Help- I'm Clueless about Cars! What do I look for when buying a used car?

Atlanta Selling Junk Cars

First, not all salesman are not gonna try and sell you a piece of junk. They are gonna want to sell you what you want that way they dont have to see you every other Fin week complaining about the damn thing.

What is a good type of car? — You will get so many different answers about this. Personally, get something that fits your needs. IE do you need a 4 door car, is gas mileage a big deal to you? do you want something sporty? do you want an SUV…

What is the range/limit of kilometers for a good car? depends how you take care of it, who had it before you. try and see , if you're buyin a used car, if they had a maintenance book in their car and if it has a lot of writing in it. I, for example, write down EVERY oil change and everytrhing else i do to my car..

What kinda car has good gas milage?
little things like the Ford Fusion, Hondas, Mazda protege, stuff like that. Mostly 4 cylinder cars. v6 has more power, but not as great of gas mileage.

What kind of cars should be avoided because they need alot of repairs? —mitsubishi, kia, suzuki. **** like that. and like i said before, depends who had it before you.

What else do I need to think about before I buy a car? — take your time. and also, check before signing anything, and look at their suggested retail price for the car you want.

Lots of times car lots have push month which is where they have a lot of NEW cars on sale for just a little more than what the same car but used is worth.
so check the newspaper ads to see what's on sale.
Get something at 0% interest if you can.
(don't forget to check what they tell you your interest is, cause that may ***** you over on your payments)

dont buy anything from the sealant girls. it's all BS.
you do not need anything they will try to sell you. (and I say girl bc it usually is a girl who will try and sell you crap for your car you dont need, after you talk to the Salesman and get all your papers signed). My friend is the receptionist at the car lot and that's what she does. she lies her **** off and says she has the same **** on her car. but it really is nothing you need.

I dont know how old you are, but you should def go in with someone who knows about cars.. Dad or somethin.

Atlanta Selling Junk Cars

A good car should have a nice fuel economy, and its value should be worth its price. Yoou should see if you can financially afford the monthly payments. On this car commercial I heard this lady say she got a raggedy car, that had a high payment, then she got a new car and it had a low monthly payment.

Atlanta Selling Junk Cars

for $8K your best bet is a Honda or Toyota

Accord or civic 2001 to 02

camry or corolla 01 to 02

avg is 12K to 15,000 miles a year so anything over that is excessive.

cars today last easily to 200,000 if they've been properly maintained.

avoid Dodge, jeep, Chrysler, VW, they have higher repairs and lower reliability scores.

if your not afraid of Hyundai
Accent 05
Elantra 04
Santa Fe V6 02
Sonata 03

Acura
CL 01
Integra 01

if you can find one of these for $4,000 buy it and save the rest in case you need some repairs down the road.
98 Acura CL, 98 Ford Mustang V6, 98 Honda Accord or Civic, 98 Nissan Frontier or Pathfinder, 98 Subaru Impreza or Legacy, 98 -00 Toyota Corolla or Echo 00

Atlanta Selling Junk Cars

get an american car or honda. They're easier to repair, many available parts and cheaper than other imports to repair (german for ex.)
buy from a private person- you'll pay 1500-2000 markup at a dealer.
Check craigslist or yahoo autos
Check the car out.
make sure everything works.
run the wipers, blinkers , fan a/c radio etc- everything.
chekc the tire. make sure they arent low on tread
Check for leaky fluids under the car or in the enginebay
pull the transmission dipstick, and oil dipstick rub the fluid between your fingers feel for debris or metal shavings. Metal shavings means the trans is beat. then smell the trans fluid dipstick – does is smell burnt? then the trans might be beat. Is the oil black or brown. brown is better(changed regularly)
look down the sides of the car for waves in the paint. that can tell you if it was hit.
check door bottoms and under the car for rust.

thats all I can think of off the top of my head

Atlanta Selling Junk Cars

I would go to a dealership…

Buying a used car from a dealer is in many ways similar to buying a new car. You have the option of paying in full or financing over time. You have comprehensive vehicle information. And – you have lots of pitfalls to avoid.

First, be well versed on the loan options and payment schedules available to you. Pay close attention to the loan details – the exact price, the amount you’re repaying, the finance charge, the APR, and the down payment required.

Dealers are required by the Federal Trade Commission to post a Buyers Guide in every used car for sale. The Buyers Guide will tell you:

* Whether the vehicle is being sold “as is” or with a warranty
* What percentage of the repair costs a dealer will pay under the warranty
* The major mechanical and electrical systems on the car, including any major problems to watch out for
* To get all promises in writing
* To keep the guide for reference after the sale
* To ask an independent mechanic to inspect the car before purchase

The Buyers Guide acts as law for the sales contract, and overrides any contrary provisions. If the Guide says the car comes with a warranty but the contract says the car is sold “as is,” the dealer must provide the warranty described in the Guide.

Several types of warranties can govern your used car:

* As-is. For all intents and purposes, this car has no warranty.
* Implied Warranty. State laws hold dealers responsible if cars don’t meet reasonable quality standards. Usually this applies to the basic functions of a car. A “warranty of merchantability” promises that the car will do what it’s supposed to – run. Watch in the contract or other written notices if dealers eliminate this implied warranty with “as is” or “with all faults” notations.
* Unexpired Manufacturer’s Warranties. With these, your car is still covered under the original manufacturer warranty. Ensure you have all the information on what’s covered, expiration date and miles, and necessary paperwork.
* Service Contracts. Providing repair and maintenance for a set time, service contracts are like warranties, but are not included in the price of the car. Consider these carefully, including the service offered and price.

Private Owners

Buying a used car from a private owner may be cheaper. But private sellers are not covered by the Federal Trade Commission’s rules and don’t have to use Buyers Guides. In addition, private sales are usually not covered by the implied warranties given for dealership cars, meaning most used cars will be “as is.”

Prior to making a purchase from a private seller, do your research. Find as much information online about the car’s major systems, and use that information as a shopping tool. In addition, don’t hesitate to have a privately sold car inspected by your mechanic.

No matter if you buy a car from a private seller or dealer, protect yourself by examining the car thoroughly, test driving it under varied road conditions, inspecting the car professionally, and checking the maintenance record. Following these steps can ensure your used car will be a reliable addition to your life, and not a regrettable lemon.

Atlanta Selling Junk Cars

First of all try not to buy at a dealership unless you know them or you have a MAN with you. Yes, having a man with you makes a big difference, especially one who knows about cars and what to look for in a car. Dealers will almost always try to take advantage of female buyers lack of knowledge about cars and mechanics and even prices. It's better if you buy private. I'd say the best buy is from a senior citizen -if you can find one- because you know for sure they take care of their cars and never abuse them. Another thing you need to know is that taking your car to a mechanic for inspection isn't a bullet proof way if avoiding a lemon. Many mechanics will do it for the money only and those inspections aren't thorough by any means. I know a person who bought a car only after the dealer took it for inspection at a good independent mechanic shop. The car came out with a clean bill but only a few hours later the transmission broke down. Sometimes inspections are a waste of money and the only way is to drive the car yourself or have someone with knowledge drive it and inspect it. Try not to buy from young drivers for obvious reasons. Check for history with Carfax. It will cost some money -used to be $ 20- but it's a good way of finding out if the car's been involved in an accident or theft. One important thing you also need to know about is if the car has a CLEAN title or not. Make sure you're not suckered into buying a nice looking car only to find out the car has a SALVAGED title. Always look at the Pink slip (title) before you buy a car and make sure it doesn't say salvage. Ask for maintenance records. A seller who takes care of his car would be more than willing to provide those. There are many other things you need to do and I think if you do an online search you should be able to come up with sites that tell you what to look for. As for a good car to buy, well, I think you almost never go wrong with a Honda or a Toyota. Civic or Corolla for economy or Accord and Camry for a little more space and luxury. If you take care of those two cars they will last you more than 30 years without any major repairs.

Atlanta Selling Junk Cars

look here for used cars in your area…good luck

Atlanta Selling Junk Cars

I guess you should check the insurance quotes for the car before buying one, for example here:
Used cars have higher insurance rates.