Buying a used car is a safer bet now than it was 10 years ago with certified pre-owned vehicles available and CARFAX information at your fingertips. It's easier to make the right decision for your family.
Used car experts say there are four things to remember when buying a used car.
- Always buy from a certified pre-owned dealer.
- Always check the CARFAX and history of the vehicle.
- Always take the car for a test drive.
- Always get the car checked out by your own mechanic before purchasing
"Remember that you're buying the miles left in a car, not the miles on the car," said mechanic Ken Bryant.
It's important to pay close attention to window stickers on the car, especially when buying a car that is no longer under warranty.
"When a car is sold as is, it has no warranty," said Dave Caddell. "Before a consumer would buy this car, we would recommend you have this car thoroughly inspected by your own mechanic so you know exactly what you're getting."
Some great used cars to buy are:
- A great small sized car - the Ford Focus.
- A mid-size car, the Buick Lacrosse.
- SUVs, the Honda CRV and the Honda Pilot.
"The vehicles we see the fewest repairs on, are the Toyotas, Hondas and the Nissans," said Bryant.
On the flip side, used cars to avoid because they are less dependable and are more expensive to maintain if something goes wrong:
- A small sized used car to avoid is the Volkswagen Beatle.
- Mid-size car to avoid the Chrysler Sebring.
- SUVs to avoid the Jeep Wrangler and the GMC Acadia.
Before making the final purchase, it's important to take the car to your mechanic. Bryant says a thorough inspection from someone you can trust is crucial. He says a good mechanic will take off all four tires to inspect each brake pad, and check under the car and under the hood.
"Looking whether the fluids are full, the conditions of the fluids," said Bryant. "A lot of these things tell you the care that had been taken with this vehicle, whether they stayed up with the maintenance on it."
Bryant says a mechanic will be honest with you, and let you know if the car you've chosen should be your next vehicle.
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