Buying a used car can be a daunting process. What car do you want? What can I afford to spend? Where do I begin looking? Where can I get the best deal? How do I know I am not buying a lemon? These are all valid questions.
There are a few key sources of information to determine the quality and viability of your used car purchase. Buyers should always obtain an independent report on the vehicles using the VIN (vehicle identification number). Such reports are provided by CarFax, CarProof and Autocheck are major providers. Buyers should also try to get manufacturer’s off-lease inspection report if possible.
Above all, the key to ensuring you do not buy a lemon is to do a thorough inspection of the vehicle. Relying on your feelings and intuition is valid. If you are not confident in doing the inspection yourself then engage a mechanic to do it for you. While this is an additional expense to the buyer is can save much money and heartache later should the car have problems that were unknown to the buyer at the time of purchase.
