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Volume 1, No.3

ten tipsUsing discrimination and creating the proper process for buying any used vehicle is paramount. As a consumer advocate and consultant, I am highlighting some of the more important issues to conclude your used vehicle purchase.
Based on your budget, select a two year lineage for the make and model you want to buy. Before you begin your "treasure hunt", decide on two or four doors; sedan, coupe, sport-utility, minivan, or pick-up truck; 2WD or 4WD. Once you can visualize exactly what you want, it makes your search more specific.
Select publications that will provide the maximum amount of used vehicles for sale, including private party sales as well as cars sold by car dealers. Review free weekly publications. Auto Trader is a nationally published magazine with descriptions and photos of local vehicles for sale. You an also access them online at www.autotrader.com.
Prior to viewing a vehicle, check with a reliable used vehicle guide such as Blue Book, Black Book, Red Book or the NADA Used Vehicle Guide. Or go to www.kelleybluebook.com or www.nada.com to view them online. Review reliability reports available through Consumer Reports and the National Safety and Insurance home pages.
When contacting sellers, ask them to rate the condition of the vehicle. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being showroom new and 7 reflecting normal wear and tear, you should be looking for an 8 or a 9. Ask about any mechanical problems and check with a mechanic to see what the potential repairs will cost. Ask the seller if there are any structural defects and verify with an auto body shop what costs might be involved to repair the vehicle. If the car is less than a 6, I wouldn't waste time having it inspected, unless your motivation for the purchase is something other than a long-term owning experience.
When you go to view and inspect a prospective purchase, bring a copy of your drivers license and insurance verification. This will provide the seller with assurance that you bring integrity to the test drive. The seller should be prepared to provide a copy of a recent diagnostic report made by a mechanic or diagnostic agent that does not do repairs or have any conflict of interest.
The inspection and test drive should take no more than twenty to thirty minutes. The seller might be wise to provide a map to make the test drive more efficient.
After the test drive, if no diagnostic is provided, then the seller should make an appointment for a diagnostic. A buyer should not consider negotiating any price without the appraised value and diagnostic on the vehicle.
Always check with your Department of Motor Vehicles for the history of the vehicle. This can be accomplished by providing the year, make, model, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). As a prospective owner, you want the car's history to be assured that you are purchasing a vehicle that originated from your own region of the country. You want to confirm that there is no Certificate of Salvage associated with the vehicle.
The buyer should be prepared to pay for this vehicle with a cashiers or bank check. No personal checks should be accepted by private party sellers. However, a dealer will take other precautions if they do accept a personal check or if they handle the financing or lease of the used vehicle. In ether situation, both parties should work with a written contract.
Remember... buying or leasing a vehicle can be simplified by following these simple suggestions. If you think it would improve your ability to make a used vehicle purchase with a private consultation, CarQ.com and CarSource provides an hour consultation for a fee of $190.00. Your agent will guide you step by step through the process.


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