Used Car Buying Tips...
Published on February 9, 2025
Buying a car, whether new or used, can be stressful to say the least. Car salespeople can seem intimidating and have a reputation of taking advantage of people who are not experts at car buying. Buying a used car from someone posting their car online can seem super sketchy, and scam artists have flooded the market with broken down cars just miles away from transmission or engine failure.
While modern used car buying has generally been made easier, mostly because of the internet, the stress is still real. Reading various local car forums would indicate scammers have embraced the many online resources, and are more than willing to relieve people of their hard-earned money for a cars that are potentially broken, stolen, or just not what the seller claims.
What can you do to protect myself from potentially bad deals? Here are a few things to consider.
· Start your search by checking the many online resources that advertise cars for dealerships and private sellers. This can give you a good idea of what’s available, and what the best prices are for the cars you’re interested in. They will often offer Carfax reports which can help filter out cars with previous accidents and salvage titled vehicles. Autotempest.com, Autotrader.com, CarGurus.com, Autolist.com, and Truecar.com, and Cars.com are popular choices. KellyBluebook.com is also a great resource to find the value of your trade car or the cars you’re interested in buying.
· Buy from a respected dealership. Many well established dealerships will not want to be known for selling dangerous cars. Most dealerships purchase the majority of their used car inventory from auctions, and have buyers who are experienced in vehicle inspection and pricing. Read reviews and ask your car enthusiast friends if they have any good or bad opinions about the dealerships in your area. Facebook car forums, Nextdoor, and Reddit can also be good places to find opinions about local car sellers, good or bad.
· Check online car dealerships. Many online car dealerships include short term warranties or return policies if something breaks, or you are not satisfied with your purchase. They will also have huge inventories compared to the local dealership as they have cars all over the country and offer online purchasing. They will ship your new to you car to your house for little to no shipping fees. They often offer instant online trade-in values for your trade and can pick up your trade from your home. CarMax and Carvana are popular.
· Have the car inspected! Whether buying from the neighbor down the street, or an established dealership, having your car inspected by a third-party mechanic is always a good idea. It not only gives you peace of mind, but can also give you negotiating room before signing the deal. If you are interested in a car local to you but the seller won’t let you have the car inspected by YOUR mechanic, red flags are waiving.
· Many dealerships will often offer newer, lower mileage cars, with CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) deals. These vehicles have been inspected and are considered to be in great condition. They will have a warranty, and some manufacturers offer favorable financing deals for CPO cars.
· Aftermarket warranties? I don’t have any personal experience with third-party warranties, but I understand the peace-of-mind feeling of having financial backing when things go wrong. Make sure to do your research before paying for a warranty as there are many options and not all good.
· When to buy? End of year deals for new cars create big used car inventories. January and February are good times to buy. Once tax refunds start arriving, used car inventories will become less favorable, and prices start to rise.
· Online auto auctions? Carsandbids.com and Bringatrailer.com offer online platforms for automotive sellers and buyers to complete transactions. While most cars sold on these auction sites are unique, rare, or exotic, there are still many great lower priced cars sold everyday by sellers not satisfied with lowball offers from local dealerships. Keep in mind that buying at auction requires you to be involved in the auction process until the very end, and buyers fees are usually added. Transportation of the car from the seller to buyer is arranged by the buyer.
Take your time and don’t feel pressured to make a decision you might regret. Be somewhat flexible on makes, models, model years, and car colors. Expanding your search beyond the local market can be beneficial as smaller towns can have great deals if you are willing to travel.
Here are a few videos from the ChrisFix YouTube channel that give great tips, advice, and tools to make your used car buying experience a success.
How to Inspect and Buy A Used Car