Used Car Smarts

Going car shopping can be an enlightening experience. I remember my first time on a car lot. I was so excited. Patience is extremely important because you want to think over every detail before purchasing a used car.

First be a smart car shopper. Do your research. The Internet is full of information that will help you find the going rate for a used car. Blue Book values can be found on the Internet. They are estimated sources and should only be used as guides to negotiate fair deals with the car dealer. Your lender could use a different source to name their price. It is important to find out which guide your lender uses, because if you pay more than your banker expects, they might not finance the full amount.

Next, check out the latest consumer reports on the type of vehicle you plan to purchase. This is a report that may contain a reliability history of that type of vehicle. In addition, contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to learn about the vehicle type’s safety record. Here you can obtain consumer complaints and manufacturer crash tests that will help guide you in making a decision. (more…)