Today’s question is from Kourtney:
Do your readers have any suggestions on how to privately purchase a reliable used car on Craigslist or from a private seller. I’d love to know what common issues to check for, how to get a deal, and any other advice your readers might have for me.
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Mrs. R. says
Our oh-so-trustworthy mechanic has found us two wonderful, used, very affordable cars—simply because we told him we were looking.
Allison V. says
I got $4500 at tax time this year, and I’ve been dying for a minivan for years because I have three small kids all in full-blown car seats. I started looking on CL in the $4000 range. I test drove a few that were probably *worth* the price, but they felt rickety. I drove one that was super nice, but bare-bones and didn’t have rear a/c which I’d been told was important around here! (We had a record-breaking heat wave this summer!). All had about 150k miles which doesn’t scare me in the slightest. So I kept looking…and one came up, a 2003 Ford Windstar, 100k, very nice but some bells & whistles weren’t working, so the guy dropped it down from KBB price to asking $4200. I called and first question was if he’d even consider taking less because I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. He said he’d take $4000 so I went and looked at it. I could tell they were the type of folks who thought they needed to replace a vehicle when it hit 100K (c’mon, that’s just a baby!) They’d taken very good care of it. He was very forthcoming about everything that didn’t work and what had been done on it. He let me take it home overnight and I showed it to my mechanic. Mechanic said it needed some brake work so to offer less….they ended up taking $3900, and they gasped when I handed them 39 $100 bills! I smile every time I drive my van! It’s so much nicer than everything else that was in my price range. I was patient and waited on God and he blessed me immeasurably more than all I had asked or imagined!
Jen says
Ooops, I posted my answer by mistake under the section for people who want to ASK questions…sorry. can you repost it here?
WilliamB says
I read most of the comments and will endeavor to limit myself to what hasn’t already been said.
1. Ask the seller what is not working perfectly in the car, and what damage it has suffered. In most jurisdictions in the US the seller is obliged to tell you honestly. (In some he’s obliged to tell you even if you don’t ask, but that’s too trusting for me.) Take notes and put the date on the page, which may help you if you need to take action against the seller.
2. Look for evidence of a paint job, such as how the paint lies along edges and windows. If there’s a been a paint job, ask why. There’s a lot of info online about exactly what to look for, or ask a mechanic.
3. Look for evidence of water damage or submersion. If you can at all avoid it, don’t buy a vehicle from an area that’s suffered a water disaster – such as Vermont right now; the bigger the disaster, the longer you should wait to buy from there. This was a HUGE problem in the few years after Katrina – unscrupulous sellers and intermediaries trying to hide water damage. Again, look online or ask a mechanic exactly what to look for, I’m afraid I’ve forgotten the list.
4. Make sure the odometer hasn’t been turned back. Again, online or a mechanic for details.
5. Take a test drive. It’s unlikely the seller will let you do it alone but try out different terrains and go for an hour if you can.
6. Test out every knob, button and system you can. Have a mechanic make sure all warning signs and bulbs are in working order.
7. Ask for copies of maintenance and repair records. Someone who keeps good records – even to the extent of shoving all of them into an envelope – is a good candidate for taking good care of the vehicle.
8. Ask the seller about usage and driving patterns. A few long trips is easier on the vehicle than lots of stop-and-go commuting.
9. If you think something is off-kilter, take that seriously – try to figure out why and determine if the reason is a problem. It could be as simple as a cultural barrier, or it could be as serious as the seller hiding something. Under these circumstances it might be worth googling the seller to see what you learn.
Rachelsuesmom says
Do you know a “car guy”? Howbout someone who owns a “street rod”? I’m in a street rod club with my husband (we’re around 40 and most of the couples in the club are our parent’s age) and I’ve heard some lively discussions on just this subject. Most car guys know the bad years that a certain make or model had… or that in a given year the transmissions were always weak. The more you can learn about the car you have your eye on, the more you’ll know what to look for to identify one that has problems coming. These guys love having their opinions sought… so let them talk and take notes. Why not learn from their experience?
Robyn says
We just bought a “new” car this summer. We decided in January or February that we wanted to make the move to a minivan by October, so I had lots of time to start watching Craigslist and CarMax to see what cars were out there and what they were selling for. I watched for a few months, and it really helped me get a feel for what I could expect to pay and what would be a good deal. We went to CarMax and had them open up all of the different minivans they had, and we climbed in and sat down, checked out different features, etc. That helped us decided which model we wanted. We also decided on a maximum mileage we’d consider ok. I expected to buy on Craigslist because of the ability to negotiate, but in June I was browsing local dealerships’ websites and ran across the car we wanted, in the age and mileage range we wanted, and within our budget by $2. This was huge, because when we figured out what we wanted we realized we’d need about $2,500 more than we had budgeted. I figured there would be some combination of pulling from cash reserves and finding a really good deal. This one was $1,500 less than the best deal I’d seen to date, which was really saying something since I’d been watching for months. We went out that day to look, put down a deposit, had our mechanic check it out, and wound up buying it. We got the dealership to do some of the work our mechanic recommended (brake job and transmission flush) as well as make us an extra key and remote, so we saved another few hundred dollars that way.
So, don’t completely discount dealerships. I’d envisioned private party, but the price we got at the dealership was terrific and they also did the transfer of title and all that other stuff that would have been a bit of a headache. If you have the time to watch the market for a while, it’ll give you a much better idea of what’s a great deal and what’s just a good deal.
Liesa says
The most important part of buying a used car is to first do your homework. Decide what you need in a car and then use consumer reports and/or other auto testing service to find out which of those types of cars have the best maintenance record. Once you do this, you should have a list of a couple of cars to focus on. Then go to autotrader.com, your local newspaper, craigslist, etc. to find these cars. Avoid buying from a car dealership if you can. You’ll get a better price dealing with an individual and I’ve witnessed car dealerships tinkering with cars so they won’t sell or they misrepresent mileage. Research the blue book price so you know what to pay for the car (the wholesale value is what the dealer will pay you for the car to take it off your hands, so you need to offer above this number, but preferably below the retail blue book value). Once you find one you think is a good prospect, have your mechanic look it over to make sure the frame is not bent or other significant problems. If it’s still looking good, make an offer that is lower than what you’re willing to pay. Perhaps you’ll get lucky and they’ll take it. Otherwise, you can negotiate a higher price. But stand firm with what you are willing to spend. If they won’t sell it for what you’re able/willing to pay, walk away and look for another one. there are lots of good cars out there.
Emily H says
Bought used from both private sale and dealership. Do research before purchasing anything. Dealership purchase was also from online research. They had what we wanted at a fair price. Carfax is only as good as the mechanics provide them the information. Not all mechanics belong to Carfax. I have had best luck on private sales when purchasing from older couples. They tend to maintain the vehicle per owners manual. If not mechaniclly inclined take to a mechanic you already know. Once did not have a mechanic and decided to take to the dealership to check it out. All they found was problems and then directed us to the same car on their lot for sale. We did not purchase either. Also check both the heating and A/C. Bought a vehicle in January and turned on the A/C. It blew cold air. When summer came around it was not cold. Spend a few $ on getting it fixed prior to a vacation in Florida.
jules says
A good value goes fast with cash on craigslist. Be ready and check often! Do not be difficult to work with or the buyer can easily sell to someone else. Instead of taking it to a mechanic have a trusted friend who knows cars come with you to check it out. That is how it works normally on craigslist.
Trish Conard says
We have purchased our three of our last four cars off of eBay and have good success, but that is because my husband does good research on the cars ahead of time.
One piece of advice that I don’t think I saw above is to look at user reviews on the cars you are interested in (I believe you can find consumer reviews on sites like Edmunds). Look for problem trends in those reviews. If you see that a specific model and brand of car often needs transmission work at a lower than average mileage point, avoid that car.
We have crossed many cars we liked off of the list using this method and have good luck going with vehicles for which people give overall good reviews.
Amber says
Do your homework! Edmunds.com is a reliable site where you can read consumer reviews. It really pays to do your homework before you buy!
Lana says
When my parents trade cars they call around to all the kids and ask if we want to purchase their old vehicle for what the dealer was going to give them in trade. My husband and I always get asked last because we have the highest income but my parents just traded vehicles and my brother and sister did not want the old one so we bought it and got a fantastic deal. We have been wanting to downsize from our Suburban because our kids have all grown up and it was silly for us to drive that huge vehicle with no passengers. This allowed us to downsize to a minivan that was well cared for and we knew it’s history. So let family members know that you would be interested in their vehicles if they are going to trade them in at the dealer. Now we just hope we can sell that gas hog 🙂
Melissa says
So I only glazed over the other comments, so I will probably end up repeating some of the stuff already said.
My husband has been a mechanic for 10+ years and we have bought all our cars off of CL. (5 + one off eBay, we do not recommend eBay)
My recommendation is ask around your group of friends to see if anyone is a mechanic that would come with or you could bring it to. We have friends and family ask pretty often, but my husband would prefer they ask and get a nice car than for them not to and get a clunker.
His guidelines are for cars are:
1. Go for a brand you trust. We prefer older Toyotas and Hondas or newer American cars.
2. If the inside of the car matters. It tells a lot about how much the REALLY took care of the car. This is where buying from an older driver is a good idea. They normally take better care of their property.
3. Ask point blank if there is anything wrong with the car/why the are selling.
4. Bring cash. Negotiate. Do your research. Know what the car is worth.
5. Check for rust. Bodywork is WAY more expensive to fix than mechanical problems. (unless you have a friend who does bodywork)
Hope you find a good car. 🙂
Janet says
General guide for buying a used car:
Pre define the car you want example a Jeep, A Honda Civic, A Ford Focus
Figure out what car is right for your family and your family needs
Review Consumer reports on that vehicle find out all the good and the bad
Get the Car FACTS
Buy one to two years old with about 25,000miles this way you still have some original warranty (my guide if you can’t do this keep riding the bus or a bike until you can)
Drive the car but get ready to have maintenance issues with any vehicle that has 50,000 or more miles on it. So either have a car maintenance fund or get ready to switch and buy another new to you car at this mileage.
Audrey @ Mom Drop Box says
We bought a used car off of Craigslist from a private seller a few years ago, and would do it again. What was most helpful for us was to find out first what kind of car we wanted to buy, what a fair price was, and then only contact sellers who had their vehicles priced within $500-$1000 of the price we wanted to pay. Negotiating with people who’s vehicles were priced over that range proved useless.
I totally agree with the comments above about asking very directly why they are selling the car & if there’s anything wrong with it, as well as what work has been done to the vehicle (and getting the repair records, if you can). Test drive it & get it checked by a mechanic.
Carrie @ Busy Nothings says
Most of this (if not all of it) has been covered in previous comments, but I’ll sum up what we do as we ONLY buy used cars and NOT from a dealer. Craigslist has been good to us in the past (the car my husband is currently driving came from a Craigslist listing), but here are a few suggestions:
1) Make sure you check the asking price against the private party price on Kelly Blue Book (that’s the one most dealerships use – it leans more in their favor) AND Edmunds (which seems to have the most fair selling price estimates). Be honest in how you assess the car – if it’s in mint condition, don’t put down that it’s in fair condition just to get a lower price, and vise versa.
2) If you or your husband/boyfriend are not mechanically inclined, then by all means, find a friend who IS and take them along with you to look at the car. This can be a lifesaver. My husband is Mr. Fix It when it comes to cars, so he has been able to save us from several lemons by looking them over and making a mental list of what would need to be done to it maintenance-wise before it is reliable.
3) It’s really nice when you can buy a one-owner (or at most, two-owner) car. It’s even better when they have all the maintenance records (as the previous owners of both of our cars did) so that you have some idea of what has and has not been done.
4) If you test drive it, a few things that we looked for were the smell of smoke, which was an immediate “no” for us. Also, when you get in the car, see what kind of music is playing – it’s a good clue as to how the car was driven. Granted, I can have some interesting music playing loudly after a long day at work, but I’m still the safety-first driver, so it’s not always a hard and fast rule, but it’s usually a good indicator. Try all the windows and leave the A/C on for a while if it’s a hot day. We were just looking at a car with a friend this summer and we were sitting in the car for a few minutes with the A/C running when it stopped working!
5) Don’t buy a car that you can’t test drive or see in person first. The friend that I just talked about with the A/C issues? He purchased that car on eBay and had it shipped down from PA. He knew it had been in a wreck, but the seller hid the extent of the damage, which our friend didn’t find out about until he got the car here and started working on it. Not fun. 🙁
6) Don’t be afraid to walk away if the price is too high. I would recommend setting a budget first (i.e. we went shopping with cash when we were looking for a car for the hubby – so if the price was over the cash that we had, too bad) and then stick to it. If you’re willing to pay $2000 for a car and they won’t come below $2500 – offer $2000 to them in cash (that usually works) or be willing to walk away. We walked away from several cars before we found the one we have now.
7) And, as with any Craigslist purchase, take someone with you when you and try to meet in a public area. No, nothing to do with buying a car in and of itself, just being safe. 🙂
Best of luck in your car hunt!
Meg says
One more thing…get a good idea what the car is worth so you know if you should try to negotiate the price. My husband will decide how much he wants to pay, and bring the cash. People are much more likely to cut you a deal if they know that they will have the cash that day.
Meg says
We always buy used cars and have saved a ton of money that way. My husband is very mechanically inclined so he always checks them out. If you go online, you can find very comprehensive checklists to go over when looking at a car. I must say that I also think that coming to look at a car armed with an extensive checklist, a flashlight and a few tools is a good way to let the seller know you are serious. It gives you an edge over the seller, I think, because they are put on the defensive which in your case is a good thing. In our experience, it seems that people will ‘volunteer’ info they might not otherwise because they feel that you are going to find it during your inspection. Also, if the engine is clean…be wary. People will clean the engine compartment to hide evidence of oil leaks. Also ask them why they are getting rid of the car. Of course, they probably won’t tell you that its because the trans is about to go, or that it went through a flood or something, but if their answer sounds in the least bit suspicious just pass it by. Better safe than sorry. Despite all your checking, of course, you still take the risk of hidden problems as with any purchase. We once bought a truck which we later found they had painstakingly taken the dashboard apart to cover the check engine light with electrical tape. We are pretty sure that they pulled the airbag to sell (they are very $$$$) and that’s why they were willing to go to great lengths to cover it up. Otherwise, it has been a good vehicle and we still have it. Good luck!
Willa@ArmstrongFamilyFare says
I was hoping someone would write something about car auctions. We’re starting the search for a minivan. My husband started searching online, found out that he could actually attend some auctions and purchase via auction. After looking at the prices we really think this might be the best way to go. It’s a little scary, since it seems so unconventional…but, it looks very valid. So, thankyou for sharing this. It reassures me that we’re going down the right route!
Jen (Balancing Beauty and Bedlam) says
We have purchased our last three vehicles through auto auctions and have been thrilled! Working on a post for it now. We definitely recommend this route with the necessary due diligence, of course.
Liz says
I don’t know how helpful this is, but I took away two things when I bought my new-to-me car:
1. Never love a car so much you can’t walk away from it. I fell in love with my car and was so afraid of not getting it that I didn’t negotiate like I could have. I think the dealer sensed it and took advantage of it. Had I been able to walk away, the negotiation power would have shifted in my favor.
2. It’s SO worth it to buy a 30-day membership to Carfax. It came in so handy when I was weeding out cars I liked. If it didn’t have a clean Carfax, it got crossed off the list.
I hope that helps!
Susan (FrugaLouis) says
I remember getting a 30-day Carfax membership awhile back when we were buying a car, but now I can only see one and five-report deals. Anyone know where I can find the 30-day membership? This post is timely, as we are in the market for a used car right now!
Candy says
I will preface this by saying when I wrote it I didn’t see it was CL/private, but same ideas apply…Nada.com average retail value is what your bank/credit union and insurance company will use for the value, not Kelley book. Take the time to research what you want. Once you know what you want plug the info into cars.com to find as close a match as you can. Don’t be afraid to drive a little further than usual to get what you want. Use carfax once you decide on the vehicle. Ask several mechanics opinion. You might find that a good purchase price comes with a lot of expensive problems! Ask your bankers opinion too. They know who comes in for auto repair loans over and over again. I’m a former loan officer and hubby is a technician (mechanic) with a degree and 16 + years experience. We go car shopping and sales people go running! Oh, and don’t be afraid to play hardball. If you want give yourself (in your own mind) the dollar amount you are willing to vary. I have lots more advice if a person is financing or trading in, but paying cash is the better option.
Marie Riley says
We had a wonderful experience buying a car on craigslist. I agree with other users about narrowing down what you want and knowing EXACTLY what you want to spend. We ended up buying from a nice family whose daughters were headed off to college. They had every single record and didn’t think twice about me taking the van to my mechanic to have it checked out. When I realized we had less money to spend than I thought and needed to sell my husband’s car before we could afford the van, the seller was willing to take the car off craigslist and waited until we had the money we needed (so we wouldn’t have to go get a loan). It was an incredible experience.
Kristin says
Be careful about buying a car off craigslist, eBay or anywhere else without completing the transaction in person. We found a really good deal on a truck on craigslist a while back. When we inquired about it the seller said he was stationed in the military and was out of state. He wanted to go through eBay motors for “our protection and his” and to use western union money transfer on eBay. He even had a link to eBay that looked real and everything. Thankfully, after looking into this more we discovered it was a scam!
Watch out if they ask you to send money western union; use Paypal for protection and make sure it’s to a verified address; Don’t use a link they provide to access a listing on a different site they can look exactly like the actual site- Make sure you bring up that site through your browser and are able to pull up the listing on your own; check the value on Kelly Blue Book to make sure it’s a good deal; ask about a carfax report on the vehicle; as others mentioned, having it inspected is a great idea!)
You can get good deals online if you’re smart about it.
We successfully bought a vehicle we found on eBay, going through paypal for the deposit and then exchanging the bulk of the money in person when my husband flew to pick it up, then drove it home. It was worth it in the end and we were happy with the car. We also just bought a truck today (in person) that we found online. Best of luck!
Tina says
You should always check the Carfax of any car you buy which gives you a history of the car, any tune-ups, owner changes, etc. For about $45, you can get 5 carfax reports. It is worth every penny! Another tip is to not buy the first year of any new model because there will likely be a few problems that the manufacturer will work out in the next year. You can also find really helpful reviews on Autotrader.com.
Kandy says
You may also want to use AutoCheck (autocheck.com). Many times they will have information that is not on CARFAX. But those should just be a tool in your checklist so don’t totally trust them alone. We had a bad experience with a car with a clean CARFAX went to trade it in and they found that it had been in 3 accidents, per AutoCheck, also confirmed by my mechanic father-in-law. The car was worth a fraction what we had paid and needed costly repairs in addition to monthly finance payments.
Sarah says
Sorry to be controversial, but sometimes buying a used car is a worse deal than a new car. Short term you might spend less, but long term you may regret it. It’s definitely not all or nothing, but it’s something you may consider researching.
We’re expecting our second child, and started looking at used cars. Interestingly, older cars with 70,000+ miles were only about $5000 less than a new model of the same car we were looking at. Considering a 75,000 mile check would have cost about $500-$1000, that the used car had already exceeded mileage allowed to continue a manufacturer’s warranty and the fact that gas mileage has improved considerably over the last 5-6 years, we decided that it made more sense in our case to purchase new.
This may not work for everyone, so no haters, I’m just saying do all your research before assuming anything. There is a difference between “Cheap” and “Frugal”.
The Prudent Homemaker says
We bought a new car 7 years ago (when we were expecting our third and realized 3 car seats didn’t fit in my car), and I’m glad we did. It’s had very few problems. We sold both of our cars privately and switched to one vehicle. My mom was working at the dealership where we bought the car, so we got a friends and family discount. We used e-loan to get a lower rate than the dealership could offer us (it was very low!). We haven’t had lots of payments towards repairs, which has been a great blessing.
I’m reading the comments here with great interest, though, because now we’re expecting our 7th, and we will have outgrown our car.
Tammy L says
Brandy, congratulations! (I know, that’s off-topic.) 🙂
sarah says
I somehow just saw this post, but agree with what you found. When I do the math on the price, mileage, and subsequently the number of years I’ll drive the car, I’m finding used and new have approximately the same yearly ownership cost. At least that’s true for the vehicle I’m looking at. They’re not depreciating the vehicle at all – just discounting it for mileage. Strange. So, I’m leaning toward a new one with a warranty – we’ll see!
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
One more thing I think is important to add…if using Craiglist, make sure you insist on meeting at a PUBLIC place to look at any cars . It’s much safer.
Andrea says
Definitely. If possible, meet during the day or in a well-lit area if you have to meet after dark.
Lana says
That is so right! Just this week a local man selling a car on Criagslist met a prospective buyer in a parking lot at 9 PM. He was murdered and his car stolen. The car was later found abandoned 45 miles away and the seller’s body found in the parking lot where they met. So sad! We have a car on Craigslist right now and I will be glad when it is sold and over with because of things like this.
Valerie says
Use the internet. We have bought many used vehicles by using the internet. We picked out the type of car that we would like to have and started researching the best price within 60 miles. We bought a 2001 Santa Fe a couple years ago and saved $2,500 from other used dealers in our area for the same type vehicle. Two years ago we bought a Suburban and saved almost $5,000 by searching the internet. I knew that I wanted leather seats and sunroof so when searching that was the criteria we put in. We drove about 1 hour away to find a 2003 Suburban for around $8,000 when in our own town they were asking around $13,000. We will never buy another car again without researching and searching the internet.
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
Definitely check the CarFax, to make sure the car is not a salvage, or has a lot of damage history. Also, make sure a trusted 3rd party mechanic inspects it BEFORE you purchase it. I have a good friend who recently bought a used car and paid cash, (even checked out the VIN on CarFax), but didn’t have a 3rd party mechanic look at it first. (Only the seller’s mechanic). Drove it out and made it 2 miles before realizing there was a cracked radiator and the brakes didn’t work. Please do your homework. Craigslist can be too good to be true sometimes!
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
It depends how well the damage was repaired. There is a scam going on around here, where people will put the front end of one car on the back end of another car, repaint it, and sell it. I would not feel comfortable putting my children in a vehicle that I’m not 100% confident in, safety wise.
Andrea says
So true about the hail damage!
missa says
Be really careful with salvage cars, the rules for titling them are different, and in some cases it might be more difficult or even impossible to title them. Also insurance is different and could end up costing more, or not being available.
Amber says
We purchased a car on Craigslist about a year ago. We looked around for a while and when we found something we used CarFax to check for any history. One thing my brother taught me is to look for all the VIN numbers on the vehicle. When cars are made, the manufacturer puts a sticker with the car’s VIN # on each panel of the car. These stickers are made to shatter if they are damaged or someone tries to remove them. This means that if a sticker is missing, that panel has been replaced (or some idiot tried to peal it off). If a car is missing a couple stickers then it’s a good bet that it’s been in an accident and had some body work done, and it turns out that not all accidents are reported to Carfax. It helps to check out a car of the same brand you’re looking at to see where all the VIN stickers are on that type of car. Depending on the car, you can find these VIN stickers in the following places (look for red rectangles in the pictures):
3 under the hood: 1 on the panel that lifts up and 1 on each side of the engine block
on the inside of each door
if you have a van they are on the back of the sliding door and the inside front of the non-movable door panel piece
on the inside of the trunk or hatch
on the bumper? (I haven’t found one on either of my cars so I’m not sure about this one).
My brother test drove a few cars that had VIN stickers missing. The CarFax were clean, but they made weird clicking noises and one made a grinding sound on left turns. One of the missing stickers was on the engine block, so they didn’t want to take any chances because it very well could have been repaired without being reported to CarFax.
Good luck on your search!
Andrea says
Great info about the VIN numbers. Thanks!
MaryEllen@TheDealScoop says
Yes, that is great info on the VIN numbers. We always check the reports, but I didn’t know to check for missing stickers. Thanks!
WilliamB says
1. There’s also a VIN sticker in a undeclared place, to help prevent fraud. The place varies depending on make & model. In some jurisdictions the police station will check it for you – so call and ask, I guess. If the police won’t perform this service, ask them if they know who could (a mechanic, maybe?).
2. CarFax gets its info from insurers so yes, plenty of repairs will be go unreported.
Wendy says
My husband just bought a car from Craigslist last week. He got a great deal. Here are some things he did:
-Try to find someone who needs to sell their car fast ie. moving, bought a new car, needs a different type of car due to lifestyle change, etc.
-Buy a car that belongs to “Grandma”. This is how my husband got a great deal. An elderly man was no longer able to drive for medical reasons so he sold the car. It’s in great condition, one owner and has all of the maintanance papers.
-Ask family and friends. Someone might know someone who needs to sell their car so you are have a better chance of getting the truth about the car’s condition.
-Facebook – another way to ask family and friends.
-Expand your search area. My husband bought his car the next State over.
-Always ask “Why” they are selling the car and “What” is wrong with the car. Most people were upfront on what the car needed.
-Always bring someone to look at the car with you. Sometimes they will notice something you don’t. If you don’t know much about cars, bring someone that knows how to check for problems.
Jen says
My husband’s a mechanic, so I bring him along!
But seriously… Pay in cash and make sure you get the title the day you purchase the vehicle. We’ve been on the other side of that (selling on Craigslist) and it was really difficult to deal with Title issues!
Tammy L says
We bought a used vehicle last year and ended up with a great experience.
We did use Craigslist. We also researched all the state laws regarding buying/selling our own vehicle (we sold our car when we bought the new-to-us vehicle).
Our BEST find was a guy in the Seattle area who does very thorough inspections (no repairs, only vehicle inspections). He drives TO the location (in our case, a person’s house), inspects and test-drives the vehicle and gave us VERY detailed notes. Since we don’t have a mechanic we really trust in this area, his service saved us time and money (we did take one vehicle to a dealership mechanic for an inspection and it was a costly disaster!). And we’ve since had the vehicle looked at and everything the inspector told us has been right on. It was nice to know that his interest was only in informing us about the vehicle and not trying to do unnecessary repairs for a fee.
As far as getting “a deal”, we didn’t end up with what we would consider a “steal”. We did ask them to come down $800 (and they came down $400, but I think they over-priced it to start). In the end, we decided that since it was what we were looking for, and got a really good report from the inspection, even if we “over-paid” by a few hundred dollars (based on KBB and similar vehicles on Craigslist) it was worth it to buy it and not keep looking and paying for inspections. At that point, we had been vehicle-shopping for 4 months, didn’t all fit into our car (4th baby…) etc… so we made the decision to go ahead and buy it. 🙂
Hope this helps! 🙂
Alicia says
Tammy, would you email me his info? We’re in Seattle too but don’t have a trusted mechanic. I would appreciate having that info for when we plan to buy a van in a couple of years!
Tammy L says
Here is the website of the guy who did our inspection:
http://www.karchek.com/about.html
His name is Jim and like I said, we really found his service to be valuable! After the inspection, he also spent quite a while on the phone with me [I know very little about vehicles] describing the exact condition of everything and even describing the two possible issues he had found, how much of a safety issue they were, and what a repair of the issue might entail. Another plus was that since he checked *everything*, he found a scratch on the outside that I hadn’t noticed. And, he had test driven it on both city roads and I-5! 🙂 His service was well worth the $99 we paid, especially considering that we didn’t have to take the vehicle to him. 🙂
Rachel H says
Easy. Investigate what you want first, and only search for that type of car/suv/van so your not overwhelmed. The better you can narrow it down the faster, and less complicated you will find the process.
Then when you find one you’d consider buying, look up the NADA blue book value to make sure the price you’d be paying is in-line with what the car is actually worth.
If your still interested, then take it to a GOOD mechanic to be inspected. Your spending thousands of dollars, do yourself a favor and don’t feel guilty for spending $40-80 to have this car investigated. Personally I suggest spending the funds at a dealer of the brand your buying. Dealer mechanics find every wrong thing down to a loose screw with the cars they service. And they can also check the computers they have for any recalls etc.
Craig List is great for fast sells and cheap cars locally. Be careful for scams tho; and never wire/send/mail/paypal anything. I’ve had relatives drive a few hours to buy a car…but watch out for the scams that say the car needs to be delivered. And look for current vehicle pics too. If you don’t live near palm trees, something is funky.
Good luck…hope you find a great deal!
ann says
I agree! We bought my husband’s last car off e-bay. They have a wonderful feature that allows you to narrow the search to certain zip codes around your area. I searched within 50 miles of our home, investigated the safety and reliability of a few promising cars, found one that we liked within 20 miles of us, took it to a mechanic for a professional opinion, and got a great car at a fantastic price!
Good luck!!
Jessica says
Either find someone in your friends/family circle who knows cars and hire them to scout cars with you. If you don’t have friends/family that are car-saavy, get some books from the library on key things to look for when checking over cars. Then, when you think you’ve narrowed down the selection or found a car you like, ask the mechanic you normally use to come check out the car. For $50 or $100, you can get a real opinion of the car you’re checking out, and s/he’ll be sure to give you an honest answer (since it would be highly unlikely that your mechanic would somehow know the car owner and have an incentive to be dishonest). I personally use my dad, who works at GM, to help us scout out cars. We’ll be getting a new (to us) car next year 🙂
Megan says
Always take it to your preferred mechanic and have them do an inexpensive routine maintenance lookover type thing for any problems. Buy the carfax—-BTW, these are not always correct. We have now had 2 cars that were “clear” on the car fax but when we went to trade them in, there had been previous damage unknown to us. A mechanic can help you find this out. Looking for the original manufacturer stickers on the insides of the door jams was a quick way to see if the doors had been replaced….found this out the hard way!
Know the value according to KBB or Edmunds.
Cash is always a negotiator……Dave Ramsey swears by offering cash…you may want to google that for help.
Whitney says
I have to disagree with the advice about cash. If you are purchasing from a private seller, all are going to expect either cash or a cashier’s check. Unless they are naive, they won’t be accepting personal checks, and offering cash will not bring the price down.
Robyn says
But going and saying, “I can pay you $X in cash RIGHT NOW” can make a difference. We recently sold a car on Craigslist and a guy made an offer about $1,000 below our asking price and about $500 below the minimum we had decided to accept. He did the “I have the cash right now” thing, and it was so tempting even though I knew exactly what he was doing. If we hadn’t had someone coming to look at it the next day, I think we might have said yes — and we weren’t even desperate for the money, and we were asking a little below KBB. As it was, the next person bought it at our asking price, so we were glad we waited.
Lisa says
The best luck we’ve ever had buying a used vehicle was buying a one owner van from an elderly couple that took great care of the vehicle and had all of the records. We paid the asking price (that was close to Kelly Blue Book price) knowing that we would be hard pressed to find another vehicle that had been so well taken care of. As with any vehicle, I believe you’re best to know exactly what you’re looking for, how much you’re willing to pay for it, and what you’re willing to be flexible on. Our purchase, for instance, had more miles because the couple drove it cross country every winter, but we also knew that it was well maintained. Also, be willing to walk away if it isn’t working out. The other big suggestion is to be sure to test drive it. Be sure to stop somewhere to give it a good inspection (without the pressure of the owner looking over your shoulder). As for what to look for that might be a problem, don’t hesitate to call up your mechanic and ask them about the vehicle you’re looking at- what are the common problems? Anything specific you should be looking for? If you don’t have a mechanic, a simple search on the internet can turn up lots of information about a vehicle. Long post, I know, but I hope this helps!
chris says
Lisa, I could have written your post! This is exactly how we bought our last used car also. Older couple, very well maintained van, all the records. We paid the asking price also, it was fair. My husband is an engineer and spent time looking at things. We also were not in a hurry to find something and waited until the right deal came up. I let my husband take care of finding the van, since he had the expertise, and then I did the business end and finished the deal.
Michelle says
If you have a mechanic you trust, enlist their help. They are a great resource for asking about different makes & models and their reliability, as they are the ones that fix them! Also, many mechanics will look over a car for you that you are checking out. Ours charges about $35 and I’ve heard similar amounts from other mechanics. It is money well spent! We even did this when we bought used from a dealership. We arranged to keep the car for several hours so we could have our mechanic check it over.
Melissa says
Take it to a body shop too. My husband is a mechanic. We bought our last vehicle and it was mechanically sound BUT I took it to get a wheel alignment a few days after we bought it and the guy said he couldn’t work on it, suggested I take it to a body shop. I did the man said the vehicle was not safe to drive, I took it to another body shop they said the same thing (without me telling them they were my second opinion). It had been totaled before but someone made it look beautiful again. It cost me $4,000 to get it fixed. If I would have taken it to a body shop I would have saved myself a lot of money, heartache, and regret.
Amanda says
I’d always take the car to your mechanic before buying. Make sure it checks out okay!
Anna says
Oh, I just re-read your post and realized that you are looking to buy off CL or from a private seller, not from a dealership’s used inventory. Oops!
Anna says
Use email and the internet to your advantage. You can pit the dealerships against each other. We bought a Toyota Rav4 at a great deal by scouring the internet first.
It seems to me like the dealerships that don’t spend a lot of money on renovating and having the nicest facilities are the ones that can afford to offer you the best deals. At least, that has been my experience buying Toyotas in two different states.
I don’t know if you have picked a model yet, but I love Consumer Reports for comparing autos. You can compare used autos, too, and see which years had problems with what car part. I think the monthly online access subscription is $16. Someone on here probably knows how to get that information for free, though!
Best of luck to you!