3 Must-Do's Before Buying A Used Vehicle

Automotive Blog

With a price gap of about $20,000 between used and new vehicles, it makes sense to consider purchasing used when possible. In addition to being considerably less expensive than their new counterparts, used vehicles don't start depreciating the moment they're driven off the lot. It's a good idea to do a little legwork before buying a potential used car to ensure that it will provide the performance and reliability you expect for many years to come – here are three things you should do before buying a used vehicle:

Request a Car History Report

Requesting a car history report is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that the vehicle you buy doesn't have any problems that will cost you time or money in the future. You can request a free vehicle identification report from the dealer you're working with or on the Internet to learn about:

• Past ownership information.

• Previous accident reports.

• Vehicle maintenance records.

• Lien and salvage information.

A free VIN report will also let you know whether there has been any flood damage, if the title history has any blemishes, and if the odometer settings are determined to be faulty.

Make Use of a Trusted Mechanic

It is also essential to have a potential used vehicle inspected by a trusted mechanic before committing to purchasing it. If possible, make use of a mechanic that you already have a history with. You should feel confident that the mechanic will provide you with all of the good and bad news once the inspection is over, even if it means that you will end up not buying the car.

The dealership may offer a free inspection by their employed technicians, but using your own mechanic will give you the peace of mind in knowing that you're getting an unbiased report. You may be able to have our mechanic travel to the dealership to complete the inspection, but most dealers are happy to allow you to take the car to your mechanic to be checked out before making a purchase.

Look into Available Extended Warranties

Another effective way to protect your used car purchase is to look into available extended warranties that are offered by the dealer. Most extended warranties cover vehicles past the original manufacturer's warranty and will help pay for serious drive train, engine, and transmission repairs, so you don't have to foot the entire bill out of pocket. While you may never have to use the warranty, it will give you some peace of mind throughout the first few years of owning the vehicle.

These tips and tricks should help ensure that the used vehicle you take home satisfies all of your personal needs and preferences as time goes on. To learn more, visist a website like http://www.instavin.com.

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30 May 2016