Advice for Used Car Shopping

You must first reflect on what kind of used car suits your lifestyle before you start thinking about possibly unrealistic cars like convertibles or sports cars.

Firstly look at your budget, you need to examine it closely. Set a reasonable price range for the used car that you want and cross off cars that are out of that price range.  Trying to work out a way to buy a new or used car that is outside your price range is not at all advisable. You won’t actually enjoy having a car that you can’t actually afford to have. 

You must be up to date with your credit history, because you must be prepared to answer any question the car dealer might throw at you. Remember that a lot of the car advertisements on television are only for people with a good credit record. So always keep a copy of your own credit report handy. 

Work out what your used car needs are:  

• If you often carry heavy equipment then you should think about buying a  pick-up truck. 
• If you have a large family to transport, then think about getting a minivan or a sport utility vehicle (SUV). 
• If you live in an area where you need four-wheel drive then consider getting a SUV with all-wheel 4 wheel drive. 
• If you use the car a lot, then think about getting a car that gives good mileage.
• Do you have a towing requirement like towing a horse trailer or a boat, if so you should consider a heavy-duty pick-up truck or an SUV with a towing bar. 

Today's new and used vehicle buyer has a huge amount of choices. The simplest way of eliminating some of the options is to do additional research so that you can assess what your car’s car needs are and narrow the field down considerably this way.

Once you have worked out what you need in a used car, there are a few things you should learn about the car so that you can get the best deal possible when you're ready to buy:

• Average price: you can do this by visiting different dealerships and comparing prices, also by using the Internet. You must also find out how much will be added on for air conditioning, cd player etc. To negotiate on the price, go from the dealer price is and negotiate up from that figure. 
• Car reviews: read car reviews relevant to the car/s you are interested in, online and in magazines. This way you will find out which cars are given high marks for safety, which cars have the best mileage etc. Read as many car reviews on those makes and models as you can find.
• Word of mouth: ask your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors to find someone amongst them who drives or has driven the make or model you're researching and are interested in buying.
• Trade-in: know the price of your car if you want to trade it in because some car dealers make big money paying you too little for your trade-in.

Do your homework and find out the market value of your trade-in. Remember that these estimates are based on used cars for sale that are in good condition that don’t have an unusually high mileage. So depending on your mileage, the value of your used car will go up or down accordingly. 

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