
market so I did a little poking around for you and found the best
deals on used cars that may not be white hot in desirability.
You'll like them and be glad to save a few bucks. Plus, your neighbors will envy your contrary way of looking at things. Don't run with the herd.

Car Buying Tips Tailored for Teens
by Jessica Stevenson for About.com

1. Know your budget and stay within it, even if you're just looking. Why not dare to dream? Because when you look around at cars that are out of your price range the ones that you can afford may seem to pale in comparison.


2. View at least 3 cars that are in your price range before making a decision. Test drive each car with someone who knows about cars. Your parents may or may not fit the bill on this one. If they do, great, take them along, but if your Mom or Dad is an auto mechanical novice make sure you take somebody who knows cars. Take Mom or Dad as well, but a person who is truly knowledgeable about used cars is invaluable on a test drive.


3. Do your research. Some people think that research stops with knowing the Blue Book value of the car you're interested in. It doesn't. You need to know about common problems to look for in the year and model of used car you're interested in, you need to know that the car is in good mechanical condition, you need to know that the body is in good shape and if possible get a report of any accidents it's been in and copies of all service records.



4. Based on your test drive, your research and your preferences narrow the field
to 3 choices and test drive them again. Ask questions specific to each used car, don't be afraid to ask anything that is relevant to the car's performance and value even if it sounds silly or stupid. Things like the number of previous owners (1 owner is always ideal), how many accidents it's been in and how serious the damage was, which major parts that have been replaced or rebuilt, whether or not anyone has smoked in the vehicle are fair questions.









Tests with a 700 Pound Load
The load course was set up with orange cones that took drivers
through curves, straightaways, a short slalum and a quick lane-change maneuver -- all designed to let us experience what it might be like to handle a loaded truck in a panic situation. The F-150 handled the course better than the other brands, with minimal body roll and less push in the corners. Don't get me wrong, you could make it push by driving at higher speeds, but the object was to compare all of the
trucks under similar conditions, and the F-150 excelled.


The top researched midsize sedan on Autotrader.com is no surprise - the Honda Accord. Second would be the Nissan Altima and third is the Toyota Camry. Well, the obvious answer here is used domestic midsize sedans. Topping the list is the Ford Fusion. It's based on the Mazda6 platform (another personal favorite) and is simply the best domestic midsize sedan in the last 10 years. The 2006 SEL gets almost perfect mechanical marks from Consumer Reports.