Tips on Avoiding Potential Problems in a Used Car
Not all used cars are created equal, which is why I have tips on avoiding potential problems in used cars. Some used cars are going to give you more problems than others. Let me give you some pointers on spotting current and potential problems with that used car you’ve been eyeing.
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what you need to do when completing a used car sale because the laws do vary from state to state. There are certain things you need to do in the midst of buying a used car or selling a used car.
GM has declared bankruptcy. Hundreds of dealers are going to see their doors closed by October 2010. Their stock is essentially worthless. Want my advice on GM used cars? This is a lousy time to buy one from a dealer.
As I write this, GM is poised to declare bankruptcy on June 1, 2009. Hundreds of dealers are going to see their doors closed by October 2010. Their stock is essentially worthless. Want my advice on GM used cars? This is a lousy time to buy a GM used car from a dealer.
There’s a Craiglist scam going on in the used car world that may catch you by surprise. Dealers are selling cars as private individuals so they don’t have to comply with used car rules established by the Federal Trade Commission for used car dealers.
There’s a Craiglist scam going on in the used car world that may catch you by surprise. Dealers are selling cars as private individuals so they don’t have to comply with used car rules established by the Federal Trade Commission for used car dealers.
I am constantly trying to improve the used car buying process. On this site, I cover a lot of advice like test driving a used car, how to inspect a used car, and questions to ask a used car dealer. Let’s take a step beyond that excellent advice and look at some offbeat tips folks might not consider before buying a used car. Just like in horror stories, things that go bump in the night rarely presage a happy ending.
The temptation when shopping for a used car is to go for the models with all the bells and whistles like navigation, satellite radio, DVD monitors and massage seats (among others). What sounds great on paper, though, can end up costing you hundreds of dollars down the road when it comes time to replace the items. Plus, some of them wrongly spike the value of the car you’re trying to purchase.
Consumer Reports has a list of what it calls the "Worst of the Worst" used cars. As the consumer organization explains, “These models have multiple years of much worse than Used Car Verdicts in the 1998 to 2007 models.” Consult this list before your next used car purchase.
Look to the bottom of the home page for Fraud Awareness Tips from Auto Trader. With more than 45 million used cars sold annually, odds are good some of those transactions involve fraud.
Good information from Craigslist, the premiere site for free online classified ads.
Used car advice from the writers of “Buying a Car for Dummies.” The advice is overly broad (i.e. avoid station wagons because they’re sometimes owned by traveling salespeople who put lots of miles on them) but the list is a great reference tool if you’re curious about the used car you’re purchasing.
