| 5 Critical Things to Remember When Buying a Used | | | | doesnâÂÂt match or feels rough to the touch, |
| Car in Denver | | | | and bumps, dents, or ripples in the paint. Recent |
| 1. On a regular basis, it can be best to head to the | | | | bodywork is evidence that the car has been in an |
| dealership on a day when you have a lot of time. The | | | | accident. Other things you should look for in a visual |
| negotiations can take a lot of time, and you | | | | inspection include signs of rust, leaking fluids |
| donâÂÂt want to feel rushed. A day in the | | | | andexcessive tire wear (tires may be expensive to |
| middle of the week will be quieter at the dealership, | | | | replace, especially immediately after purchasing a |
| and a salesperson may feel more pressure to get | | | | vehicle). Also check the condition of the interior. Make |
| your sale, because they have fewer customers | | | | sure that the lights and signals have not burned out, |
| available. You may also want to head out to the | | | | and that all the switches and fittings work as they are |
| dealership towards the end of the month. Dealers | | | | supposed to. Your goal in doing a visual inspection |
| keep track of their monthly sales, and often have | | | | should be to find that the vehicle appears to have |
| monthly goals and targets. A salesperson may be | | | | been properly maintained. If everything looks good at |
| willing to make less of a profit on a car in order to | | | | this point, you can ask to take the vehicle to a |
| meet a certain target of sales. | | | | mechanic for a proper inspection. |
| 2. You may already have a car that you would like to | | | | 5. Test Drive Tips: |
| trade-in in order to lower the price of the car. A car | | | | When buying a car from a dealership, the salesman will |
| trade-in can confuse negotiations, however, as it adds | | | | often want to accompany you on a test drive. It is |
| another element to what may already be very | | | | better to try to take the test drive without a |
| confusing car negotiations. You might also be able to | | | | salesperson, as you can then concentrate on the feel |
| get a better price if you sell the car in a separate deal | | | | of the car and not the sales pitch. If you appear to be |
| to a private purchaser or to the dealership you bought | | | | a serious buyer, the salesperson will generally allow |
| the car from. A good way to make sure you will get | | | | you to take the car out without them, unless |
| full value from your trade in or sale is to present a | | | | youâÂÂre young. In that case, consider taking |
| very clean car to the potential purchaser. | | | | a parent or older adult with you in order to convince |
| 3. While negotiating, do not sign anything or give any | | | | the salesperson to let you take the car out without |
| personal information, besides your name. You do not | | | | them. The test drive should confirm whether a car that |
| need to sign anything until you are actually buying the | | | | you thought was suitable before actually is. Try not to |
| car, and you do not need to give your social security | | | | let it become a chance for a salesman to continue his |
| number unless and until you are getting financing. | | | | pitch while you are distracted by the feel of a new |
| 4. Inspecting: When shopping for a used car, it is | | | | vehicle. |
| important to be able to recognize the signs of a | | | | The test drive is an important part of the car buying |
| potential lemon. A visual inspection can be enough to | | | | experience. It should come later in the process, after |
| steer you away from a bad deal. It should not replace | | | | you make sure that the vehicle is suitable for your |
| a proper inspection by a qualified mechanic, but the | | | | needs and within the price range you have set for |
| visual inspection can tell you if you should continue to | | | | yourself. Avoid taking a more expensive vehicle for a |
| that point. The first thing to consider is whether the | | | | test drive, as this is just another sales tactic for trying |
| odometer is reasonable. The average car is driven | | | | to get you to spend more money than you want. |
| about 15,000 miles each year. Now the world may be | | | | When test driving a ehicle, there are two areas you |
| filled with little old ladies who only used their car to | | | | should be considering: -Is the car in good condition? Is it |
| drive to church on Sundays, but there are also those | | | | the right car for you? To ensure that the vehicle is in |
| who will roll back the odometer to try to get a higher | | | | good condition, make sure you do the test drive in |
| price. If the mileage seems low, check to see if the | | | | different conditions, from quiet residential streets to city |
| dashboard shows any sign of tampering, like scratches | | | | traffic the highway. Check to see that the vehicle |
| or missing or mismatched screws. Check the wear of | | | | starts immediately and idles smoothly, that the |
| the driverâÂÂs seat and floor mat as well as | | | | transmission shifts smoothly throughout the entire |
| the steering wheel and pedals. Does the amount of | | | | range of gears, and that the brakes should feel firm |
| wear seem to match the reported mileage? Try to | | | | and not spongy. The steering should be smooth and |
| find an oil change sticker and see if the information on | | | | responsive at different speeds. Listen for any unusual |
| it matches the odometer. Every vehicle has a unique | | | | rattles or other noises. Does the vehicle vibrate at |
| VIN, or vehicle identification number. You can use this | | | | highway speeds? |
| number to obtain a vehicle history report. This report | | | | Get a friend to drive behind you see if blue smoke |
| will be able to tell you the vehicle's complete history, | | | | comes out of exhaust. This is a sign that you are |
| including its place of assembly, accident, repair, and | | | | burning oil, indicating leaky gaskets and a potential need |
| odometer history, whether the vehicle has been leased | | | | for an engine overhaul. In order for this to be the right |
| or used as a rental car or taxi and whether there is a | | | | car, you have to feel comfortable in it. Ask yourself if |
| lien paced against it. Before purchasing the report, | | | | you could drive it easily in traffic, and not be intimidated |
| however, it is a good idea to check to see if you have | | | | by its size or performance. Make sure the seat and |
| the correct VIN. The VIN can be found in three places, | | | | steering wheel can be adjusted so that they fit you, |
| on the vehicle registration card, on the bottom of the | | | | and that you can easily reach all of the controls, |
| windshield on the driverâÂÂs side and on the | | | | including radio and climate controls. Check the sight |
| manufacturerâÂÂs label, which is usually found | | | | lines and the rear view mirrors. Are you comfortable |
| on the driverâÂÂs side door or door jam. | | | | with your views? Are the blind spots of a reasonable |
| Check that the VIN is in all three places and is the | | | | size? If you buy a car in which you donâÂÂt |
| same. Also, check to see if any of the labels show | | | | feel comfortable, you will soon hate your purchase. Try |
| signs of tampering. A missing or altered VIN is a sign | | | | out the climate control and audio systems. Does the |
| that the vehicle may be stolen. Next you should look | | | | fan work and is the air conditioning effective? What is |
| for signs that the vehicle has had bodywork done. | | | | the quality of the audio system like? Consider taking a |
| These signs include paint splatter or over spray in the | | | | CD with you so that youâÂÂre not reliant on |
| seams between panels, areas where the paint | | | | the radio to test the audio system. |