Buying a Second-hand Car? Be Informed First

Don’t hurry into buying the car before a test drive. Feel the car.

1 Decide on the Car You want: The first thing you do is home in on the one car that fits your requirements and budget. See the options available. Used car magazines will give you the make, the year, and the market price of the cars. Check out any mechanical problems. These magazines will give a lowdown on mechanical problems associated with the models.

2 Decide on Your Budget: Decide how much money you want to spend. You have to factor in expenses relating to repairs, spruce-ups, fixes, and registration.

3 Determine Running Costs of Cars: You have to decide on not only your budget, but also the running costs of a car. It involves fuel economy, insurance, and taxes. For specifics on fuel economy, visit this site.

4 Determine Safety Value of Your Car: Check consumer reports and reliability ratings for strengths and weakness of cars on the safety front.

5 Shop for Cars: Now, shop for cars that fit your criteria. Online classifieds, local newspaper ads, and reliable Web sites are the places you can search. Get as much information as possible before zeroing on that one car.

6 Seek Help: If you have a well-informed friend who knows cars, take his help. Or, take the help of a mechanic. Let him check out the following: safety features such as brakes, horn, headlights, etc.; transmission and engine; brake pads and cylinders; and air filter and valves.

7 Test Drive: Don’t hurry into buying the car before a test drive. While test driving, apply brakes at different speeds and see how they hold. See any creaky sounds, oil leaks, and other things; know how it feels to drive the car.

8 Get Emission Test: An emission test will help show if the car’s emissions are within the laws. If not, the car cannot be used for driving and also cannot be licensed.

9 Negotiate the Price: When you have a figure in your mind, you can start negotiating the price. By knowing the market price of the model you want to buy, you can make a correct offer.

10 Insist on Proper Documentation: Don’t hand over the money before you get complete documentation relating to the car.