Buying used car is not just as simple as having one two steps, you must find the right car and then you pay for it. Easier said than done, buying used cars requires a lot of things and some homework just before closing the deal. An advance research on the internet, magazines or books that deals with used car buying will be a great source of the information you might need.
As a shopper it is your right to ask questions regarding the car’s history and many other things related to the car that you would like to buy. And the most important things to ask a dealer are the following:
Where or who was the vehicle purchased from?
In cases where a car is purchased from an auction, make sure that it pass through a professional mechanic who specializes in inspecting used cars to make sure that what you are buying is a good catch and will not give you headache right after paying for it. Ask for the maintenance record of the car if it came from a dealership. This way, you can easily make an assessment regarding the car’s efficiency and the cost of future maintenance.
How long will you allow for a Test Drive?
Always request for a drive test and make sure to negotiate for a long test drive as much as half an hour. This is the only way to see if the vehicle will fit your driving habits and if there’s any hassle while driving the car and if there’s any flaw that you will find feel free to back out. Remember that you are the customer and customers are always right.
How much is the used car?
This is the ultimate question to ask. You should be able to do your homework before buying used car. This way even if the dealer gives you a relatively high price for the car model you can easily know that it is overpriced. And when the dealer gives you a fair price for the used car, ask for any possible discount if you will have the deal on cash basis. Dealers usually offer financing because they make profit from it and if that is the case don’t hesitate to ask them what kind of consideration they will give you for doing the financing with them.
Are there freebies upon purchase?
Ask if there’s anything you can get out of the dealership. Sometimes a set of new tires, a full tank of gas or a timing belt is given for free to a shopper.
Do you take trade-ins?
This will surely be a lot easy if the dealership will handle this for you. Don’t let yourself get tied up in trying to selling your own used car, especially if it’s not your forte.