Questions to Ask When Buying a Second Hand Car

When you see a car advertised for sale, there are two stages of information gathering you should be prepared to do: the qualification stage during which you discover whether the car is actually what you are looking for and if you get a good feeling about the owner's truthfulness. Then you move on to the inspection stage---but before that, arm yourself with a Carfax on the car.

Qualify the Car

Before you make an appointment to view the car ask the owner how many miles is on the odometer, how many owners the car has had, if it has any special equipment, any special problems and why the owner is selling it. If all answers make sense, ask how long the car has been for sale and if the owner would consider accepting less than the asking price. Last, ask for the VIN (vehicle identification number) so you can order a Carfax report on the car. Then make an appointment to see the car if you are still interested.

Inspect the Car

When inspecting the car, ask to see the maintenance records. If there are no maintenance records, ask what kind of motor oil the car uses. A person who changes the oil or has it changed often will know what kind the car uses---or at least where to find the sticker that tells what kind of oil to use. If the owner doesn't know what kind of oil, the next question to ask is if you can take the car to your mechanic for an inspection. If the owner hesitates to let you take the car to a mechanic, take that as a bad sign. If there is any difference between what the owner tells you about the car and what Carfax reports, that is also a good reason to look for a different car.

Test Drive

If you are still considering the car, ask to test drive it. Start out with the radio and air conditioning off so you can hear the engine start and run. If there are any odd sounds, ask the owner if the car has been in an accident or has had flood damage. While on a smooth straight road, take your hands off the wheel for a moment to see if the car pulls to one side or the other. If it does, ask the owner when the alignment was last checked. Any steering irregularities can indicate that the car has structural damage.