How to buy a used car in the USA and not get burned

I am the kind of person who can write about cars. Just kidding, I don’t know much about cars, but in this article I’ll tell you what to watch out for and what resources to use to buy a used car in the USA. I know all this from people close to me who are competent in this field. Andrey Boichuk writes about this in an article for Immigrant porada.

Photo: Shutterstock

By the way, if you hesitate between purchasing a used and new car or renting it, read this article and it will help you decide.

Where to start if I want to buy a car in the USA?

Let's start with the strategy. First of all, you need to decide what kind of car you want and what year it should be. I advise you to select a maximum of three cars and check the market every day or at least once a week, that is, prices, for example, on craigslist.org. After a week of 2-3 you will be well versed in them.

For example, when I had to buy a car, I determined that I wanted Honda Odyssey, but didn’t know what year yet. Back then I could afford something between 2001 and 2004. After two weeks, I knew the exact prices of these cars and could easily tell which price was normal and which was not when a new car came up for sale. Then the average price was $3500. By the way, miles play an important role here, but more on that later.

I often see one typical mistake: people themselves do not know what they want. Today Nissan Maximatomorrow Athe day after tomorrow Toyota Prius. No matter how crazy it may sound, these cars have completely different looks and classes. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is decide what you need and keep an eye on the prices.

What is the role of miles in the car?

In America, the price of cars is highly dependent on miles. Even if the car is 15 years old, but it has low mileage, it will be valuable. To know how many miles the car has gone, simply multiply its age by 12 000. Approximately so many miles should be.

When I bought the 2014 of the year in 2003, it was 11, and the mileage should have been approximately 132 000 miles. But actually there was 198 000. So I paid $ 1,000 less. Usually the price of a car is greatly reduced after 150 000 miles. But if you buy Toyota, Honda or Lexusits cost almost does not change.

What is the difference between miles on a highway and in a city?

The difference is that in the city the car wears out faster, and on the highway - slower. 100k city miles and 100k highway miles are different. But the question is, how can the seller prove that it was actually driven primarily on the highway? No way, so don't pay attention to it.

Fraud with mileage

How could there be no fraud? Be careful. People in New York love to clock up the miles. This is harder to do with expensive cars, but with older models it is very easy.

A year ago, my sister sold the car for a penny, because it had 175 000 miles. Two days later her car was on a craiglist with 125 000 miles and $ 2000 or $ 3000 dollars more than her sister sold (and she sold her car for $ 900). Somewhere in two days it was gone, someone bought it. It was Toyota Celica, very reliable car, and I am sure that it served the next owners for a long time, but that is another matter.

How to check if the miles have been tampered with in a car? Don't know. Just be careful and be aware of it.

How old is the car to buy?

Once you have left the new car from the salon, its price has very significantly decreased immediately. Therefore, buying a completely new car is unprofitable. Unless, of course, you want an absolutely new car. It is best to buy a car that turned 2-3 of the year.

Also recently, a friend of mine who resells cars, said that it is better to purchase one that is no longer covered by the warranty. Usually a guarantee is given on 36 000 miles or 3 of the year (depending on what will be the first). Indeed, it is illogical to overpay 5 or 10 thousands for a machine that has 30 000 miles, so that 6 000 is no longer guaranteed. Better save. This is if you want a not very old car.

If you buy a car at the age of 5 + for years, you need to add $ 50-100 per month for auto repair to your budget. It may not break every year, but then you will have to pay $ 1000 and more to fix it.

My brother once told me that a new car under warranty is just money paid for repairs in advance. And after I bought both a new car from a dealership and an 11-year-old car, I can completely agree with this. It is important that in addition to money, it also takes a lot of time.

When should you not buy a car in the USA?

I often hear recommendations to buy at the end of summer or at the end of the year. Whether this is true or not, I cannot confirm. But I know exactly when you shouldn’t buy a car - from February 1 to May 1 or even June.

Why? Because it is a tax refund period from the state. At this time, all people have more money, so the price of cars is extremely high. So try to plan your purchase at any time, except for this period of time.

Should I buy a car in the USA on credit or for cash?

If you have cash, then the second option is more profitable. Paid and forgotten, everything is beautiful and simple. But if you cannot purchase for cash, you can do it on credit. Loans for cars available, and you can count on the lowest interest if you have a good credit history.

Where to buy a car in the US?

There are many different places to buy a used car in America, but the most popular is Craiglist. You can also buy from a dealer on the site or from a so-called “independent dealer”. If you have the time and inclination, the best and cheapest price can be found at Craiglist.

This blog is translated from the Ukrainian language. The original article can be found on the website. "Immigrant Porada" (Ukrainian online advice platform for immigrants in the United States).

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