Top 10 Tips for Used Car Buying

Determine the cost to own.
Compare mileage ratings for the vehicles you are considering. Go to www.fueleconomy.gov where you can get the revised EPA mileage figures for any model from 1986 to 2008. The site will tell you what the yearly gas costs would be based on the average 15,000 miles of driving. It also gives you the greenhouse gas emissions for each vehicle.


Find out what your insurance costs will be, since auto insurance is not an option. Go to www.iii.org for a short course in selecting auto insurance. Your premium will be based on the car’s sticker price, cost to repair it, overall safety record and the likelihood of theft.


Edmunds.com offers a “true market price” for used cars where you can compare the cost of maintenance, fuel, insurance, repairs, financing, depreciation and taxes and fees in your state. Consumer Reports offers a similar feature as does autobytel.com and nadaguides.org. All of these sites also offer comparisons of several models.

Get financing.
Your best bet for financing is a loan through your credit union or bank where rates are lower. If you have financing in hand when you hit the dealership, you are in a better bargaining position. Check out your credit rating ahead of time, since, in these times of tighter credit, it will make or break your financing deal.

Take a test drive.
Drive on a variety of roads—city street, freeway, two-lane highway and rough paved and unpaved surfaces. Does the car accelerate and decelerate well? Watch for unusual vibrations, noises or odors. Keep the sound system off, so you can concentrate on mechanical sounds. Nadaguides.org has a great checklist of driving tips to help you assess the health of your chosen vehicle. Read our “Do-It-Yourself Test Drive” article in the Drive Smart/Buying Section, among other stories related to buying used.

Check the DNA.
You also need to do some virtual tire kicking by checking the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) against records of floods, lemon disputes or accident reports at sites like autobytel.com, carmax.com and experion.com. Don’t buy a car on the spot, go home and think about it. There are 44 million used cars for sale annually, so you have plenty of choices. You should also check for safety defect recalls on your model choice at www.nhtsa.dot.gov.