The first step in purchasing an inexpensive used car is to save money. You may have a reliable used car or truck for less than $5,000 assuming that you know where to look, and you will save a ton of cash by not having to finance and pay interest charges.
Once you have the funds, you have to do your homework to find out which car is appropriate for you. This is an essential step, as some research before you shop might save you a great deal of problems after you get your car. If you have a long commute to work every day, you'll want to find a car that has great gas mileage instead of bringing home a gas hog. Size may be a variable to look at assuming that you have many people or things to carry, and there are possibly some things specific to your situation and preferences that are going to help you decide on the ideal vehicle for you. You can do an internet search on "top used family minivans" or "best used first cars" in order to get you headed in the right direction.
What Is It Worth?
Once you choose a couple of vehicles that seem right for you, you will have to look them up in a pricing guide, like Kelley Blue Book or NADA. By doing this you will have a really good idea of how much a specific car is worth. You also need to know what is standard and what is optional on the car, which may help you when negotiating the final price.
Look for a Vehicle
After you have a couple of vehicles researched as well as an idea of a fair price for each one of them, begin searching for cars. You can search the online inventory of auto dealers, or web sites like craigslist.com or eBay Motors, without leaving home. You could also check out the classified ads section of your local newspapers. Any place you look, ensure that you just consider vehicles that are within reasonable driving distance; you should never purchase a vehicle without checking it out first, or you can end up with a lemon.
Contact the Seller
Once you have located a car you want, contact the seller. A trustworthy seller should be open to addressing all the concerns you may have, so ask the reasons why he or she is getting rid of the car. Of course, in case the owner has had many troubles with the vehicle, you will certainly want to politely say thanks to the seller and then hang up. Inquire about available service records for the car, and request the VIN so that you can investigate the history of the vehicle. In case everything sounds good and the VIN is okay, make arrangements with the seller to see the automobile.
Inspecting the Car
It may be challenging if you are not a trained mechanic. If you don't know what to look for to figure out if the car or truck is in good condition or not, get someone who is to have with you to inspect the automobile. Lots of cars look fine outside, but under the hood, they can have many problems that will become your issues if you purchase the vehicle. A friend or professional with great knowledge of car mechanics will be in a better position to spot potential issues and also to identify cover-ups that were performed to keep a bad vehicle running until sold. If the vehicle is good, negotiate a price with the owner. It never hurts to go after a more suitable offer and wrap up the sale.
Once you have the funds, you have to do your homework to find out which car is appropriate for you. This is an essential step, as some research before you shop might save you a great deal of problems after you get your car. If you have a long commute to work every day, you'll want to find a car that has great gas mileage instead of bringing home a gas hog. Size may be a variable to look at assuming that you have many people or things to carry, and there are possibly some things specific to your situation and preferences that are going to help you decide on the ideal vehicle for you. You can do an internet search on "top used family minivans" or "best used first cars" in order to get you headed in the right direction.
What Is It Worth?
Once you choose a couple of vehicles that seem right for you, you will have to look them up in a pricing guide, like Kelley Blue Book or NADA. By doing this you will have a really good idea of how much a specific car is worth. You also need to know what is standard and what is optional on the car, which may help you when negotiating the final price.
Look for a Vehicle
After you have a couple of vehicles researched as well as an idea of a fair price for each one of them, begin searching for cars. You can search the online inventory of auto dealers, or web sites like craigslist.com or eBay Motors, without leaving home. You could also check out the classified ads section of your local newspapers. Any place you look, ensure that you just consider vehicles that are within reasonable driving distance; you should never purchase a vehicle without checking it out first, or you can end up with a lemon.
Contact the Seller
Once you have located a car you want, contact the seller. A trustworthy seller should be open to addressing all the concerns you may have, so ask the reasons why he or she is getting rid of the car. Of course, in case the owner has had many troubles with the vehicle, you will certainly want to politely say thanks to the seller and then hang up. Inquire about available service records for the car, and request the VIN so that you can investigate the history of the vehicle. In case everything sounds good and the VIN is okay, make arrangements with the seller to see the automobile.
Inspecting the Car
It may be challenging if you are not a trained mechanic. If you don't know what to look for to figure out if the car or truck is in good condition or not, get someone who is to have with you to inspect the automobile. Lots of cars look fine outside, but under the hood, they can have many problems that will become your issues if you purchase the vehicle. A friend or professional with great knowledge of car mechanics will be in a better position to spot potential issues and also to identify cover-ups that were performed to keep a bad vehicle running until sold. If the vehicle is good, negotiate a price with the owner. It never hurts to go after a more suitable offer and wrap up the sale.
About the Author:
If you are looking for detailed posts and tips on buying used cars for less than $5,000, be sure to click here. This blog addresses many of the concerns that people typically have whenever buying a used car. In case you feel lost with the several posts out there, you can start here and have an index of popular posts categorized by main topics.
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