any advice on buying a used car?

[new_driver]

hello
i'm looking to buy my first car. i'm thinking about buying a used one from a private seller out of the paper. i know it's risky, especially when i'm not an expert on cars. here's a list of things i've got from other people so for that tell me what to look for. what do you think?

1.whats the year make and model?
2.whats the blue book price?
3.how many miles?
4.are any of the tires balding?
5.do they have proof of passing a smog?
6.get the vin # to see how much it will cost with the dmv to register.
7.test drive it on the freeway
8.does the a/c and heat work?
9.are the tags expired?
10.are there any leaks? move the car a little then look on the ground where the car was before you test drive.
11.after a test drive turn off then turn back on to see if it starts right up again the same way it did at first.
12.do they have the bill of sale and the title?
13.check all keys. trunk, doors, glove box, gas
14.do they have a diagnostic report?
15.check all the lights. headlight, high beam, turning signals, emergancy, reverse, glove box light, ceiling light, any lights in car
16.when starting car and driving, any smoke from the exaust?
17.is the engine very dirty and oily or too clean like it had just been washed?
18.check all windows whether they roll up or are powered?
19.check history of car on the internet
20.are the brakes grinding
21.is the brake light on or any service soon light on?
22.does it turn over easy, without having to gas it?
23.is the car leveled when on level ground?
24.check the oil stick to see if oil is full.
25.see if full of brake fluid and no dirt inside
26.check transmission fluid. it should be reddish color
27.see what type transmission fluid, brake fluid, gas, anti freeze, oil, window cleaning. they have been using.
28.do the doors open from the inside and out? do they lock from the inside and out?
29.check the door jam, trunk door jam for old paint color. to see if was painted for body work done.
30.does the radio cd/tape player work? do all the speakers work?

thanks

[gigglesnirt]

one of the main things i've learned is you can learn so much from the person your buying from, this is why never go to a used car dealership, all i've had is crap from them, but you could get lucky, if you ever do resort to a used car dealership that will not give you a warranty or something, i would get the car checked out by a dealer, like if your buying a toyota, go to a toyota dealer, ask them to do a routine check on everything, it should cost about $100, but it is well worth it, its saved me from buying a couple cars that i would've been screwed on and would have to put a lot more money than $100 to fix the problems. like i said before, the person's personality is very good to work off of, usually you will be able to tell a lot from their personality, and how they treat there car, plus you can ask the actual owner questions about the car rather than a used dealership that wont know much about it.

[NUCLEUS.ONE]

Only Buy A Certified Pre-owned/used Car. First, You Won't Take The Depreciation Hit. Second, The Car Has Been Reconditioned By A Dealership. Third, They May Offer A Warranty For Free, Or At A Cost. Either Way, You'll Have Some Coverage. I Would Only Buy From A Private Seller If I Knew The Person Or If The Price Was So Low To Offset Any Repairs. Try Kellybluebook.com Or Edmunds.com To Check For Used Prices.
The Above Check List Is Pretty Good. What Are You Looking To Spend?

[fredjacksonsan]

That's a good list of questions. Don't forget you may want to get a CARFAX report, which will usually indicate if the vehicle was in a wreck, flood damaged, etc.

I check online (and on AF) to see what the maintenance reliability is on each vehicle.

[new_driver]

thanks for all the advice so far.
here some more tips i've got. maybe someone has some opinions on them?

does the car have any leans on it?
does the car have the federal odometer forms?
is it an out of state car?
check the frame of the body, is the hood, trunk, door in line and not crooked? from maybe have been in a accident.
wear and tear on the steering and shift knob match odometer reading?
does the title say reconstructed, rebuilt, remanufactured on it?

[gigglesnirt]

another thing, it may be kinda cheap, but if you see a small problem about the car tell them about it nd say it'll probably take a couple bucks to fix that, and you may be able to get the price down if thats what you wanna do.

[curtis73]

Originally Posted by NUCLEUS.ONE

Only Buy A Certified Pre-owned/used Car. First, You Won't Take The Depreciation Hit. Second, The Car Has Been Reconditioned By A Dealership. Third, They May Offer A Warranty For Free, Or At A Cost. Either Way, You'll Have Some Coverage. I Would Only Buy From A Private Seller If I Knew The Person Or If The Price Was So Low To Offset Any Repairs. Try Kellybluebook.com Or Edmunds.com To Check For Used Prices.
The Above Check List Is Pretty Good. What Are You Looking To Spend?

I don't mean to directly disagree, but this is not entirely true. This is what the dealer wants you to think, but in actuality, all used cars go through a quickie safety check and the ones that are below X miles, have a good look and smell, and don't pose statistically based reliability concerns get a big yellow sticker that say "certified pre-owned." It is a sales technique that is meant to get more money out of your wallet.

I've seen cars that I personally bought for the dealer from the AUCTION with rental car decals on them go straight from the trailer to the lot without anything more than an oil change and they get a "certified" sticker just because they had fewer than 13,000 miles. Do you really want a used Lumina from a rental car company?

They can put an aftermarket warranty on them which is NOT a warranty AT ALL. Its an insurance policy against repair costs. Just like any insurance, they're not in business out of the goodness of their hearts, they are in business because they estimate your purchase price to be higher than the cost of repairs. Then, they legally don't have to cover repairs. If you read the fine print (as it is with any contract law) it is up to you, the consumer, to enforce the policy. It doesn't matter who paid for the "warranty" on a certified used car, their game is to deny paying for repairs in hopes that you'll not hire a lawyer and sue them. Its a great game and it was one of our most profitable ventures at the dealership.

I only say this as counterpoint, but the best way to do it is to educate yourself and make a wise purchase. Then it doesn't matter where you get it. In fact, I would sooner buy from a private seller than a used car lot, especially after what I saw in my years of sales. Consumer Reports is a pretty good resource, but they are only as good as their readers report, and we all know that one sour customer can breed thousands. For about 10 years now, VW has been on Consumer Reports 10 worst list, but we all know they aren't as bad as the numbers suggest, so take what they say with a grain of salt. For the most part, you can't go wrong with a used car from their recommended list, but you can always find lemons. Stick with a lower mileage car and you'll have much better luck. Don't fall for "it was highway mileage" or "it was driven by a grandma." That might have a small effect on the condition of the engine, but wiring, rubber bushings, and millions of other car parts don't care where the car was driven or by whom.

If you are just looking for cheap reliable transportation, choose the less desirable body configuration or color. If you're looking at a 1990 Honda Accord, you can probably save several hundred dollars by choosing the gray station wagon instead of the red coupe.