Looking for a used car. . . ?

Question

Please be kind. I have never shopped for a car before.
What I was wondering was what does one look for when looking for a used car? I have a price limit, and all I need is a half way okay car that can get me from point A to point B without killing me.
Are there some makes/models to watch out for/stay away from?
Is there a Price range that one should stay in? And any other tips/watch out fors would be helpful.
thanks.

Answer 1

Well you said that you already have set a price limit. So I'm not going to get involved in what price range you should stay in. However, I have always read that you should never have a car payment any higher than 10% of your take home pay. So if you net 2000 a month, then your payment should be no more than 200.



Anyway, you want to look for a vehicle that has NEVER been in an accident. You can purchase a cars history report on carfax.com for about $20. Second, make sure you don't overpay for the vehicle. Check the vehicles blue book value on kbb.com.



As an easy, general rule of thumb I would stay away from anything American, and if you don't want to spend a lot of money on expensive luxury fixes then I would stay away from luxury cars and European cars as well. That would leave you with Japanese or Korean cars.



I would stick with a sedan, some sedans are just as safe (and some even safer) than certain pickups or even SUVs. People have this misconception that big cars are safer than small cars. That isn't true.



I would HIGHLY reccomend a Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, or Toyota Corolla, or Honda Civic. They all get great gas milage, are cheap and easy to fix, very reliable, and blend in with traffic (easy to avoid tickets and less vandalism/break ins)



tip number 1 - STICK TO YOUR BUDGET

tip number 2 - get an insurance quote BEFORE you buy the car, to see what your insurance premium will be

tip number 3 - be prepared to walk away from any car. if you show the salesman how excited you are about a car he will use that against you as leverage to pay more. if you act uninterested or like its not a big deal and explain that you don't need a car, you will be able to get a better deal and play hard to get



hope this helps a little. if you have any other questions don't hesitate to email me = )

Answer 2

I would definitely not go over the price limit I set upon myself; whether that's $5,000 or $10,000 or even $100,000, never buy a car beyond your means because a car costs more than just the price on the sticker; there's also the maintenance costs and repair costs.

If you just want go to from A-B, a used Toyota Camry (late 1990s) should do the trick without much hassle; many have been known to go 300K miles and beyond without any hassle.



I would also consider a used Honda Accord, and if your budget is extremely limited, I'd also look into an older (late 1990s)Nissan Altima, which was a mediocre car at the time, but makes for an excellent used car bargain now.



If you're really looking for a beater, an older Ford Taurus (late 1990s early 2000s) will provide an excellent deal; it's also safe and relatively inexpensive to fix.

I would definitely stay away from Chrysler Co. models, as well as most European cars; typically European cars will cost significantly more to repair as they age.

Be sure to get an inspection on any car you're interested in by a reputable mechanic, and to get a CarFax report from carfax.com on the car you're interested in. If possible, stick to cars that haven't been in major accidents and that are one owner models.

Don't buy a car with a salvage or rebuilt title. There could be a lot of hidden damage involved with those cars, so it's just best to stay away.

Good Luck, and Happy Motoring!

Answer 3

That's a tough one, as you never know who is selling. In fact, a salesman at the dealership could low-ball an older person, get their car, then sell it at home, making themselves seem folksy. Since none of these are probably warrantied, I strongly suggest you save until you can get a cheap, new car under warranty. I know you will regret buying a used car, either for the smoke smell, or what the person didn't get done. If the economy weren't bad, I would sell mine with 40000 miles on it, but I can't afford to, but I have a six year warranty, and one more year. I can't even say, get one at a dealership or car max. I only know that I keep up my cars, but not everyone does, and then, it is nothing but trouble. Even a family member will sell a clunker.

Answer 4

You need to ask some one to check on the car you are buying. Usually a mechanic.

Answer 5

Lots of questions, and there's lots to know. Spend a lot of time doing research, looking at cars, getting yourself knowledgeable about prices, and what to do to make sure you don't make mistakes. Here's a site that might help:



http://www.used-car-advisor.com/



.

Answer 6

The best advice I could give you is to not buy one. My second best advice would be to get a veteran mechanic to help you find one, and listen to his advice carefully.

Answer 7

to get the cars history report use carfax.com not carmax.com