Protect Yourself when Purchasing a Car

Do you want to get a good deal on a car? Whether buying a new or used car, there are a few things you can do to ensure you get a good deal and protect yourself.


Steps

  1. Figure out exactly what it is you want to buy. Whether it's a new or used car, you need to know what you are looking for in advance before going out and looking at the actual vehicle. Do some comparison shopping.
    • One of the best things to do is start on KellyBlueBook.com to see what the car is actually worth. Use the "private seller" option to try to gauge what a fair price would be. Next look around on as many on-line sites that you can think of. Good places to start are Craigslist, Auto-trader, or just your local newspaper online classifieds. Another good source is the completed auctions on eBay.
    • Remember, something is only worth as much as someone is willing to pay so the completed auctions are a good source. Don't let a salesman tell you how much something is worth. If it was worth that much, it would have sold already. Once you have an idea of what you want and what you should expect to pay, it is time to go out and actually look and drive vehicles.
  2. Hide your enthusiasm. Your excitement about the car just tells the buyer that you are willing to pay more. This takes some practice but this is really important. A seller is more willing to negotiate with a "less motivated" buyer. They view the excited and giddy customer as a likely impulse buyer and it is easy to just wait that buyer out since it's an almost certainty that the impulsive buyer will pay top dollar.
    • The best thing to do the first time you see a car is to see it, assess it, and walk away. This lets the seller know that you are not desperate and potentially leading to a better deal for you later. Sellers will always try to tell you how this is only a deal for a limited time or that the car will go fast. Don't worry, deals and cars are always available. Don't be a victim of pressure. If you are shopping at a dealer, avoid giving them your number unless you want to be bugged to death over the next few weeks.
    • The lot salesman will swear he will not share your number with the company but for some reason, you will still end up getting multiple calls from the same establishment. Just keep your number to yourself for now since you will be looking at multiple cars.
  3. Be aware that unless its explicitly put in writing, you get about the same protection after the sale from a private seller as you would from a dealer. Most dealers sell "as is" which means exactly that. If you want any warranties, get it in writing. A handshake and someones word means nothing when you are buying a car.
  4. Know how to read a seller that's trying to sell you a lemon. Nothing can take the place of having the car checked out by a qualified mechanic, which is likely something that you should do before you make a purchase however, there's a few ways to avoid spending a fortune on taking multiple cars to a mechanic by weeding out the lemons first.
    • A big red flag is the seller that starts telling you about all the new stuff the used car now has on it. Lucky for the smart buyer, the shady salesman always thinks you will be impressed by all this information. They will start telling you about all the new sensors or joints that have been replaced or this pump or that component. Why is this a big red flag? Because that means that this particular car has small, but costly things constantly breaking requiring replacement. This level of indispensability is the likely reason they are selling this particular car in the first place.
    • The only things that should be truly impressive to you are new tires, brake pads (not other random brake system components), windshield wipers, filters (oil, air, and cabin) and a new battery.
  5. Know what to look for on the car itself. Have a look at the engine. An engine to look at is one that has not yet been professionally cleaned. Why? This allows you to see any obvious oil leaks and just how old the hoses really are. A freshly power washed engine with polish all over it doesn't have those clues. If it has been cleaned, you can still see leaks up close but it may not be as obvious.
    • Try to look at the car where its normally parked to see if there are oil stains on the ground. Next, look at the condition of the body panels. Does the paint match at all the seams. Make sure you look at it during the day and from multiple angles. Paint that is slightly different on separate panels or doors/hoods/trunks that don't line up perfectly indicates that the car has been in some sort of an accident requiring body work.
    • You can also see evidence of repairs in the fender wells as well as behind the decorative carpet in the trunk. The "Bondo" that is used to smooth out the outside before painting does not hide the underlying creases that the smart buyer finds on the internal parts of the car. This is a good time to mention getting an account to Car Fax or Auto check so you can run the VIN numbers to see the actual number of owners, any accidents or flooding, and more importantly, if the title is "clear" and not "salvage" or "rebuilt".
    • If you're not familiar with those terms, take some time to look them up on Google but for now, just know that it's bad and best to avoid unless you have a more sophisticated knowledge of cars and are willing to deal with such cars.
  6. Drive the car. Drive the car with the radio off and the windows up (and then down later on at slow speeds) The car should drive perfect with smooth shifting and no pops or bangs. Don't let anybody try to explain away jerky movements or unusual noises. Usually, they are just trying to dump this car on you because they know there are expensive repairs around the corner. Make sure that its not pulling to one side or the other.
    • Take notice of how well the interior is maintained. A sloppy worn out interior is usually indicative of an owner that did not do any preventative maintenance such as regular oil changes. Now you can check all the gadgets. The air conditioning should blow cold and hard. Make sure all the power switches work including seats, windows, mirrors, etc.
    • Everything should work flawlessly. If simple things like windows and seats don't work, it could be a clue about flooding. To be even more sure, stick you head under the seat and use a flashlight to look at the metal bolts holding down the seats. If you see ANY rust, walk away.
  7. Share your number once you have figured out which car you want for the right price and there are no obvious reasons not to purchase, share your number with that party (dealer or private seller). Be patient. Now its your time to "feel out" the seller. If they are calling multiple times, then you are in a good place to negotiate because they are motivated to sell but if you don't hear from them in a couple of days, go ahead and purchase your new used car.



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