Buying A Used Car

Hi;

I've only bought a car once in my life. That was ten years ago. It
was a used Honda that served me spectacularly until recently, as it is
at the end of its service life. When I bought it I read a book on how
to buy used cars and this was before the time when the internet became
a factor in the market place for cars.

I'm getting ready to go shop for another used Honda.

I'm wondering if I need to read a book on how to buy used cars again
in order to avoid getting pushed or cheated by dealers.

This is what I remember to do:

1. Research what you want ( done ).
2. Do not tell anyone your price range.

3. Look up what the car you want is approximately going for in your
area
( Is there a good web site for this? )

4. Check the trunk, hood area and underneath the car for mismatches in
the paint that might indicate that the car was in an accident.

5. Run a CarFax check on the vehicale registration number. Avoid
cars with a salvage for flood title.

6. Ask to borrow the car to have it checked out by an independent
mechanic.

7. Refuse rust protection plans as they do nothing but make the dealer
money.

Am I forgetting anything else? Is that enough to get me through the
used car shopping process without getting cheated?

I plan on paying for the car in full. Is it fair to ask for a
discount because of it. If so, how do I determine how much of a
discount to ask for?

Thanks in advance for any info

Steve

Steve, go to CarBuyingTips.com. Note the hate letters from dealers &
salespeople. <g> I've bought & sold my own cars for 40 years & never
from a dealer. They're pros at extracting the most money from a buyer &
they'll rob you on a trade-in. They come up with new scams faster that
you can keep up with them. Good luck.

steve > wrote in
:

> Hi;
>
> I've only bought a car once in my life. That was ten years ago. It
> was a used Honda that served me spectacularly until recently, as it is
> at the end of its service life. When I bought it I read a book on how
> to buy used cars and this was before the time when the internet became
> a factor in the market place for cars.
>
> I'm getting ready to go shop for another used Honda.
>
> I'm wondering if I need to read a book on how to buy used cars again
> in order to avoid getting pushed or cheated by dealers.
>
> This is what I remember to do:
>
> 1. Research what you want ( done ).
> 2. Do not tell anyone your price range.
>
> 3. Look up what the car you want is approximately going for in your
> area
> ( Is there a good web site for this? )
>
The Blue book value of course - *never* trust anything on the net you
can't find in a book.


> 4. Check the trunk, hood area and underneath the car for mismatches in
> the paint that might indicate that the car was in an accident.
>
> 5. Run a CarFax check on the vehicale registration number. Avoid
> cars with a salvage for flood title.
>
> 6. Ask to borrow the car to have it checked out by an independent
> mechanic.
>
If they refuse, check fluids including for smell and anything in
suspension - such as metal particles for example. Also compression test
the engine if it's over 100,000 Km. A bit early to worry about cylinder
wear, but it never hurts to make sure plus you're also checking for the
cylinder seal. Road test and check the maximum engine speed (*not* top
speed) when doing it. Along with *all* gears. These both apply most to
standard transmissions of course.

Just to make sure you know: you check oil when the engine is off and
transmission fluid when it's running.