5 questions to ask before buying a used car

Nov 14, 2015

Used cars represent roughly $370 billion worth of sales to the automotive industry every year. The “previously owned” market is a large, and growing sector. This means two things to you if you’re in the market for a used car. First, it means there will be plenty to choose from when you start shopping. Secondly, it means that dealers and dealerships know they have plenty of competition for your business. From your perspective, a car is a major investment, and you want to be 100% sure it’s the one for you before buying. That is why we have put together 5 questions to ask before buying a used car.

Does it have a Carfax?

Carfax has very quickly made itself one of the most vital aspects of the shopping process when it comes to used cars. They provide the most comprehensive information on the history of the vehicle you’re considering. Has the car been in an accident? Is the odometer accurate? Questions like these are answered via Carfax. In all fairness, they can only report on what has been reported to them, but with over nine billion reports, Carfax is proving to be the leader in their field and their reliability continues to grow.

Is there a warranty? If so, what does it cover?

Not all used cars come with a warranty, and not all used car warranties cover everything. In fact, you might not even want a warranty on a previously owned vehicle. Often times, the warranty costs more than it’s worth. But, when they are worthwhile, they can give you great peace of mind with your purchase. If the dealer doesn’t offer a warranty for the vehicle, ask why not. You also want to ask if one could be made available. That’s not to say you necessarily want the warranty, but if the dealer is selling a “certified” preowned vehicle and won’t offer any kind of protection, you may second guess the value of that so-called certification. Most previously owned vehicles offer the remainder of the warranty that was on the car when it was new. For example, if the car had a 50,000 mile warranty when it was new, and you are buying it with 32,000 miles on it, you basically inherit a 12,000 mile warranty. When this is the case, if you plan on owning the car for a longer period of time, you may want to ask about an extended warranty.

How many owners has the car had?

This is an important question to ask. The fewer owners the better. In fact, many people flat out refuse to buy a car that has had more than one previous owner. The reason is, everyone drives differently. One owner will put some wear and tear on a vehicle. But a second owner will put a completely different kind of wear and tear on that same vehicle. This information should come in the Carfax report, but in the event that a Carfax report is not available, this question should be a top priority.

What works?

Most used, or previously owned, vehicles now come with inspection reports that get more comprehensive every day. But, you want to do own inspection as well. While the dealer’s inspection will usually be centered around how the car runs, yours can focus on some of the peripheral features of the car. A lot of these features may not be essential at the time you are shopping for the car, but will prove to be absolute necessities over the time that you own it. Here’s a few examples of things that should make your checklist: windshield wipers, headlights, brake lights, turn signals, dashboard lights, cruise control, stereo, rear defrost, heater (or A/C), cigarette lighter, etc.

Is everything there that is supposed to be there?

This should be included on your inspection checklist as well. While most of us now use the cigarette lighter as a phone charging outlet, you still want to have the lighter that goes in that slot. You also want to make sure all the floor mats are still there, the owner’s manual is in the glove compartment, and make sure the spare tire and jack are there as well. Also, it is important to verify ahead of time how many keys and remote openers come with the car. Getting a new car key made isn’t as simple as it used to be, and can be quite expensive. If the car only comes with one key, ask if it’s possible to get a duplicate.

While all of these questions are important to ask; none of them necessarily have to be deal-breakers. Being armed with the answers can help you know exactly what you are getting so you can negotiate a better deal, or at the very least, avoid any buyer’s remorse.