if you're looking to buy a used car you're not alone whether a private party
website app or even a dealership nearly 41 million used vehicles were
sold last year and that's a lot of vehicles and there
are ways to get the smartest deal
Welcome back to the channel I'm Lauren Fix the used car market is
really high right now and there are so many choices
finding that one right car for you could be a bit of a challenge
here are some tips and steps to help you find
the best vehicle get the best price and make sure it's the perfect vehicle for
you with car smarts if this is your first
time to the channel we give you more than car reviews first
looks at new vehicles we give you car smarts because knowledge
is power make sure to subscribe and click that
little bell so you don't miss anything how much car can you afford the first
rule of thumb if you're taking out a loan to pay for
your vehicle your car payment should not be more than
20 of your take-home pay and if you're sticking to that super tight budget
you may want to spend even less used cars
need maintenance like tires and oil changes and other fluid changes in
components and then there are the other ownership
costs that people forget because they're part of your budget such
as fuel and insurance if the car you're planning
to buy is out of warranty it might be a good idea to set aside a
just in case fund to cover any unexpected
repairs purchase an extended warranty to protect
against those unexpected large expenses
because according to a recent study by aaa the average auto repair bill is
between five and six hundred dollars and one in
three motorists can't afford to pay for it or incur that
debt check out carwarrantyguru.com to get the best
warranty company build a target list of used vehicles so
if you're looking to save money consider more than one brand make a list
of three vehicles that meet your needs and
fall within your budget check out our car reviews we've reviewed
them all to get better insights you know what you're
getting and make those right choices you can check that out up here
if you're planning to buy a vehicle that is less than five years old consider a
certified pre-owned vehicle or a cpo it's a wise choice because there's a
warranty that backs the vehicle from the car maker or
you can purchase an extended warranty look for the dealership that sells that
vehicle of that same brand so if you're looking at a certified
pre-owned nissan altima then you would go to a nissan dealer
this will get you the right vehicle at the best price with that warranty
check prices prices are driven in part by
where you're shopping look to online places like car gurus carmax
dealer websites and private party sellers like ebay or bring a trailer
private party sellers will typically have the lower prices
while certified pre-owned vehicles will typically cost you a bit more
but you get that warranty protection check the vehicle history report it's
worth the money to get a carfax or an auto check report
but this will not always tell you the full story if the car you're looking at
has a bad history it may not be reported also if it's flood damage it may not be
reported that's when you walk away from that
vehicle these reports can reveal vital information about the car
including whether the odometer has been rolled back or if it has a salvage title
which means it has been declared a total loss by the insurance company
you'll also use that car's vehicle identification number known as a vin
to get that information most major dealers offer these reports free of
charge but if you're buying from a private
seller or online you'll have to pay for that report
number five test drive the vehicle test driving a used vehicle is the best way
to know if this is the right choice for you
it's also a good way to assess the car's condition here are some things that you
absolutely need to check before making a decision be aware of these important
factors like seating comfort and space for all rows
visibility are there blind spots can you get your car seats installed
easily and safety features like backup cameras
active cruise control blind spot detection cross traffic alert and more
these safety features will lower your insurance rate as well
check out the tires is the tread wear even or bald
this is a sign of other issues and suspension problems
are the brakes squeaking is the brake pedal spongy
these are signs that there's more issues and a big service bill coming
open the hood you don't have to know a lot about cars to see if something looks
wrong if something is leaking steaming or
covered in oil it's time to start asking questions or
maybe just not buy that vehicle does the air conditioning blow cold do
the headlights and brake lights and turn signals work
if not again this is a sign the car hasn't been maintained well
and after the test drive ask the owner or the dealer if you can see the service
records these will show you if the car has had
scheduled maintenance performed on time and if they do not
have any maintenance records at all take it to a mechanic and make sure that
they check it out before you make any dollar offers have the car inspected
always have a used car checked by an ase certified technician
this pre-purchase inspection costs about 100 to 200
and can alert you to problems you may not find on your own
and save you a lot of money and failing to do so could cost you
thousands of dollars in repairs down the road don't get caught out by buying a
flood damaged car or one with serious issues that have been masked in
some way you'll be responsible for those costs a
private party seller will probably allow you to do this with
not much pushback or resistance most dealerships
will let you borrow a car for the outside mechanic to take a look at
because they want to sell you that vehicle they want that inspection done
if it's a certified pre-owned car there's already been an inspection on it
and you get the warranty that's where you're paying more for
those type of vehicles negotiating a good deal
doesn't have to be a painful experience if you are reasonable and have
done your homework on pricing you can make a fair deal
pretty quickly and easily here are some tips to reduce the stress
make an opening offer that is lower than the maximum price
but in the ballpark based on your average price paid
due to your research and your homework explain that you've done your research
and you have the facts to support your offer remember that this is a business
deal not a flea market and everybody wants to
get a fair price get your paperwork done in advance check
with your insurance carrier before making that final offer find out what
the rates are so you know what to expect in your budget
that could be the difference between affording the vehicle and not making it
to your budget very easily get your insurance policy in place
before driving away with the vehicle that's actually illegal some people want
that peace of mind that comes with extended warranties
so this is something you might want to consider
unless the car is still under the factory warranty
or it's a certified pre-owned vehicle do your research and check out places like
carwarrantyguru.com and compare all the different rates from
all the different carriers don't forget you are also responsible
for the sales tax and the licensing fees if buying a car from an individual owner
make sure the seller properly transfers the title and the
registration to you getting a signed bill of sale is
important as well rules governing vehicle registration and
licensing may vary from state to state if possible check with your local
department of motor vehicles your dmv to make sure there is no past due
registration fees you'd be responsible for if you
purchased this vehicle now you're ready to show off your new
ride enjoy the drive don't forget to check out our new
website car coach reports in english and in spanish with some new
contributors get more car smarts in my book the link
is down below laurenfix's guide to loving your car
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