Used Cars For Sale - Try the Auction Route

These are hard times, no doubt for just about all of us. Let's give some consideration to automobiles. There are people who have purchased new cars within the last couple of years. Sadly, since that time they have lost their jobs and can no longer afford to make a car payment in the neighborhood for $400+ per month. Before they know it, they find themselves getting their beautiful cars getting repossessed by the finance company. How embarrassing this can be for you with your neighbors, unless it has happened to them too. Now you do not have a car, your credit is ruined, you need a car, what are you to do?

Maybe you have been unemployed or underemployed for a number of years. You know what tough times are all about. You wonder if that old clunker of yours is going to make it for another month or not. You don't want to take your children in the car because if it breaks down on the road, it won't be safe for the children. You need to get another car, but to get a bank loan and pay a lot of interest is just not possible for you. Where do you turn.

Many cities have a location where they have used cars for sale, frequently through government auctions. Some of these cars have been repossessed, some have been confiscated by the police, some have been abandoned, who knows. The government has assumed clear title on these cars, and about once a month, or depending on how quickly their lot fills up, they will place these vehicles up for sale. If you are a person who does not have much wisdom about cars, it would be prudent to check around among your friends/relatives to find someone who could go with you to the sale.

In many cases, the day before the sale, the yard will be open for a couple of hours, and then the day of the sale, open early, so that you can walk through the cars and check out cars that might interest you. Once the bidding starts, they will pull a car up to the staging area and take bids. If you are the winning bidder, you must be able to pay a certain percentage down right then. This depends on the sale. (You will want to get the information ahead of time). Usually they will give you a day or so to come up with the rest of the money. They do not provide financing there. Good luck in searching for a car.

If you are buying a new or used car, you want to ensure that your money is wisely spent. To ensure this does happen, there are some questions you want to ask when before you agree to make a purchase. Speaking of those questions, what should you be asking?

Question: How many miles is on the vehicle?
Hopefully you shouldn't have to ask this question because the mileage of the vehicle should be disclosed upfront. But, you might want to ask if it has changed. Some sellers drive their car around while trying to sell it. If someone drives 100 miles a day to and from work, that can significantly increase the mileage over one or two weeks. Price depends on a number of factors and mileage is one of those important factors.

Question: Has the car recently been serviced or has it undergone any recent repairs?
This answer can lead you to a great car. We tend to think of cars that get serviced as bad (they need repairs after all). With that said, it does mean that the vehicle is serviced, up-to-date, and recently repaired. This is good because it also shows signs of an owner who cared for the vehicle, which you benefit from. Also, keep in mind that the more recent the repairs are the less you will have to spend on them upfront.

Question: Why are you selling the car?
The answer to this question might not impact your decision, but it is a good idea to have the answer. Lets look at it this way, would you rather buy a car from someone who decided to upgrade to get more room for their kids or someone who says they wanted something better? Many sellers tend to answer this question quickly and on impulse so you should get an honest answer.

Question: Can I come look at the car and take it for a test drive?
If you are asking all of these questions over the phone or via email, you will want to ask this important question. It is always recommended that you take a vehicle for a test drive before deciding to buy. Just because a car looks good, it doesn't necessarily mean it runs good or will be comfortable for you to drive. Run in the other direction if a seller keeps making excuses. The car might not run or they might not even have a car to sell (common with online scammers).

Now that you know what you should ask when it comes to buying a used car, are you ready to get started? Online, you will find a number of car buying websites to choose from. Which ones should you search? Instead of having to pick one or the other, how about you try a desktop car finder? Most of these programs come with a free trial and they search hundreds of websites for you at once! Most of these car finders let you respond to sellers via email and ask these questions quickly and with ease.

Before you go and buy your first used car, there are certain questions you should be prepared to ask. Make sure that before you make a purchase, you have all of the information you need to guarantee you do not end up with a lemon or a car you are just not satisfied with. Here are a few things you will want to make sure to find out before purchasing a used car:

Know your price range. To determine the price range for your new vehicle, you must remember to factor in license plates, registration for the vehicle, taxes, and insurance costs. A lot of these costs vary depending on the age and type of vehicle you drive. Another thing to consider is that if you go out and look at cars that are not within your set budget, you will make the cars you can afford pale in comparison. Also, in order to get the car you want, you may sacrifice quality and end up with a car that does not run nearly as well as one that was within your predetermined price range.

Check out at least 10 different cars that fall within your price range before making a decision. Take a friend or family member who is knowledgeable about cars to look at them and test drive each car. They will notice things that might otherwise be missed by you or a car buying novice.

Test Drive Your Top Three One More Time. Make sure you ask any and all questions you may have about the vehicle, no matter how ridiculous they may seem. Asking about how many previous owners there were, if it has been in any accidents and what the damage was, have any major parts been replaced or rebuilt, has anyone smoked in the car, or anything else you want to know is a fair question.

Do Your Research. Simply knowing the value of the car you are interested in is not enough. Still check out the Blue Book value, but also find out common maintenance problems with cars that are that make, model, and year. Check out the CarFax report on the particular car you are thinking of buying to make sure it was properly maintained and not in any serious accidents. Make sure that if you are looking at and one has been in an accident, they replaced broken parts with genuine Mitsubishi parts.

Pick Your Car And Prepare To Negotiate. Most cars are priced to negotiate. There is usually about 10-15% reduction in price available, so you need to haggle for it. Again, bring someone with you who is familiar with the car buying process and will help you bargain for a better price.

Consider Conditioning The Car On An Inspection. If the car is more than a couple thousand dollars, or really, even if it is less, you may want to make the sale contingent upon a clean inspection. You will need to factor this inspection into the budget and it can run you up to nearly a thousand dollars. However, the headache and frustration it may save you in the long run makes it worth it.

Close The Deal and Drive Off In Your New Car. Try to pay for your car in a cashier's check instead of cash. It is the same thing, but it leaves a paper trail. Make sure you have agreed upon everything and have a bill of sale in writing. You do not simply want a word of mouth agreement because you then have no proof of the sale or any changes they agreed to make after the sale.

If you follow these guidelines and trust yourself to make the best decision, you should end up with a great car that will serve you well.