Buying a Used Car
Tips and advice on buying a used car

If you plan on buying a used vehicle from a private seller, use this check list as a guide. Normally when buying privately, there are no guarantees, so it is advisable to have vehicle inspected by a qualified mechanic. However, you can save a lot of time by asking the right questions on the phone before going to look at the vehicle. Questions you should ask, include:

• Why you are selling the vehicle?

• Is there anything mechanically that it needs right now? If the seller begins by telling you that the car is great but needs a tune-up, the AC needs topping-up, or that the front brakes aren’t so good, skip it. Chances are good that the car needs much more than that, and that’s why the work hasn’t been done.

• Has the car had any body or paint work? If it’s a two-year-old car that has already been repainted, don’t pursue it further.

• Have you owned the car long? Many people these days, more than you think, have unofficially gone into the used-car business. They may fix up as many as 20 cars a year and sell them out of their houses. As many as one-third of the cars you call will often be sold by private dealers.

• Do you have copies of the work you have done on the vehicle? If yes, ask what work was done. If no, forget it, unless the car has been regularly serviced at a facility that will have records on file that you would be willing to obtain and review.

• What is the condition of the tires and brakes? Bad tires and bad brakes make for a car that has not received regular maintenance. You want to find the type of owner who tells you the vehicle has good tires and who knows the condition of the front and rear brakes.

• How flexible are you on your price? Buy a good car at a fair price, not a piece of junk at a bargain. Someone who comes down too far too quick may have a bad car on his/her hands.

• Has the car been used on a regular basis? Unless you are buying a recreational vehicle or a weekend sports car, buy a car that has gotten routine use.

Private sellers sometimes over-estimate the condition of their cars on the phone, so don’t be too surprised to find a car that looks quite different from what you had expected.