'Specific Used Car Tips on What to Avoid'

Specific Used Car Tips on What to Avoid

By Ugly Man at 05/24/07 17:28

Imagine the unimaginable possibility that you (or one-out-of-three of you) will (statistically) be buying a used car in the next eighteen-months, and imagine further that you might reap some benefit from my years of experience on this very subject. Here are some generally specific things to avoid.

Here's what to avoid:

1 – American cars. Sorry, but that's just an easy one. Unless you're looking at a half-ton or greater truck, you have no choice. Whatever you'd pay for an import, cut it in half to buy domestic, sadly.

2 – Anything suspiciously inexpensive. If it seems to cheap to be true, suspicion should be your first indicator, but run away just the same.

3 – Anything from a car dealership offered at more than the low Kelly Blue Book. Those guys robbed the trader-of-in, you need to pay less than that, period.

4 – Fiats, MGs, or any specialized late-model car, such as a convertible, kit-car or military vehicle. Seriously, think about it.

5 – Late model BMWs, Mercedes, Jaguars or anything else with repair costs so great that a tune up or even modest repair would bust your deal entirely.

6 – Any car previously owned by a motor-head, no matter how otherwise conservative the car may be. Kids beat the hell out of even the most conservative cars, so look for wings, fins and assorted body damage as tell-tale signs of engine abuse.

7 – Buy cars from family, if you can, but not your cracky uncle or drunk aunt; those guys would sell melted igloos to the drowning.

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