BUYING USED CARSa primer to not get screwed

#ONE: Know what you want :D

WEB RESOURCES

• Americans:

• cargurus.com

• kelley blue book www.kbb.com

• Canadians:

• autotrader.ca

• canadianblackbook.com

RELIABILITY• JD Power Vehicle Dependability Rating

• jdpower.com

IGNORE CAR SALESMAN

INSPECT• Exterior for scratches on metal

surfaces (not front or rear bumper)

• Area under engine for oil leaks

• Front and Rear spring sag

• Rusted parts

• Interior fabric tears

• Tire Tread

• Wheel Size

GO FOR TEST-DRIVEStep Action Reason

1Inspect underneath

vehicle before turning on

Looks for leaking liquids while parked

2 Turn car on and do walk around

Look for funny noises, exhaust leaks, make note of engine sound on cold start

3Don’t wait too long and start

driving

Start driving before the car is warmed up, make note of the performance of the car,

see if engine knocks

4 Don’t be afraid to be aggressive

The engine shouldn’t break of behave oddly unless the car is very old >10years, 100k miles.

Find out if it will break during the test drive!

TEST DRIVE PART IIStep Action Reason

5Drive calmly and look for steering wheel wobble

If steering wheel wobbles, either wheels need to be re-aligned, balanced or you

6 Play with all electronics

Use every feature your paying for, know every one thats broken

7 Park above a clean patch of asphalt

Inspect for leaks on the road with the car still on

8 Use locks, trunk etc Make sure body functions work

HAGGLE

• Check out online blue book or black book prices

• Start with what price you think is right and ignore the sticker

• Prepare to actually walk away, there will be another candidate. Unless you live in a small town, then GG.

KEY MINDERS• The latest is NOT the greatest (turbos, engines,

4wd, electronic anything). But the 2nd gen is.

• Cleaning: White(very easy), Black(very hard)

• Wheel and tire size.

tirerack.com

TIRE SIZES

$96.22 $200.50 $545.82205/55R16 225/50R17 245/40R21

(width mm)/(aspect ratio)R(inner diameter “)

ACCOUNTING• Insurance in your state

• Vehicle registration in your state

• Import taxes

• California emissions standards for new vehicles (<7500miles)