There are many things to watch out for when buying a used car. Some you will want to consider more than others as they can significantly determine the resell or future condition of the car:

1. Bad Titles

If you are going to buy a used car, get a 60 day unlimited AutoCheck® Vehicle History Report. With this you can run vehicle history reports on all cars you check out in the next 2 months. A vehicle history report is very important, not just to see if it’s a good car for you, but if you will ever have a chance at reselling it.

Two Facts About Bad Titles:

- If you want to buy Extended Warranty for your car, it will not be possible with a Salvage Title on the AutoCheck Vehicle History Report.
-You are not allowed to finance a salvaged car with the banks.

It is so important to be proactive in finding out a vehicle’s history. There is no lawyer that is going to help you out if you find out later your car is a salvage or your car is a lemon. Running a VIN check is not enough when you are making a purchase that affects your life more than you think. VIN checks do not tell you the whole truth of the car. Many things can be left off that can change your opinion of whether to buy that car. AutoCheck’s DMV check will print out everything you need to know about your car with even a “buy back guarantee” if they make a mistake. That’s reassurance. Get a FREE VIN Check from AutoCheck®.


2. Gross Polluter Check

It’s a good idea to get a Gross Polluter check anywhere you live to make sure you are not hurting the environment with your emissions. If you live in California, it will actually cost you money if your car is a polllutant. Your AutoCheck Report should show if a car is up to date, but you want to get this checked out anyways so it doesn’t cost you extra money or cause more damage to this earth.

3. Stolen car scams.

I don’t care how smart you think you are, there are even smarter criminals out there. Be very careful buying cars that are being sold as a “rebuilt” title. It is very possible to change VIN #’s and mask stolen cars to show up as legitimate on titles. Don’t be a sucker and get the truth about the car.

4. Watch out for malfunctioning airbags.

Many used cars that come in a wreck won’t even have airbags in them let alone defective ones. Take the used car to a mechanic and they will easily be able to tell if a car has working air bags. If you have been in a wreck and plan on selling your car, go double check that your air bags are in the car. This has been a big scam in recent years and it would be a real shame to see someone walk from a deal because of something you didn’t know. It happened to me with a used bmw, which turned out to have no airbags! Cost me $1000 dollars to fix, ouch!


Bonus Tip: What is a VIN Number?

It’s a 17 digit Vehicle Identification Number which appears on all cars. It is most commonly found in the dashboard on a metal strip. When buying a used car, you should check to match the VIN# inside the driver side door on a factory sticker, the passenger door, the trunk, the hood, the engine and other places around the car which it may be stamped into.

5. Spray paint splotches accidentally left on certain areas.

The windshield, engine compartment, inside door edges, and foot panels are usually where you will see this. It shows a poor paint job and that the car has most likely been in a wreck.

6. Any evidence of leaks or water entry to the car.

Look for crusty carpets, rusty edges, new carpet and things that scream water! Read about How To Tell A Flooded Car

7. Doors don’t properly close or lineup right.

Make sure you can hear the crisp sound of door closing. Don't settle for excuses like "It's a little worn". If a door does not close smoothly, it's been in a wreck and fixed poorly.

8. Any signs of windows not properly working.

A motor for your window will run you over $500, so be careful to watch out for this one.

Important! If You Are Buying A Used, Make Sure You Know The Following Information:

• What Insurance Are You Geting? We reccomend AIG Direct or 21st Century for the most relaible and inexpensive young driver insurance. You can also check NetQuote.com to compare Insurance Prices around the web. Also relate to our Complete Guide On Auto Insurance

• Have You Read Our Guide On Buying Used Cars? Read This

• Will You Need A Loan? We reccomend using MyAutoLoan.com
  or Any-Credit-Auto-Loan.com

• Do You Have Good Credit? Why not check for Free with Equifax.

9. Proper Air Conditioning.

If the car has it, make sure it works. This can cost you $1000 to fix on some cars for even things as little as a broken fan.

10. Make sure the odometer is accurate.

It should be reported ever year on it’s AutoCheck Report.

11. Too many miles for the life of the car.

The average is 10-15 thousand miles per year. Don’t buy cars that have 30,000 miles put on them a year just because it’s the newer model. Deduct $0.20 per mile extra.

12. Rusty around certain parts.

Disk brakes and drums indicate that the car possibly flooded or it has been sitting around for a long period of time without being driven.

13. Excessive blemishes.

Scratches, dings, dents, and paint chips can mean the car has had a rough life. Check for these issues on the bumpers as excessive damages in these areas could mean worse problems could be lingering.

14. Uneven tire wear or even worse, tire balding.

This can mean the car has bad alignment, could have been in a wreck or has been poorly maintained all around.

15. Tire wheels that are damaged on one side of the car only.

This can mean a variety of negative things, again including bad alignment, wrecks, etc.

16. Uneven paint jobs.

This is a sure sign of mechanics that a car has been in a wreck. It’s nearly impossible to recreate a perfect paint job after an accident and it is a sure tell tale sign of a wreck.

* If you’ve ever read “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell, it proves a lot about car buying. The lesson to learn: If your gut instinct doesn’t trust the car, don’t buy it.