Reviewmycars

Okay, you’re thinking of buying a car for your driving- age teenager, and with the price of new cars climbing you’ve decided on getting one that’s pre-owned.

These tips will help steer you towards a used car that fits the bill without breaking your budget.

• The first step is to determine how the car will be used by the teen. If it’s for commuting or trips to college and back, then gas mileage and comfort may be your biggest considerations. With gas prices high, fuel economy is an important consideration.

• Make a list of some vehicle safety features you’re looking for. For example, are you interested in anti-lock brake systems and integrated seat belt systems?

•Before you start shopping, set a budget for how much you want to spend. Research a few models that meet your criteria and price range. The Web sites kbb.com and Edmunds.com offer pricing information and comprehensive advice on buying a used car.

• Obviously, finding a safe and reliable vehicle for your teen is top priority. The Carfax Safety and Reliability Report allows you to view the auto industry’s leading used-car safety ratings, reliability scores and reviews in one step. The information compiled in these reports can also give some good general advice.

• Now you’re ready to start visiting dealers. For any vehicle you consider, ask detailed questions about the vehicle’s performance and history, and request maintenance and inspection records. Also, get a Carfax Vehicle History Report (most dealers will provide reports for free; you just have to ask).

• Always test-drive prospective cars on city streets and highways. This will give you a chance to thoroughly examine the car. Have your teenager drive it if you can. Make sure everything on the car works properly-brakes, gauges, lights, windows and locks. Also have a mechanic you trust check it out.

• In addition to that, you should take a look to make sure the body parts line up, the paint matches, doors open and close easily and the tires show even wear.

• Get a copy of “Finding The Best Used Car,” available from the Federal Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado (www.pueblo.gsa.gov).

Tags: Advice On Buying A Used Car, Auto Industry, Body Parts, Buying A Used Car, Car Safety Ratings, Carfax Vehicle History Report, City Streets, Fuel Economy, Gas Mileage, Gas Prices, Highways, New Cars, Reliability Report, Request Maintenance, Safety And Reliability, Safety Features, Seat Belt Systems, Top Priority, Vehicle History Report, Vehicle Safety

There are several excellent sources for buying used cars. Some of the best and sought after sources are the newspaper classifieds, car auctions, and car buying guides and used car dealers.

Newspaper classified advertisements: Local newspapers can be a good source of information for purchasing used cars. The prices of the listed cars are comparatively lower than the car retail prices. Auto sellers advertise to find buyers and the buyers too benefit by buying used car for a lesser price than the retail price of the car. Since there are no middlemen involved the purchaser saves lot of money.

Guides for buying cars: There are many online guides, which list the cars for sale in the particular area with the features of the car. A buyer can search from the list of available cars with the features to suit his needs. A vehicle history report can also be got from these guides making the source a reliable and lucrative one. Some of the reputed online car guides will provide all the necessary information pertaining to the used car listed for the convenience of the buyer to make a deal comfortably sitting at home.

Car auctions: There are many kinds of car auctions available for the car purchaser. Some are listed below:

Public car auctions include cars repossessed by the financial institutions, banks and lending firms. The cars can be bought at wholesale prices from such kind of auctions. Generally these auctions are limited to people who possess dealers license, but these are however open to all.

Bankruptcy auctions allow cars to be purchased at rock bottom prices and it is also considered as one of the best sources for buying used cars. Such kind of auctions can be checked in the classifieds of the newspapers.

Government auctions sell used cars from various government departments such as the housing and urban development department, postal service department, police department, defense department, IRS, FBI etc. Good quality cars can be got at a best deal.

Car rental companies renew their rental cars every now and then, and their used cars are sold in auctions. Such car rental companies can be located in the neighborhood or can be found on the Internet by searching their websites.

Many car dealers too sell the used cars at prices lower than the wholesale rates. But many of the auctions need the bidder to have a dealers license to participate in the bid.

There are many online used car websites who provide all the information regarding the cars. It is considered as the easiest, comfortable and quickest way to buy used cars. But then people do not rely on the credibility of buying used cars online since there are lots of bogus websites. Care has to be taken while selecting the online car dealer or selling company as their credibility and reputation has to be checked thoroughly.

Purchasing used cars from new car dealers is the safest. As they sell used cars in a good condition, the price of the cars may be a little more than the above-mentioned sources. If the purchaser is very particular about the quality and reliability of the used cars, the best place to buy is from the new car dealer.

Tags: Advice On Buying A Used Car, Auto Industry, Body Parts, Buying A Used Car, Car Safety Ratings, Carfax Vehicle History Report, City Streets, Fuel Economy, Gas Mileage, Gas Prices, Highways, New Cars, Reliability Report, Request Maintenance, Safety And Reliability, Safety Features, Seat Belt Systems, Top Priority, Vehicle History Report, Vehicle Safety

If you’re considering a used vehicle, don’t just ask how many miles it has-ask how many owners it’s had, too.

That’s the advice from experts who say used cars that have had only one owner may be in better shape than cars that have had multiple owners. Many of the one-owner cars are relatively new, have fewer miles on them and less overall wear and tear. While these cars may cost a bit more, the chances of a new owner having to shell out cash down the road for repairs could decrease dramatically.

This one-owner preference has helped drive many car-buying decisions, according to a recent study. Nearly nine out of 10 shoppers said they find it important to know how many owners a car has had. In addition, nearly eight out of 10 said they were more likely to purchase a car identified as having one owner than they were to purchase a car that had multiple owners. Two out of three shoppers are even willing to pay more for a one-owner vehicle.

Finding One-Owner Vehicles

The study found that franchised dealers are usually the best place to find one-owner cars, but it’s always important to do a little investigating on your own.

A good place to start is with a vehicle history report from a company such as Carfax. The company’s reports give a complete timeline of a vehicle’s ownership, and clearly indicate whether a vehicle has had one or multiple owners. The reports also indicate whether a car has been in an accident, flood or fire, or if it has been totaled and rebuilt.

In addition to running a report on any car you consider buying, it’s important to talk to the dealer about the vehicle’s previous owner. Find out why the owner sold the car in the first place and ask if the dealership can guarantee that the vehicle you are considering is a one-owner vehicle. Many dealers will provide a free vehicle history report.

If you are buying from a private seller, ask questions similar to what you would ask a dealer, but also ask for the seller’s address and phone number. If he or she is not willing to provide that information, you may want to consider walking away from the deal.

Tags: Advice On Buying A Used Car, Auto Industry, Body Parts, Buying A Used Car, Car Safety Ratings, Carfax Vehicle History Report, City Streets, Fuel Economy, Gas Mileage, Gas Prices, Highways, New Cars, Reliability Report, Request Maintenance, Safety And Reliability, Safety Features, Seat Belt Systems, Top Priority, Vehicle History Report, Vehicle Safety