Spending a little time now may save you serious money later. Check Consumer Reports on the safest cars out there. Looks are one thing, but don’t ignore safety.

Go to a reputable car repair shop and ask if you can bring the vehicle by for a look-over. While you’re there, ask what cars they have to repair most often. Take heed. Also, ask what the inspection includes, how long it takes, and the price. Always get this information in writing – just to be safe.

Once the vehicle has been inspected, ask the mechanic for a written report with a cost estimate for all necessary repairs. Be sure the report includes the vehicle’s make, model and VIN. Go over it with a fine-toothed comb and make sure you understand every item. If you decide to make an offer to the dealer after approving the inspection, you can use the estimated repair costs to negotiate the price of the vehicle.

Are you going to purchase from an individual?

Remember, private sellers generally are not covered by the Used Car Rule and don’t have to use the Buyers Guide. However, you can use the Guide’s list of an auto’s major systems as a shopping tool. You also can ask the seller if you can have the vehicle inspected by your mechanic. If he/she says no… beware. No matter how nice the car appears, something fishy is going on.

Now, a private sale likely will be on an “as is” basis, unless your purchase agreement with the seller specifically states otherwise. If you have a written contract, the seller has to live up to the contract. The car also may be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty or a separately purchased service contract. But that doesn’t mean that the warranty and service contract are transferable. Plus, other limits or costs may apply. Before you buy the car, ask if it’s still under warranty or service contract, and review that baby carefully.

Some states will require vehicle sellers to pass a vehicle inspection before a sale is made. That’s not always the case, though. To find out what your state requires, contact your state Attorney General’s office or a local consumer protection agency. Hey, it’s just a phone call. And it could save you a real headache later!

Whether you end up buying a used car from a dealer, a co-worker, or a neighbor, follow these tips to learn as much as you can about the car:

Examine the car carefully yourself using an inspection checklist. You can find a checklist in many of the magazine articles, books and Internet sites that deal with buying a used car. My favorite book that I’ve used several times is How to Buy and Maintain a Used Car by Brad Crouch.

Once I bought a used car in August, and never thought to test the rear defroster. Guess what? Come November, I found out it didn’t work. If you’re shopping in the summer, don’t forget to check the heater. And if it’s cold as ice outside, still turn that air on full blast and make sure it works!

Test drive the car under varied road conditions-on hills, highways, and in stop-and-go traffic.

Ask for the car’s maintenance record. If the owner doesn’t have copies, contact the dealership or repair shop where most of the work was done. They may share their files with you.

Talk to the previous owner, especially if the present owner is unfamiliar with the car’s history.

Have the car inspected by a mechanic you hire.

There you go. Do your homework, and it’s very likely that, like me, you’ll find yourself buying used every time!

Before beginning your search for a great used car from among the many used cars out there, hoping that you will find one special used car that will meet your needs, you will need to sit down and think clearly about what it is that you are looking for from your new used car. You need to know your primary purposed that will be served by your new used car so that you will choose a used car that will suit you and meet your needs. If you are looking for a reliable second car for short trips around town, you will be looking for a different kind of used car than the one you would hope to find if you were looking for a used car to tow your fishing boat back and forth to the lake every weekend that is a hundred miles from your home.

Some people are looking for used cars to use as their primary vehicle. They want to buy a used car because if they buy the right used car, it will be a much better investment than buying a brand new car that loses a large amount of value the minute you drive it out of the showroom, so to speak. There was a time when buying used cars meant you were buying someone else’s problem, especially with American cars. Years ago, American made cars were so poorly made that after only a few years, they were unreliable and trouble prone and not good used cars for the most part.

There have always been some car companies that had the reputations for building great cars so buying one of these cars as a used car could provide years and hundreds of thousands of miles of trouble free use. These cars made great used cars and you could be fairly confident that you would get your money’s worth when buying these used cars.

These days, the used cars market is big business. With the price of new cars being as high as it is and manufacturers all over the world improving their products, used cars are a whole different kind of animal from what they used to be. Used cars are often reconditioned by the manufacturer and are as good as new, only better because they are less expensive and it is better for the environment to reuse, reduce and recycle!

If you fall into that category, then you should consider bad credit used car loan. It works like this — the creditor gives you an opportunity to take a loan against a used car, but you have a shorter time to pay back that loan and you’ll usually have to pay higher interest rates than normal. That is because in the creditor’s eyes you are a higher than normal risk.

But don’t let that deter you — if you look close enough you may be able to find creditors that offer good payment terms and even extended periods of time before the loan has to be paid back in full.

On average though, you’ll usually be required to pay back the loan within a four-year period of time. The reason for this is because the car being purchased is used, so the loan should not be as much as it would with a new car.

Before applying for a bad credit used car loan, there are some things you to consider. First, you should know the price of the used cars that you’re interested in getting a loan on. Next, you should shop around and see what the market has to offer. Visit different creditors who offer bad credit used car loans.

Finally, before signing off on a loan, make sure you know all the stipulations that are specified in that loan. In some instances, you may not qualify for a loan unless the car is over five years old.

In conclusion, use this information to help you consider whether or not a bad credit used car loan is right for you.

Additionally, it allows you to really hone in on the specs that you are interested in, and not have to listen to the salesman drone on about specs that you simply do not care about. Plus, get you in a better position in negotiations if you use the information to go to an actual dealership and negotiate a price.

Some people even order their cars online. In this case, the whole shopping and purchasing process is done without them even having to leave the house. Here’s how it usually works — you order your car online, pay the necessary fees, and wait for it to be delivered to a dealer near you. In some cases, the dealer will even deliver the car to your house.

Before purchasing online, you have to know what kind of car you would like to purchase. Do the research, and don’t get overly excited. Make sure to check on all the available packages. Make sure you are on a website that is reliable, secure and reputable. If you’re at all concerned, ask the dealer to meet with you in person and explain how you found them on the Internet.

You do not have to have all the details in place in order to shop for a used car online. Even if you’re not sure of the year, make and model of the car you’re interested in buying, just a general idea is all that’s needed. Then you’ll be able to browse through a bunch of different listings so you can really hone in on a car that you want.

This is a specially true if your budget is tight and you do not really care about having a status symbol such as a new car. If that’s you, a used car is a far better option to pursue. Not only is it less expensive, but you will have a lot of choices.

If you compare a used car listing to a brand-new car, you often find that they will be almost half the original price in two to three years. That’s a huge deep appreciation and value. If you wait five years, you’ll usually save 65% or more by purchasing a used car instead of a new one.

However, just because you save upfront doesn’t mean that you necessarily get the best deal. If you’re going to purchase a used car, you have to make sure that it has been well maintained and will not break down on you in the near future. Some used cars are simply not in the best conditions. Therefore it is up to you to do the research to determine their condition before purchasing them.

Look at the exterior. Check the body of the car as well as the finish on the paint. Look for filler on the body. If you see a suspicious spot, hold a magnet up to it to determine if it has been filled in. Also look for any evidence that this car has been in a collision. If the car has been freshly painted, ask why.

Also, you want to check the suspension of the car, the interior of the car and how it handles on the road. For this, take it for a test drive. Only after you have done all these things should you consider purchasing the car.

For that reason, people purchase used cars three times as much as they purchase new ones. It’s often the only choice for some people. For them, they have to buy used car. If you’re one of these people, I will show you how to buy used car in this article.

New cars are overrated. As soon as they’re driven off the lot, they can lose 20% of their value. Usually it’s more. Also, every year the value of the car will depreciate around another 20%. This means that within a few years you can practically by the same car for half price, if you buy used.

Before purchasing a used car, you should do some planning in advance. Decide what your budget is and the types cars that you are interested in purchasing. Next, do some research by checking out different dealers so you have as many choices as possible. This will be the key to getting the best deal.

However, besides dealers you can also purchase used cars from individuals. Check classifieds for this.

Whether you purchase from a dealer or individual, make sure you purchase for someone who has a good reputation and is credible. Also, inspect the car to find out its true condition. Test drive it and give it an overall checkup. Asked to see a maintenance record for the car, if one exists.

If you’re not knowledgeable about cars, I would recommend that you take along a mechanic with you when you look at different use cars to purchase.

There you have it — some simple tips on how to buy a used car.

In the car buying business, the blue book value is a jargon term which means the worth of the car and what dealers are usually willing to pay for it. You can find it by consulting one of several different resources. Often times people will use the Kelley blue book — hence the name blue book value. Also, you can consult with the NADA appraisal guides.

Car dealers and individual selling used cars have been using the Kelley blue book for over 75 years now to help them determine the worth of their vehicle.

It works like this — the blue book will calculate your car’s value based on certain specifications, such as the make and model and the year of the car. You can also use the book to adjust for factors such as the condition of the car, the mileage on the car, as well as other things.

You can check the blue book for free by visiting the proper websites, or going to the library. These books will also make available worksheets for you to help calculate the value of your used car. By being aware of how much your car is worth, you will be in a better position to negotiate when trying to sell it to a dealer.

In addition, being able to speculate accurately on the value of the car will help you plan on what type of car you will purchase to replace it. You’ll know what your budget is based on the money you will get from selling your old car.

Even if the warranty sounds excellent for the used car, make sure you read it before signing off on it. There are a lot of times when consumers buy used cars and think that the warranty company will cover them for something that they actually don’t. Unfortunately, they will then file a claim and be rejected. Don’t let this happen to you.

Second, do not believe everything that the auto warranty companies will tell you. A lot of auto warranty companies will say their warranty cannot be refunded. This is a lie. Every single extended car warranty has a refundable period of 30 days after it is purchased, as long as there’s no claims that have been made against it.

This is to protect you because if you discover something about the warranty in the first month the you’re not aware of, and that you don’t like, then you are able to cancel that warranty.

Also, you want to deal with somebody who will give you straight information on different warranties. Avoid dealing with people who will badmouth their competitors are other companies that offer warranty contracts. Often these people exaggerate their own warranties, and downplay others. This will not help you make the most informed decision.

It’s always better to deal with ethical and reputable people anyway.

Finally, you should avoid buying your auto warranty from your dealer. It is convenient, but it is not the best course of action in terms of value. Sometimes they will charge two or three times the normal rate that you can get from going to a warranty company.

The first scam to avoid is called the yo-yo scam. Here the dealer gets you out of the door with the car and has you bringing it home as soon as possible. He says he will handle the financing and not to worry about it. A few days later, he contacts you and tells you that there was a problem with the financing plan. You have to set up a new one through him. Of course, it comes with a much higher rate than you had previously planned.

This is a trick that is especially use against those who have bad credit. Never have your financing done through the dealer. Instead arrange it on your own. If you do have to go through a dealer for financing, do not take the car home first. Instead, analyze the financial scheme without having the car sitting in your driveway enticing you.

Another scam is what is known as the window etching scam. Here the dealer offers to etch the VIN number of the car onto the window. Of course, he will do this only for a fee. Oftentimes the fee will be astronomical — $500 or more. This is what they do to compensate for being talked down on price for the car. If you buy your own etching kit, you can do it yourself for $20.

The first thing you want to do is determine the type of car you’re interested in purchasing, where you are likely to get your loan from, and how much you want to spend for monthly payments. Once you determine this, then you are ready to shop around to compare different used car loan rates.

The best way to do this is to visit many different websites online and use their financial calculators to calculate auto loan rates. Naturally, depending upon your location, the rates are going to vary. Sometimes lenders online will offer a cheaper rate, or accept your application that was otherwise denied at a local bank. This is especially true for used cars.

Before visiting any dealer, take the time to research online all the different used car dealers in your geographic location. Collect price quotes from each source and then run them through an auto loan rate calculator to determine which ones have the best rates. You can even ask around and get an idea of the rates that are available to you through word-of-mouth.

A final word about used car loan rates. Not only do you have to factor in rates, but the down payment that is required. In some cases, there is also a fee to apply for the rate, and sometimes a discount for an auto debit. Make sure you are aware of all these terms before comparing different rates, so you can compare them equally.