Pre-Owned Cars

Car rental companies generally maintain fleets of late-model vehicles for rent and sell their rental cars after one or two years of use, usually either by auction, through a dealer, or directly from the rental company. Reputable car rental companies generally conduct regular maintenance on their vehicles and keep them clean and in good mechanical condition.

Many companies sell cars out of their rental fleet. There are advantages and disadvantages of buying a rental car.

When you're shopping around for a pre-owned vehicle, pay close attention to the condition of the exterior. You should always inspect the car in daylight and preferably not in the rain.

Inspecting the exterior of a pre-owned car is an important part of the purchasing process. It may be a wise to conduct a complete visual inspection of the car's exterior to look for various flaws.

If you're buying a pre-owned vehicle it's a sensible precaution to request an independent vehicle inspection before you decide to purchase. This should be done at a mutually agreed workshop, preferably at the seller's expense.

You shouldn't buy a used vehicle without first having it inspected. One option is taking the car to a diagnostic center that will check virtually every aspect and component of a car.

If you're thinking about buying a pre-owned car, there are some common-sense rules that will help you choose a good one. Always inspect the vehicle in daylight and preferably when it isn't raining.

When purchasing a pre-owned car, it may be helpful to examine the car using an inspection checklist. Checklists may be found in magazines and books and on Internet sites that deal with used cars.

All vehicles need regular maintenance service, generally on a schedule based on the mileage of the vehicle. Most new vehicles are provided with an owner's manual in which scheduled services can be recorded by the workshop.

When you're buying a pre-owned car, you should ask the seller for as much of the vehicle's previous history as possible. If the car has previously been damaged in an accident, this should be explained to you and any repair work done to the car shown to you, preferably with workshop receipts.

As a prospective buyer of a pre-owned vehicle, you'll want to protect yourself by giving the car a thorough inspection for any possible faults or damage. This inspection should be done properly by an independent mechanic.

When purchasing a pre-owned vehicle, it in your best interest to make sure that it has not been affected by rust and corrosion. A vehicle's construction requires numerous joints, bends, folds, seams, and thousands of associated spot welds.

When you're buying a pre-owned vehicle, it's a good idea to check for a state inspection not older than 30 days. State inspections cover the most fundamental safety features of the vehicle, including brakes, steering, lights, seatbelts and emissions.

Driving a vehicle with advanced safety features and a high rating for crash protection may not only save your life and reduce injuries in the event of a crash, it may also save you money. In some states, certain safety features on a vehicle, such as air bags and anti-lock brakes, reduce the cost of insurance.

A sales agreement is a contract between the purchaser and the seller of the vehicle, which includes all the conditions of purchase. Your first concern is that the seller be entitled to sell the vehicle.

A sales agreement for a pre-owned car is a purchase contract signed by both the previous owner and the new buyer. This contract may include the year, make, and model of the car.

There are four major sources of pre-owned vehicles: dealers, private individuals, auctions, and car rental companies.

Before shopping for a pre-owned car, you may want to evaluate your financial situation and let your budget help you decide which car to buy. Studying your budget can assist you in determining how much money you can afford to spend each month for a car payment.

If you bought your pre-owned car from a dealer, you may have a limited-time warranty or other agreement whereby you can return the vehicle for repair or repurchase within a certain period of time if problems develop. If you didn't already take the precaution of having the vehicle checked by an independent mechanic, now's the time to do so.

During your first week home after purchasing a pre-owned car, you may wish to start a program of care and maintenance for both the interior and exterior of the car. By starting this program, you may help protect your new investment.

When you're buying a pre-owned vehicle, there are certain important trouble spots that you should check carefully before making a decision to purchase. Your first concern should be whether the seller is fully entitled to sell the vehicle.

You don't have to be an expert mechanic to investigate known trouble spots and to recognize some of the problems in a pre-owned car. Investigating these trouble spots may just be a matter of looking in the correct places.

When you look under the hood of a pre-owned vehicle, your first impression will probably tell you a great deal about the way the vehicle was looked after. Check for any loose wires, broken lines, or obvious leaks.

It may be important for you to have a pre-owned car checked out under the hood by a competent mechanic before you decide to purchase the vehicle. With a pre-owned car, problems may exist which affect the car's value and reliability.

Most new vehicles carry a manufacturer's warranty generally known as a 'bumper to bumper warranty.' This warranty may cover a period of several years, or a certain number of miles.

A warranty for a pre-owned car is a form of insurance policy, a contract between a buyer and a seller or between a buyer and a third party. If you're the buyer of a pre-owned car and your car breaks down or suffers a mechanical failure of certain parts, the warranty may cover replacement parts and labor.