Information On Used Cars

With all the information readily available online today, you can easily research any used cars you are thinking of purchasing.  Just spending a few minutes in the comfort of your home researching used cars could net you thousands of dollars in savings and could save you more than a few headaches down the road.  In the following paragraphs, we’ll discuss some resources you can use to aid you in your car buying decisions.

How To Research Used Cars

You will need the VIN number (Vehicle Identification Number), which can be found on several places on each vehicle, although some of these places are buried deep within the vehicle.   Look on the dashboard close to the driver’s side, which is the most common place the VIN is displayed.  You may also be able to find it by opening the driver’s side door and looking where the door is attached to the car.  The VIN number is 17 digits long and most likely contains a mixture of letters and numbers.

Armed with this information, you can then visit http://carfax.com.  This is one of the most widely used and trusted websites for used car research.  You simply type in a vehicle’s VIN number, and you can get the complete history of the vehicle.  While Carfax does provide a limited free report, detailed reports do cost a modest amount.  Still, when you consider the amount of money you can save by not purchasing a vehicle with serious problems, the amount of money these reports cost is well worth it.  For example, you can get one Carfax report for $29.99, 10 reports for $34.99, and you can obtain an unlimited number of complete vehicle reports for $39.99, which is the best option if you are in the market for a used vehicle.  If you’ve already purchased a used vehicle and you’d like to see the history report of that vehicle, you may want to save $10 and just purchase the one report.

Carfax Vehicle History Reports™ are available on virtually all used cars and even light trucks manufactured since 1981.  Carfax has over 6 billion records in its database, as it receives information from more than 20,000 sources, including fire and police departments and motor vehicle agencies.  It is well regarded in the industry and will provide you with invaluable information to aid in your used car research.

What To Look For

When you visit carfax.com, you can view sample reports free, which will give you an idea of just what it is you are purchasing beforehand.  These reports are extensive, and you will be able to view detailed information about any vehicle you are thinking of purchasing.  For example, while you may not be able to see outward signs of fire or flood damage, the report you obtain from this website will note if the car has previously had this type of damage as well as if the vehicle has ever been in an accident.  This is invaluable information that will greatly aid you in your used car research.  You’ll also be able to see service records for the vehicle, so you can tell how well maintained the car was.  Another great feature of the Carfax report is that it lists how many owners the car had, so if the seller tells you the car belonged to his or her grandmother and she only drove the car to church on Sundays, you will easily be able to ascertain whether this is true or not.

Whether or not the airbags ever deployed is a major issue when it comes to used cars.  In fact, airbag fraud is a growing concern because sometimes, unscrupulous sellers will replace deployed airbags with a variety of fillers, including paper towels and packing peanuts just to fill the hole the airbags left.  Because it can be expensive to replace deployed airbags, it can be difficult to know for sure if your used car really has working airbags.  Fortunately, carfax.com provides a free airbag check for those who may have concerns.  For this report, go to http://carfax.com/airbag and type in the VIN number.  Again, this is a free report, courtesy of Carfax in order to help keep consumers safe, as fatal accidents have occurred when the airbags didn’t deploy because of fraudulent practices.  In addition, sometimes car manufacturers issue recalls, that you may not be aware of, because of faulty airbags when they become aware of the situation.  Even if you don’t suspect fraud, it would be a good idea to take advantage of the free airbag check when you do your used car research.

Check Out Certified Pre-Owned Used Cars

Another thing to consider when you are in the market for a used car is certified pre-owned used cars.  The distinction between these cars and other used cars is that the certified cars have withstood at least a 100 point inspection and have been certified by the manufacturer.  In addition, certified pre-owned vehicles also come with warranties that extend after the new car warranty has expired.  These are not extended service contracts, which is something consumers pay for to extend the life of their warranties; these are actual warranties and so they do not cost the consumer extra.  Be advised, though, that often, third parties will try to offer certified pre-owned vehicles with extended service contracts that have not been officially certified by the manufacturer, so it pays to be diligent when doing used car research on certified pre-owned vehicles.  You can find extensive information on these types of vehicles and used car buying in general from http://edmunds.com.

For example, you may not realize that purchasing a certified pre-owned vehicle may result in your being able to enjoy some of the same benefits you would if you purchased a new car.  In addition, there are various certified used car programs, and edmunds.com explains the differences as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these programs.  Even if you are not interested in certified used cars, there is a wealth of used car buying information on this website that you will find invaluable.  You’ll also find a payment calculator, which is useful when you are determining how much car payment you can afford.  Visit the above sites today and arm yourself with used car buying savvy before you go shopping.