In the market for a used vehicle?

What to look for when considering a used vehicle!

Looking for a used car is always a very daunting and anxiety-inducing task. Should I buy from a dealer? Should I buy it privately? What is a fair price? Is this car reliable? These questions will go through your head sometime during your car-buying journey. In this article, I’d like to share my insights from what I learned from my used car buying expedition.

Where should you start?

The first need to decide is what your budget is for this vehicle. Will you be paying in cash or will you be financing through an auto loan? If you purchase through a dealer expect extra fees when you’re signing. In private sales, you won’t need to worry about these fees but you might need to be more cautious in determining if the seller is being honest or not.

In my opinion, most of the time you will get the best bang for your buck when you purchase a vehicle in a private sale. However, sometimes there are benefits to purchasing a vehicle through a dealer. The main benefit being oftentimes dealers will tune up used vehicles with new parts and fix any underlying issues before they sell a vehicle to buyers. Dealers however are also less likely to negotiate prices on used vehicles compared to private sellers.

When starting out on this journey you need to decide what type of vehicle will meet your needs and lifestyle. Another important decision to make is what drivetrain type will you need depending on the road conditions where you live. If you live in a climate where it snows a 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicle is best.

Where to look?

Once you’ve decided what class of vehicle you’re looking for whether it be a pickup or a sedan the best place to start looking for a vehicle is Facebook Marketplace. Marketplace has the highest amount of private vehicle sales compared to any other website. Other websites like KSL.com are also great places where classified advertisements are posted. If you’re looking to buy from a dealer I would recommend going to their website directly or sites like Autotrader, CarGurus, Edmunds, or Carfax that list used cars for sale from dealers.

Found a car you like?

Once you’ve narrowed down a car you are seriously interested In you need to determine if the car has a clean or salvaged title. If it has a salvaged title that means the car has been in a serious enough accident to total the vehicle. A clean title means that the car has not been totaled and has not been in any serious accidents. In my opinion cars with a salvage title pose too much of a risk for the everyday consumer. The risk of repair and operational failures is much higher.

Run the Carfax Report

Once you’ve found a car that you’re serious about buying I recommend running a carfax report to find out the vehicle’s history. The Carfax report won’t show everything that has been done to service a vehicle but it will show any major repairs from accidents as well as anytime it was serviced at a dealer. CarFax reports cost $44.99 for a single report, $64.99 for three reports, or $99.99 for 6 reports. Due to the price, I would only recommend running a carfax report on a vehicle you are serious about purchasing. Some dealers will provide free carfax reports which is always a major plus.

Inspecting the Vehicle in Person

Once you’re serious about buying a car always go and see the vehicle in person. Sometimes photos online aren’t always accurate or sellers purposefully try and hide damages on the vehicle. Always test drive a vehicle before your purchase it. It’s important to see how the vehicle handles as well as if there are any underlying issues when it drives. Pay attention to the dash for warning lights as well which can indicate problems under the hood. Drive the car in both neighborhoods as well as on a highway or somewhere you can get up to speed.

Look over and under the body of the vehicle. Look for dings and dents that weren’t listed to help negotiate a lower price. Always look for rust, especially if you live in a cold climate where the roads are salted. Inspect the frame for rust, If the frame has rust the car is soon to fail and it poses a major driving hazard. Look under the hood and check the oil with the dipstick. Visually inspect for any other cracks on other components.

 

Pulling the trigger

If you’ve made it past that last step it means you’re ready to buy. Always try and negotiate a lower price because oftentimes, if you bring up valid points such as needed service or repairs the seller, will cut you a deal. Make sure the title is in the seller’s name and not someone else’s. If the title to the vehicle is in someones else’s name the seller maybe be title jumping which is illegal and dishonest. If you’re purchasing from a dealer take the time to read the fine print to avoid getting screwed over. It’s worth the extra time to avoid any hidden or unnecessary fees.

Congratulations!

You’ve made it to the end. Hopefully, this article helped in deciding whether or not a used car is a good or bad buy. The goal is to go into car buying confidently so the seller won’t take advantage of you. Car buying is a difficult and life-changing choice that should not be taken lightly. Follow these tips and you’ll be a pro when it comes to finally buying that new truck you’ve been dreaming about for years.