How To Buy A Used Car Essay

, Research Paper

How to Buy a Used Car

There are many successful steps a person can take when buying a

used car so that the car will last as long as it is expected to, without having

to put thousands of dollars into it to keep it running and maintained. The

last thing that a person wants is a car not worth what was paid for it. A

problem for many people who rush into buying the first good looking car or

truck on the lot, without taking the proper steps to make sure the car is in

good running order.

The first order of business when buying a used car is to have a price

range figured out before getting to the lot. Have a set amount in dollars that

can be spent on the car and if something seen grabs the eye, it can be

easily decided if it is affordable or not. Also have the maximum amount of

money figured out, in case there is a beautiful car that is a couple of

thousand dollars out of the price range. Because there is always something

nicer than the next, so if one car does exceed the range it can easily be

distinguished if it is in the price range that has been drawn up. Another

thing to remember is to bring a used car value book to look up the prices of

cars of interest. Last but not least, look for cars under the set

price range because there will be many cars sold for cheaper than expected

and overlooking these could be a bad mistake.

The next thing to do once a car has caught some attention is to check

the interior and exterior. But the thing to remember is that this is a

used car and it will not be perfect, so if a scratch is seen being too picky may

make it very hard to find a car. When checking the interior check for holes

and stains in the upholstery and carpet. Next make sure all the buttons and

levers are all working. If there are power windows in the car make sure it

works and if a sunroof is there make sure it retracts correctly. Checking the

exterior of the car is a little easier considering all that is needed is a brief

check. Look for chips, scratches, dents, or anything that just doesn?t look

right or if something doesn?t look right just get a second opinion and see

what someone else thinks. If everything seems to be in order than the next

step is the most difficult.

The third step is to have the engine checked for problems. The last

thing anybody wants to do is buy a car with a faulty engine or parts. To pay

all that money for a car and then having to invest more in the engine would

be insane. It is always good to take the car to a local mechanic, so a good

inspection by someone not paid by the lot can be done on the car. Many

times a good mechanic will find something that needs to be fixed and the

dealer will fix it free of charge if the car will be bought pending the

repair of the car. Or if, the dealer offers a deal on a car with an engine

problem at a really good price, get the problem estimated and if the price to

fix and buy this car is still a low cost , then this could be a good investment

even if at first the car looks like a hassle.

Finally, the last and best part of used car searching is the test drive.

Be sure that it is comfortable to the liking to he or she when driving. Also,

one should be at ease driving the car and if it is a big car and one is not at

ease because of size, maybe a smaller car should be looked at and could

prove to have been a wise decision. If it is a fast car, think,? can I handle the

steering and acceleration of a sports car.? And if after these steps the car

still twinkles in the buyers eye, to the negotiation table to work out the price.

Buying a used car can be a hassle, but if there is a set price range with

a high limit and low that should help. Along with the exterior and interior

check and everything is in working order. The engine runs with no major

problems, besides a new set of spark plugs. The test drive is like driving a

Porsche down the road. This car will likely be the used car that will last as

long as it was expected to just like a new car would have done. If the step

here are followed buying a pre-owned car will be easy and a load off the

wallet, when instead of buying a brand new car, I saved thousands by buying

the same model car, just two years older.