10 Things You Need To Know When Buying A Used Car

Buying a used car is usually a big financial decision. But by following some simple steps you can easily reduce the risk of being left with a lemon.

Tip 1: Get the Car Checked Thoroughly

Make sure you have a thorough mechanical inspection done on any car you are seriously interested in buying. You will not want to get a lemon when you are purchasing a car. If you need some help buying a car, you can ask a friend or relative to help you. If you know someone that understands cars and knows what to look for when buying one, you should take them along with you.

Tip 2: Don't Rush Your Buying Decision

When you are not sure about a car, you need to think about it hard. You will want to take some time and think over your options. Take the vehicle you are considering for a decent test drive. You will want to take it up hills and down the other side. You need to test the power and the brakes. You will also want to make sure that all the bells and whistles work as well as the basic

Tipe 3: Negotiate on Repairs

If something is broken on the car, you may be able to get the seller to fix it before you purchase it. You need to be aware of things that alarm you when you are looking at a car to.

Tip 4: Listen to Your Instincts

If your gut says something is wrong with the deal, the car or the seller. Walk away. There will always be another deal - a car is not worth stressing over.

Tip 5: Check the Car's History

The thing with a used car is that you are purchasing a car that has been used and probably abused by someone else. You are taking the risk and hoping that the car has not been abused. Everyone always seems to go when the warranty goes so you want to think that the car is going to last at least a year before something goes on it. To help you with you purchase you should always get the VIN number of the car and go to a site online, car fax, to get a car history report.

Tip 6: Know Your Legal Rights

The good thing about purchasing a used car is that every state has a Lemon Law. The lemon law basically protects you for a short period from unlawful dealings. If you purchase a used car and you have a five-year payment plan, you should at least expect the car to last until the payments stop. Before you go to the dealer and sign the paper, ask your dealer about the lemon law and what they have to say. Then look it up for your area and see what the difference is. If he is shady in stating a law that he knows fully about, then you need to move on.

Tip 7: Do Your Research

These days its easy to work out the going rate for a used car. Look up the make/model/year of the car you are interested in buying on eBay and craigslist, gumtree and other similar sites. That way you will know what the price should be before the seller name's theirs!

Tip 8: Look Past Grooming

A car should be clean: but if its not that doesn't necessarily mean its been badly treated. It might just might mean that the seller hasn't had time to groom the car.

Tip 9: Know How to Negotiate

There are normally more cars for sale than buyers. Know the golden rule of negotiating: the first person who names a price: looses. Ask the buyer what there price is: even if they have already published it. You'll be surprised how often it will decrease if they think they have a chance of a sale

Tip 10: Sleep On It

Be prepared to walk away. If you are being pressured: walk away. If you are unsure: walk away. There is always another car anoher day!