Buying used cars allows you to buy good cars for less money. But they also have great risks. How do choose used cars to avoid being cheated?

Buying a used car has many advantages over buying a new one. Price is an obvious advantage. Used cars are much cheaper than new ones, so you don't have to pay them back every month. But how you choose a used car will be very different. Choose the right car and you can save a lot of money instead of buying a new car. If you make the wrong choice, the brand-new car will look like a bargain in hindsight.

In my opinion, there are many strategies for choosing used cars.

Find market value

This should be the first step in the process of buying a used car. You should have at least a general idea of the value of any car you are seriously considering.

Kelly blue book and edmunds.com have online tools that can give you the value of almost any car. First of all, you should know as much about the car as possible. This will include manufacturing, model, year, mileage, options, and overall condition. The more information you provide, the closer you get to the actual value of the car.

This value should be your starting point in any negotiation. It also shows how eager sellers are to sell cars. For example, if the selling price is too high, the seller may not have motivation. But if it's priced accurately - or below market value - you may have made a good deal.

Check the car carefully

The condition of the car is the main indicator of value. A well-maintained car will be near the top of the value spectrum, while a poorly-maintained car may be worth thousands less.

Pay special attention to the following points:

Make sure the car is comfortable. Check the front and rear seats.

Check every inch of the car carefully. Inside, check all seats, floors, doors, and ceilings. Any tears or stains? On the outside, carefully check the paintwork, decoration, and bumper. Are there any significant scratches, dents, or repair marks? Also look at the lights, tires, and silencer. Age or delayed maintenance will be obvious.

Smell the car. Some odors, such as cigarette smoke and mold, are particularly difficult to remove. But the smell of fuel or gasoline combustion is much more serious because it may indicate deep problems in the engine. The car will be tested after driving for a while.

Check the engine. A dirty engine may be a sign of poor maintenance. Check the engine for oil. This could mean a leak - or worse. Water pipes and belts are cracked or look tired, and repair is expensive, which is another sign of poor maintenance.

Do a serious test drive

It's not just driving to see if you like it. When you drive, you need to make a serious assessment, especially all the "little things". They can include:

Thoroughly check the facilities on the train. Are they what you want? Power seats, steering wheel, and windows? Are they working properly?

Look at the sound system. Does it meet your expectations? Or will you always worry that it's not good enough?

Test heating and air conditioning. It doesn't seem important to test the temperature on a sunny day in June, but in January, you will appreciate it.

Carefully check whether any warning lights are on or flashing. Don't think they mean anything. Follow up any necessary repairs with the owner or dealer.

How does the car drive? Test under high pressure, such as stop and forward, high speed, low speed, sudden acceleration/deceleration, hard turn, and sudden stop. Make sure you drive at least 55 miles an hour. Some things, such as curved rims, will not be noticed at lower speeds. Once you reach 55 or 60, something is obviously wrong.

Listen carefully to the engine. A soft buzz is a good sound; Sputtering or knocking can indicate serious problems.

Check the brake repeatedly. Listen for squeaks, abrasions, or metal-to-metal sounds.

Pay special attention to how the car moves. Is it finished smoothly or hesitant? This may mean that there is a problem with the transmission.

Look at the exhaust. Smoke may be a symptom of a problem, and blue or white smoke may be a symptom of a big problem.

Let the mechanic check it

Think of it as a house inspection of the house you're going to buy. You should have the mechanic check the car thoroughly.

This is sometimes called a pre-purchase inspection, and it can cost $100 or more. But if it allows you to avoid buying a car with serious problems, it's worth the money.

Whatever you do, don't rely on the seller's statement or his or her mechanic's advice.

Check the maintenance records of this car

You can order through Carfax, but you need to provide both the license plate number and vehicle identification code.

A well-spaced repair mode can indicate that the vehicle is well maintained.

However, frequent maintenance, especially the same fault, maybe a sign of a serious problem. This may even be why the seller wants to sell the car.

Consider the relationship between the age and mileage of a car

Which is more important, the service life or mileage of the vehicle? This is actually a controversial topic. There is no scientific answer to which is more important.

As for the age of cars, the value of cars will depreciate by an average of 60% in the first five years. After that, they depreciated much more slowly.

Mileage depreciation is actually a relative concept. The age and mileage of the vehicle are closely related. Age is certainly a factor - a measurable factor - but mileage actually depends more on the age of the car.

Generally speaking, an ordinary car travels between 10000 and 15000 miles a year. You may want to use 12000 miles as a routine. Using this guide will tell you how important mileage is in the value of a car.

For example, if a car has 60000 miles in five years, its value can be calculated according to its service life. This is because the mileage is consistent with the expectations of a car five years ago.

But if a car has been used for five years and it has 80000 miles, it will be considered excessive mileage. This will result in a lower value. Use the online tools of Kelly blue book and edmunds.com (listed above) to determine how much extra mileage will affect the value of the car you want to buy. For different types of cars, the effect is different.

On the other hand, if a car has been used for five years and only 40000 miles, its value will be higher. Similarly, how much impact this will have will depend on the information revealed by the online evaluation tool.

Be ready to leave

Whenever you are buying a car or negotiating any form of a business deal, the best strategy is to be ready to leave.

If you do your homework, you will know how much the car is worth. If you've checked the car, tried it, and let the mechanic check it, you'll know what's going on. Make the best deal based on these facts.

If the seller is tough and obviously asks too much, your best response is to walk away. It's a dangerous move, but it's the best way to avoid paying too much.

There are various reasons why the seller insists on a higher price. Maybe he just sold the car. But it may also be that he needs a certain amount of money to buy his next car. Another possibility is that he has no idea how much his car is worth.

These problems are the seller's problems, not yours. You don't have time to sit and wait for him to figure it out. You'd better turn to the next potential buyer.

Summary

Buying a used car and buying a new car have different challenges. No one wants to spend too much money on a car or buy a car that will eventually become defective.

With these strategies in mind, you should be able to buy a good used car at a very reasonable price.