Buying a used car can be a tricky process to navigate because no two cars are the same. Each car has a unique history which can either work in your favor or become your biggest nightmare. When it comes to buying a used car, your best friend is a Vehicle History Report. Here are a few tips:
Decide what you can pay
This is good advice for any purchase, but is especially valuable when buying a car in an auction. Auctions can be fast, furious and exciting. Keep your max price in mind and that should help you make decisions even while placing live bids.
Build a target list of cars
There are many cars that make for good used cars, which means it can become overwhelming if you take the approach of looking around and seeing what strikes your fancy. Do some research on average prices for your area. There are multiple websites that provide this information. If you are buying at an online auction the location has less impact on pricing, since bidders can be located anywhere.
Take a test drive
This may seem obvious but make sure you put the car through its paces, including driving on a freeway. In some cases, a test drive isn’t possible, such as when the car is salvaged and doesn’t drive. If you are buying a car at an online auction and won’t be able to see it in person before the auction, look into hiring a mechanic to inspect it. There are services that provide inspections for people buying via online auctions.
Check shipping fees
This is especially important when buying a salvage car from an auction. In many cases these vehicles are not immediately roadworthy and will require some towing or shipping service. Even if the car can be driven, you may need it shipped. There are a few companies that provide free shipping quotes. One of the well-established companies that specializes in vehicle shipping and offers free quotes is EasyHaul.
Get a Vehicle History Report
No surprise here. This is the one source of information that can tell you the most about any car, especially those with more than one owner. Even honest people forget things when talking about their car’s history. Most of the time owners simply don’t know the full history. When you have a Vehicle History Report you will probably know more about the car than its owner. That’s the type of valuable information that can help when negotiating a price. All experienced buyers use car history check for dealers to verify a VIN before landing a deal. Along with a VIN number search, we offer a free license plate check to meet your needs.
With more than 10 years of expertise, receiving all the needed vehicle data has become as easy as ABC with ClearVin. To find out more, check our resources or contact us online if any questions concerning our products arise. Alternatively, you can call us at: +1 (844) 268-5991 (8:00 AM–3:00 PM EST, Monday–Friday).
40 comments
I like how you mentioned taking a used car for a test drive before purchasing it. I’m going to be moving out to college, so I need to purchase a car so I have a way to get around. I’d like to buy used to save some money, so I’ll make sure to test drive before I make a purchase to make sure everything’s in working condition.
Thanks for the tips for buying a used car. I like how you said that I should get a vehicle history report. I think buying used is the way to go, but that’s why it’s important to look at the car’s history.
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I want to make sure that I get the right used car for me. It makes sense that I would want to do some in depth research on what cars I want! That way I can ensure that I get what I need.
Thanks for the great blog. You wrote that before you go used car shopping, you should make a list of the cars you are interested as this can help you narrow down your selection and learn more about that specific market. My friend needs a car, as he just moved and can no longer just ride his bike everywhere. If he chose a model, he could find a dealership that has it and could start his search that.
I’m glad that you mentioned taking a test drive when you’re looking at used cars for sale. My wife and I are looking to upgrade a little bit and have been shopping used cars for sale for a couple weeks here and there. There are a few that have looked really good on the outside, but none of them have seemed right on the inside, so we’re going to have to make sure we keep test driving used cars for sale until we find the right ones!
I liked your suggestion to have a mechanic look at the car you’re considering before buying it. I don’t know much about cars, so I can see how this would help protect me in my purchase. I’d feel a lot better knowing about any potential warning signs a car may have prior to buying it.
Some folks skip out on the test drive but you should always get behind the wheel to make sure you’re comfortable in the car and that everything feels right.
Your advice to look around at the available cars and research them in order to create a list of the best options is a good idea. Before you do this, you’d probably want to consider what you want for your vehicle, such as the number of seats or price. This could help you while you look at the various options so you can figure out which used cars fit your requirements.
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Nice tips! I appreciate your advice to take a test drive before buying a used car. I’de decided to buy one for my daughter who is learning how to drive now. I will make sure to test the car myself before I give it to my daughter. Thanks for the tips!
I didn’t know that each car has a unique history which can either work in your favor or become your biggest nightmare. My brother wants to buy a vehicle that he can use going to work. My dad suggested buying a used car and shared this article with him.
There is a lot more to buying a used car than most people think and the article brings up several good points. I particularly like that the article reminds readers to take the car for a test drive. After all, if you are buying used then there are a lot of small details that you need to pay attention to on the test drive to make sure that the car is working correctly.
I so this article, it’s so helpful to someone like me, who has never made a big purchase before. I’m about to graduate and move out of my college-town community, so I will be needing a car soon in order to get around. I also appreciate the article’s reminder to get a vehicle history report, especially since the owner may not know the full history themselves.
I’ve been wanting to find some used cars for sale for my teenage son. I’m glad you mentioned taking a used car for a test drive, which I think is important. I’m going to have to look for a few good used cars and see what my best option is! Thanks!
I like your suggestion of taking the car for a test drive or hiring a professional to inspect it prior to buying it to make sure that it is running perfectly fine. I will do the latter since I am currently not in the US. Though I am planning to buy a used car soon so that I have something ready when I get back. I’ll get myself an inspector to take care of things for me.
It’s good to know that there websites that can provide you information about the average prices of used cars for my area. I plan to buy my son a used car as he needs it for college. I’ll go online tonight and check the prices so I’ll have an idea of the current prices of used cars.
Thanks for the tips on what to do when buying a used car; it really helped narrow the options down. I agree that one of the most important things you can do is to figure out your budget beforehand; that way you don’t look at options that you can’t afford. My sister is looking for her first car and she wants to buy used. I will be sure to share these tips with her.
I really liked it when you suggested hiring a mechanic to inspect the car if I won’t be around to give it a test drive. I will be sure to do that because on the day of my search I will be in a different state attending a wedding. That won’t stop me from wanting a good and useful car though. And if I want to make sure that I get the best, I will get a professional to give it a check in my stead.
I really like your advice to make sure that you take a test drive in the car that you are thinking of buying. It makes sense to drive it and see how well it handles compared to what you are used to. I will be sure to talk to my son about test driving any cars he is thinking of buying for college.
I’m looking at buying a car in the near future. I like how you point out that taking a car for a test drive on the freeway is especially important. I’ll be sure to do this since I want to make sure the car I buy works well.
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Since I’m looking for some used cars or trucks, I did what you mentioned and have decided what I want to pay. That way, I won’t be tempted to go over a budget that I’ve set. Now once I do find something that I like, I’ll for sure take it for a test drive to make sure everything is working properly.
You made a great point about how you should take the used car you are thinking of buying on a test drive to make sure that there are no problems and that you like the way it drives. My daughter is about to get her license and needs a car, so my husband and I have been considering buying her a used car. I will definitely keep all of your helpful tips and information in mind when choosing a car for my daughter!
Buying a salvage car is always help because it will overcome your dream at very affordable prices. I used to take a salvage car from EZ Auto Auction.
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I wanted to thank you for going over some advice for getting a used car. It’s good to know that you can get a mechanic to look at a car if you can’t take it for a test drive. I’m interested to learn if you should make this arrangement with the people who are selling the car.
I found it interesting when you said to look for options in auctions. It makes sense since you might be able to get a nice car for a great price. I will let my sister know to ask for a vehicle history report when she buys the used car that she is looking for.
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