7 Tips for Buying a Used Car

Posted on by Defensive Driving | in Car Stuff, Defensive Driving Online

 
usedcarlot
 
Buying a used car is a great way to save money, but it can be a difficult task if you don’t know exactly what you are looking for. If you don’t know much about cars, you might end up overpaying for a car that is nothing but a piece of junk. But if you go into the process with at least a basic knowledge of what you should be looking for, you will have a much better experience and come out of it with a better deal and a better car. Here are seven tips for buying a used car.

1. Figure Out What You Need Before You Start Looking

Looking for a good car can be an overwhelming process at best, but if you go into without knowing what you are looking for, you can come out of it a lot worse for wear. A car is a big investment, and the last thing you want is to end up spending a large amount of money on the wrong car.

2. Decide Whether to Go With a Dealer or Individual Seller

There are two main ways to buy a used car. You can either go to a used car dealer, or you can buy one from an individual seller. If you choose the latter, the chances are that you will probably have found it online. This means that you know very little about the person who is selling the car, so you will want to be extra thorough with your checks and the questions that you ask. Used car dealers often get a bad rap, but you can often get a good deal by using one, and the benefit of using a dealership is that you can often get a warranty or option to return the car if it doesn’t work out.

3. Test Drive

You should never buy a car that you have never driven. Make sure that you give the car a test drive before you buy it. Even better than this, use the test drive to take it to a mechanic and have the car checked out. Have the mechanic do a check under the hood and a general sweep of the car to make sure that there are no serious problems that could cost you later.

4. Do Some Research

Once you are looking at a car, you will want to research that particular make and model. Check the car’s blue book value, and see how much a car with that many miles should be worth. If the seller is charging a much higher price, you may want to look elsewhere. However, they may be open to negotiation.

5. Check the Mileage

Before you can research the car, you will want to know its mileage, so that you can compare it to other cars of the same age. Extremely high or low mileage might be indicative of something else, so be sure to ask why this is the case if you notice strange mileage.

6. Ask About Accident and Service History

A car might have good mileage, but had a really rough go of it. Ask about the car’s history in terms of how many accidents and repairs have been done on the car. This will help you to know if there are any recurring problems that might show up again in the future.

7. Don’t Settle for the First Offering Price

When it comes to buying used cars, the initial asking price is rarely the final one. Based on what you have discovered through research, you should be well placed to offer a lower price than the one that is offered. Do not get too carried away however, as not everybody is trying to rip you off!
 
Click here to find a course near you
 

|

Customer Reviews

Defensivedriving.com has a ShopperApproved rating of 4.7 based on 124699 ratings and reviews.

Miguel Santiago TX, United States
Great experience and easy
Kari Blalock united states
No issues. Easy to use.
Julio Perozo Wong None, united states
friendly and Easey
Matthew Wells None, united states
It was easy
Cassidy Blake None, united states
User friendly
Juan Morales-Cotto None, united states
Easy process
Dwight Bauermeister united states
Great service
Alejandro Macias united states
So far so good
Vijaya Lella united states
Nice experience. Easy to navigate. Videos are not too boring.
Ty Stanley None, united states
It’s very easy and quick
Tyrone Flowers Jr. None, united states
great
Kolton Smith None, united states
pretty efficient website.
Julio Nazario TX, united states
It was a great experience.
Robert Cortinas None, united states
fast
Courtney Richards None, united states
It was a quick process to sign up, ready to finish course.
Robert Pickens None, united states
Simple and quick
Daniela Ruiz united states
Website is So easy navigate and everything is explained so well
Edward Texas, united states
Course is informative and interesting.
Logan Dawson None, united states
Yall did great thank you
Stuart Pasley None, united states
Simple
Della Street-Leinart None, united states
Quick, easy and affordable.
Alexus Broome None, united states
easy to use
hdeal alabodi united states
Good experience
Lauren FULKERSON united states
Easy to use
Akhil Gajulavarti Texas, united states
Overall, it's good
Avery Ballmann TX, united states
It's great!
Eric Varela None, united states
Very Easy and fast service, all Texas Courts approve it
Sandreika Barber None, united states
Fast to navigate thru
Jose Carreon None, united states
Just awesome teaching techniques
Andres Alaniz None, united states
easy
Amanda Corley None, united states
all good
John Sanchez Texas, united states
Easy to follow
Luis Anchondo united states
Great!!!!
Zachary Hird None, united states
very easy to use
Meghan Stevenson None, united states
Fast and easy
Donna Collins None, united states
easy
See all reviews on shopperApproved.com
Why DefensiveDriving.com
  • 20 Years in Business
  • Over 2 Million Customers Served
  • Highest Possible Better Business Bureau Rating
  • Award Winning Course