How to Get Used Cars For Sale By Owner Online

Need a better car? Has the recession hurt your pocketbook? If you're like millions of Americans, then the answer is most likely a resounding "YES!!". Thankfully, because of the Internet there are some new and powerful tools to help you get a great used car for sale by the owner.

Instructions

1

Being meticulous and careful is essential to success. Before you start anything, you're going to need to make sure that you know what you're looking for. What price range did you have in mind? Are you willing to travel to pick up the car, or pay for it to be shipped?

2




More preparation is necessary. A car, even a used car, is a large purchase for most people. Make sure to inform your credit/debit card company that you intend to make a large purchase. Sometimes companies will automatically block gigantic purchases to protect you from thieves, but this time it would be a false positive. Most credit card companies have an extremely simple process for doing so, just give them a call.

3




Get a vehicle history report. This guide does not endorse any specific company, so please do the research for yourself. One popular and trustworthy name in the field is Carfax. Almost all cars, be they used or new, have a recorded history, either due to accidents or damages, and Carfax will get all the information to you. When dealing with used cars, doing background checks on the cars themselves is essential to avoid being ripped off.

4




The best source for getting yourself a used car is eBay. In case you didn't know, eBay is the 1 auction site on the web, and they have all sorts of cars imaginable. However, make sure to check on two things about the vendor: that they have a good history [many previously satisfied customers], and that you know EXACTLY how the car will get to you, either shipping or you picking it up.

5

If you don't like the formality of eBay, there's always Craigslist. Craigslist offers all sorts of items and services for sale, but it's more of a giant message board than a vendor site. You don't actually buy things through Craigslist, people just post what they have and you work out with them what to pay. While the obvious advantage is that you don't have to pay any eBay middleman fees, the downside is that it's not always as reliable. Make sure to thoroughly check out any used car for sale, to ensure that it has all the features listed.

6

Whatever you do, make sure that the used car has a vehicle registration inside the car. If it doesn't, you're not going to be a happy customer next time a cop pulls you over. Vehicle registrations come with any car, and unless the car was terribly mistreated, it should be included with any used car that you purchase.