1. Let Consumer Reports be your guide
You could be tempted to dive right into the classifieds at Craigslist , Vehix, Car Max or Yahoo Autos.
Or to make a beeline to the nearest Auto Dealer and ogle at the used cars on their lot.
Resist the urge.
Consumer Reports is where you should begin.
If you are not familiar with Consumer Reports, get ye to their website immediately. And start asking around about them.
Don't be surprised if your comrades go "What!!! You don't know about Consumer Reports!!!!! - in which parallel universe have you been existing?"
Consumers value Consumer Reports - because their reliability ratings for cars are based on impartial & objective tests and surveys.
Comparatively speaking, Consumer Reports is to cars what The FDA is to Food & Drugs.
Or what The GoodHouseKeeping Seal is to Cosmetics & Cleaners.
Or what UL is to the Safety of Electrical Products.
Need I say more?
You can either buy the eagerly awaited Car Issue of Consumer Reports which comes out in April every year. It will cost you between $12 and $15.
Or you can subscribe to Consumer Reports for $29 on their website, and get 12 issues, covering consumer ratings for all sorts of products from cameras to gps' to cellphones. Why not get the prized April Car Issue plus 11 other information packed issues if you can?
Can't wait for April, 2011? No problem. Get a hold of the 2010 Consumer Reports Car Issue in that case. Check your local library. Ask a friend.
And you can also check other sources of information online.
I like to check at least 3 sources of information for high-ticket purchases. So when I bought my car last year, I checked both Edmunds.com and Kelly Blue Book, besides Consumer Reports.
2. Try Before You Buy
Once you have a shortlist of your preferred makes and models based on Consumer Reports, what then?
Check Craigslist ,Yahoo Autos, Vehix &Car Max?
Sure you can do that. It will give you an idea of what's out there. And how much it's going to cost you.
But a more novel idea would be to try before you buy.
Am I suggesting you take the car for a test-ride? Sure, any seller will let you do that.
No, it's something more novel and revolutionary than that.
Like test-driving the car for a whole 1-3 days.
You're going "what!!!!!! How's that even possible?"
But it is. Hertz has come out with a novel program called Hertz Rent to Buy which lets you do just that. You can check it out here.
How it works is you rent any of their for-sale cars for 1-3 days. If you like the car, you can buy it for the price you saw online when you booked it. The rental charges are waived.
If you don't like the car, you just pay the rental charges and walk away.
Pretty cool deal!
You will find every and any car available - from a $8,700 used Kia Spectra to a $18,000 used Toyota Prius to a $30,000 used Mercedes Benz, all young in years and with low miles.
The Hertz Rent to Buy Program is one of the best things to happen to car-buying in recent years to my mind and I highly recommend it. I bought my current car - a 2008 Hyundai Elantra through Hertz Rent to Buy.
I realize that many folks are terrified of ex-rentals. You shouldn't be. Car-rental companies maintain their cars much better than the average car owner.
3. Get a Vehicle History Report On Any Car You Are Interested In
Buying a Used Car used to be a minefield. What if the car was in an accident? Or suffered flood damage? Or had its odometer rolled back to make it look like it was less used than it actually was? How would you even know? The third secret to buying a used car with total confidence is using Car Fax or Auto Check -- to get a vehicle history report on the car you are going to buy.
Car Fax and Auto Check have vehicle history reports for every single car that is available for sale in America.
Plan to buy a used car from a dealer or a private party? Often, you can request these reports from the dealer or private party for free
If not, you can always sign up to get unlimited reports on any number of cars for a period of 3 months from either Car Fax or Auto Check. Sign up with them directly.
I signed up with Auto Check, because at the time, they had the better deal on unlimited reports, but you can use Car Fax or Auto Check with equal confidence.
I paid $44 for a 5 month unlimited report from Auto Check and I must have checked atleast 75 cars over a 2 and a half month period.
Gone are the days when you had to cross your fingers, say your prayers and hope for the best.
With the availability of Car Fax and Auto Check, you can't go wrong.
4. Get the car checked by a reputed mechanic before you buy
One final step to buying a used car with confidence - making sure a reputed mechanic or auto shop checks it out.
How?
Look no further than AAA.
They have a Vehicle Inspection Services program for Used Cars which is just what you need.
For $99 (member price), they will do an 86-point inspection on your car.
I got my Hyundai Elantra inspected by AAA's Vehicle Inspection Services during the 3 day rental period. It was so worth it.
The car came out with flying colors.
Well, almost. The inspection uncovered a few things: The rear window brake light was out. The rear tires had only 40% tread remaining. And the transmission fluid was dirty.
Armed with the AAA report, I went to Hertz and got them to fix the brake light, replace the back tires with new tires, and do a transmission fluid service before I bought the car. Yeh!
To sum up....
Research car makes and models (with Consumer Reports). Try before you buy (with Hertz Rent to Buy). Check your car's history (with Auto Check or Car Fax). And get your car inspected by a mechanic (with AAA Vehicle Inspection Services) - those are the secrets to buying a Used Car With Confidence.
Oops did I miss a secret? The Fifth Secret is You. You are the key to every decision you make. You decide whether to approach every decision blindly, or with knowledge, with discipline or haphazardly, with the short term or the long term in mind. Keep that powerful thought in mind as you go through 2011 making decisions about your car, your job, your investments, your health, your relationships, your family, your community and country, or your beliefs.
Happy Car Shopping! And please, please stay safe on the road in 2011.
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