How to Buy a Used Car From a Person

Take the right steps when buying a used car and protect yourself from purchasing a lemon. The largest difference between buying a used car from a dealer and an individual is that generally the used car being purchased from a private party is not covered under a warranty. Completing a thorough inspection of the vehicle and transacting the sale correctly are just two of the things you need to know when purchasing a car from a private party.

Instructions

1

Determine what type of car you would like to buy and search through ads in newspapers, magazines and on the Internet. There are many websites devoted to purchasing used cars from private parties. Research consumer car guides, reviews and forums to discover safety ratings, problems and praises about the car you are considering buying.

2

Go to websites like Edmunds.com or the Kelley blue book website at Kbb.com and find out what you should expect to pay for the vehicle in the current market. These websites take statistical information on sales of vehicles in your region and give you a clear idea of the price you should expect to pay.

3

Call the seller and confirm information in the ad. Make sure the selling price, mileage, condition, owner history and maintenance history are to your satisfaction.

4

Set up an appointment with the seller in a safe and mutually beneficial location. Beware of sellers who are adamant about meeting in a particular location, especially if the location is in a bad part of town or if you feel it is a place where other people are not likely to be found.

5

Examine all aspects of the car from bumper to bumper to the best of your ability. Inspect the engine, lights, turn signals, horn, shocks, body condition, window and door locks, steering, brake system and whatever else you feel comfortable inspecting. Never feel rushed when inspecting a vehicle. Walk away from the purchase if a seller does not allow you to inspect the vehicle. Bring a used car inspection check list that will help you inspect the car thoroughly. These check lists can easily be found at used car websites and in car magazines.

6

Test drive the vehicle. A test drive is the most effective way to inspect a vehicle for mechanical issues and other problems. Make sure to test drive the vehicle at all normally encountered speeds and in all road and weather conditions possible. Drive it on flat, hilly, curving and straight roads to test the vehicles performance in a variety of road conditions.

7

Research the VIN number of the vehicle to obtain vehicle history. The VIN number of a vehicle can generally be found on the drivers side of the dashboard. These VIN checks generally cost around $30 and will reveal any wrecks the vehicle has been in as well as the ownership history. A car that has been owned by many owners for only brief periods of time can be a red flag that the car has serious mechanical problems or other undisclosed issues.There are many websites and phone services that consumers can use to obtain vehicle history using a vehicles VIN number. Carfax is one of the most popular sites to use for this purpose, but all websites that offer this service are accessing the same database and therefore are selling the same information. Make sure the site is a trusted site before entering any personal and financial information.

8

Run the VIN number of the vehicle to reveal if the vehicle was damaged in a flood, recalled or stolen. This can be done for free by visiting the National Insurance Crime Bureau website at NICB.org, clicking on "VIN Check" tab on the left hand side of the site and and entering the vehicle's VIN number.

9

Take the vehicle to a mechanic for a complete inspection. Unless you are a mechanic yourself, you should always take a used car for a professional inspection before you purchase it. This can reveal problems and issues the vehicle has that you may have otherwise overlooked. Always deduct any undisclosed issues the mechanic reveals from the seller's asking price.

10

Negotiate the price of the vehicle. Most often the price a seller is asking for a vehicle is not the price he is willing to accept. If the car is in a satisfactory condition and you are interested in purchasing the vehicle, take everything you have learned about the car's history and condition and offer the seller what you are willing to pay for the vehicle.

11

Get the seller to sign the title of the vehicle and fill out a bill of sale. The bill of sale should include the sellers and buyers names, addresses, phone numbers, signatures, the date and the price that the vehicle was sold at.

12

Pay the seller for the vehicle after the bill of sale is signed and take the vehicle to your local Department of Motor Vehicles for licensing and registration.