Used Car Buying Guide
Reputable Dealership
This is the most important thing to get right, everything else gets much easier if you follow this step first. A good thing to look for is where a dealership gets its inventory. What you want is a dealership where the used inventory mostly comes from trade-ins. These tend to be newer and in better condition. A lot of dealerships will get inventory from online auctions, which is where the dregs of the used market end up after being rejected by more reputable dealerships. These kinds of dealers are best to avoid.
Used Car Inspection
A lot is made of the inspections given to Certified Pre-Owned cars, but really, any good dealership will inspect all of the used vehicles they’re selling. These inspections break down in the following ways:
- Visual – A lot of vehicle issues are obvious enough that you can see them at a glance. The condition of the bodywork, tires, and exterior lighting are all very easy to ascertain.
- Mechanical – This is a bit more in-depth, and it involves scanning the onboard diagnostic system for fault codes, as well as putting the vehicle on a lift to get a more complete picture of its condition.
- Road Test – Just to be sure there wasn’t anything that the other inspections missed, the vehicle is taken out on the road to make sure it’s driving properly.
Vehicle History Report
There is no substitute for knowing a vehicle’s full history, and a CARFAX report is the way to do that. This is a standard thing for dealerships to have on hand, so this is easy to accomplish at any reputable dealership. Things like odometer readings, service/repair history, and accident history should be checked first, but there are also some less obvious things to look out for, such as:
- Frequent ownership changes – A vehicle that keeps getting passed from one owner to another quite possibly has a major issue that might not be obvious. Often, this is specifically an emissions issue.
- Emissions testing – A big reason why a lot of people get rid of vehicles is to avoid the cost of repairing an emissions issue. Look for multiple failed tests, or multiple new owners starting at about the time when a test would have been due.
- Vehicle’s Environment – If a vehicle comes from somewhere where flooding or hurricanes are common, or areas with a lot of sand that can build up inside the bodywork, it can create problems that might not be immediately obvious. CARFAX should flag these, but double checking the location is a good idea.
Certified Pre-Owned
Although most used vehicles don’t qualify for it, CPO vehicles have some notable advantages over other used vehicles. Most importantly, warranty coverage and greater financing flexibility. More financing options mean lower monthly payments, and there’s just no substitute for the peace of mind that comes with a good warranty.
What To Physically Look For On A Used Car
No matter how thoroughly a vehicle was inspected at a dealership, the vast majority of people are going to want to take a look for themselves. These components to be checked fall under three different categories, Exterior, Under the Hood, and Interior. They are divided up as follows, and you can use this as your checklist:
Exterior
- Bodywork
- Trunk
- Tires
- Frame
- Exhaust system
Under the Hood
- Hood
- Hoses and belts
- Engine
- Oil
- Transmission dipstick
Interior
- Seating
- Air conditioning
- Odometer
- Lights and electronics
Why Shop With Basil?
Basil is the place to go to find everything you’ve seen in this guide and more. With all of our locations and brands, the selection at Basil is simply unbeatable. And with our convenient brick-and-mortar locations, you can see and test drive your chosen vehicle before you buy, something that isn’t always an option when it comes to the online-only dealers that are the only other places where you can find this kind of selection. Not that we don’t offer online shopping, our full selection is always posters online, to make browsing easier. In fact, you can get started right now!