Poll: Have you ever bought a used car?

abbie

February 17, 20060 found this helpful

Wait a minute, you mean there is another kind of car??! lol
And here's a quick tip,but it sounds like everyone here already knows it:
Cars depreciate thousands of $$ as soon as you drive them off the lot, so a car that's a couple of years old is really the most prudent buy.

I am a doctor. I bought a new car in '71, then when I learned how to buy a car, I never got a new one again.

About the age, the best trade-off between age and reduced price is three years old, 36,000 miles.

That's because you consider 12,000 miles as one year. So a four-year-old car with 30,000 miles hasn't been driven enough, and a three-year-old car with 45,000 miles has been driven too much. This is an indicator of not enough maintenance or too-much wear and tear. That is, a 60,000 miles is a five-year-old car. Is the age in years correct?

Buy from a dealer--that's right--a dealer of the same make. They have the guys in the back to fix it, and they're already on salary. If it's their own brand, the used car is a cream puff.

If it's on the lot, that means they already have taken their profit in the amount the accepted in trade. So you want to buy it wholesale blue book, with a free three-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. (Remember the guys on salary in the back?) If this car doesn't sell, it goes to the wholesalers, so why should a salesman loose the commission?

Once you've made the deal DO NOT accept any offers, expecially tied to cheap financing. This is how they take money out of your pocket. It is often done when the computer guy is filling out your papers.

Get your financing at the bank. They also can find the wholesale Blue Book. However, tell the dealer you want dealer financing. You have three days to pay in full with your bank's check. But that is NOT the dealer's business. That way, they are happy to soak you for more profit in their loan, and not in the car price, which is wholesale, period.

Usually there are two or three cars that are alike, so shop for them all. Take your time, look a lot. Be willing to walk.

When you buy, you want three days to take it to your mechanic. You MUST do this. Pay your mechanic to go over everything, including all the bells and whistles. Make sure every knob works. Then go back and tell them, fix everything on the list or it's NO GO. They'll yell and scream, but the guys in the back are still on salary, and the parts are wholesale to them, so take no prisoners. They would have let you drive off with these fixes to pay for yourself, would they not? Point that out to them. They should have known, they are dealers for this car, and they had to evaluate it for the wholesaler.

There's more, but this is a start.

the Oracle

Wendy

February 17, 20060 found this helpful

My best tip before buying any car is reading this website, "Car buying school" which helps explain the games a lot of car salespeople use. I used these tips on my last used car purchase and made it more enjoyable as well as more affordable.

www.beatthecarsalesman.com/.../

Paula
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 156 Feedbacks

February 17, 20060 found this helpful

The car is just the beginning, there's the tax on it, and then try to afford insurance! Used is the only way I will ever go. My husband bought a brand new truck two years ago and now wants to get rid of it because of the high payment and insurance costs; but, when he took it to the dealer they wanted to pay him $11,000 less than what he owed on it!

Vi Johnson
Silver Post Medal for All Time! 288 Posts

February 17, 20060 found this helpful

Yes indeed. All but one new convertable....Turned out to be a lemon...before the lemon law was even thought of. AND FIND A GOOD MECHANIC to go over it with a fine tooth comb first. As we all learn...
"Buyer Beware" ( Like the time my young hubby and his dad bought a car,drove it off the used car lot and found out before they got it home it didn't have a reverse. LOL They never did live that down. And the dealer just laughed at him when he took it back...Live and learn...Lessons from long ago. GG Vi

I have bought several used cars and like buying them best from the auto actions. Some of the auctions are free, just check around the car dealerships to find out where the public auctions are offered.

I think you are reading the poll wrong!!
We HAVE bught a used car, so my answer to the poll would be yes, but we usually buy new.....so just because I answer your question yes, does NOT mean I ONLY buy used!!!

Once you have decided on a pre owned car you should check out the car through Carfax.com for the cars history.This will cost about $15.You will get the following information.
Hidden accident damage
Odometer history and false readings
Car theft reports
Flood damage
Lemon history
Common trouble spots
Average replacement costs

Most of the cars on the car lots are not taken in on a trade.They come from auto auctions and may have some hidden damage.The dealer will not admit this and may be hesitant to even disclose the previous owner.Because of the recent hurricanes there will be alot of water damaged cars on the lots that have been cleaned up and put up for sale.These cars should be avoided at all costs.

npatel123

January 15, 20120 found this helpful

Yes I bought a used car 4 months before here in India. I have purchased a pre owned car Maruti Swift 2004 model from Mahindra first choice. They even offer 6 months warranty.