ALT-1 Questions to ask when Buying a used Car
Buying a used car can be one of the best ways to get the best price on a car. Someone else has already taken the biggest hit from depreciation, and if you are getting a good used car, you may even get something as reliable, or possibly more reliable than some new cars. Of course, you do have to be able to ask the right questions so that you do not wind up buying someone else's headaches. Here are some of the things that you need to know when you are buying a used car.The first thing that you want to know is whether the car has been in any accidents. Even a small accident can really cause problems in a car's performance. A major accident can actually make the car unsafe to drive. If the car has been in an accident, you may want to pass that car up.You will also want to ask about the mileage. Most cars are driven about 10,000 miles per year, give or take. If the car has more mileage than that, you may want to be careful, as you may be looking at repairs sooner. If there is less mileage than that, however, you are probably buying a very gently used car, and that is usually a good thing.Ask about any recalls on that make or model. Most recalls are for very small issues that can be easily fixed, but every once in a while, a recall will be for a major safety issue such as a brake problem. If the vehicle has been part of a major recall because of safety issues, you will want to at the very least have it checked to make sure that the issue has been dealt with properly.Make sure that you also ask if the engine has been rebuilt, or if there have been any major repairs on the car. These could be red flags, especially if extensive repairs have had to be done.
Another very important question to ask is how many owners that car has had. Too many owners can be a red flag that something is wrong. It isn't always a problem, but the fewer owners a car has had, the better off you will probably be.Another question that you may not necessarily need to ask the dealer, but do your research on is how much other comparable cars are selling for. Look at other cars that are the same make, model, year, mileage and condition to determine if you really are getting the best price for your used car.A vehicle history report will give you most of the information that you need. For the price that other comparable cars are selling for, you will need to check theKelley blue bookvalue, which you can check online. If you have a trade-in, check the value on your trade-in before you go to a dealer as well so that you know how much you should be getting. This will help you to get the best prices possible.
