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.
Ask before you shop there. Off Lease Only does not charge
"Dealer Fees."

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.

Used 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. This puts you at risk of buying a used car that looks great but runs terribly (a.k.a. a lemon) because it gets you in an aesthetic frame of mind rather than a functional one.


2. View cars that are in your price range before making a decision. Test drive the used car  you want with someone who knows about used 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 car you’re interested in, you need to know that the used 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 car, don’t be afraid to ask anything that is relevant to the used car’s performance and value even if it sounds silly or stupid. Things like the number of previous owners, 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.


5. With input from your parents and your mechanical expert pick your prize, choose which car you want to buy and get ready to negotiate price. The asking price is usually a guide, many sellers give themselves some wiggle room and may come down anywhere between 10 and 15 percent.   Bring a parent. Their mere presence is likely to give you an edge plus chances are good your parent has bought a car before.


6. When you’ve agreed on a price, and if you’re spending more than a couple
thousand, it’s worthwhile to condition the sale on an inspection. This means that you will buy the car only after it has passed a mechanical and structural inspection to your satisfaction. An inspection will cost you a few hundred dollars and you should factor that in to your budget, but it could end up saving you money and grief in the future by identifying any potential; areas of concern and/or finding any problems that were not evident on your test drive.



7. Once it’s passed inspection it’s time to close the deal and dive off in your new car. All that is left to do now is pay. Don’t pay in cash if at all possible. Get a cashiers check, which is as good as cash, or a money order if the seller won’t take a personal check but avoid cash. The bigger your paper trail the better.

Even on a private sale insist on a detailed bill of sale that lists the condition of the car at the time of sale, the selling price, the terms of the sale, and the contact info of both buyer and seller. Be careful to note if anything that isn’t working properly and who’s responsibility it will be to pay for the repair. For the most part used car sales are “as is” deals unless a contract specifies otherwise. Oral contracts are hard to prove and even harder to enforce so it is always best to get it in writing!


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 Used 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.

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