Buying & Selling Used Vehicles for the Best Price

By: Kevin V.

As used cars age, finding them for sale in good condition
becomes increasingly difficult. At the same time, they
continuously lose marketable value. How can we find good values
when purchasing, and get a fair price when it comes time to
sell? Continue reading to find out...

Buying

When buying any used car, overall condition must be evaluated
and weighed against the asking price. This includes the
condition of interior, exterior, and mechanical components.
Common issues to watch for on used cars follow:

Check the Interior for:

-Fading or Cracking Dashboard, steering wheel, pillars Carpet
damage, spills under seats, shoe wear

-Strong musty odor, especially during HVAC operation

-Worn seats including adjustment, buttons, upholstery, cushions,
air support

-Unevenly worn pedals indicating possible mistreatment

-Smoke damage including falling headliner, used ashtrays or
lighter, burns, thick film on glass or other smooth surfaces

-Malfunctioning gauges, moonroof, windows, vanity lights,
controls, electric accessories

-Leakage under dash including clutch and brake fluid near
pedals, coolant near floor vents, water

Check the Exterior for:

-Rust around rocker panels (especially under ground effects of
SC), wheel wells, under floor pan, doors, suspension components,
spoilers, trunk

-Signs of accident damage such as repainting, bondo, ill fitting
body panels, frame/unibody denting

-Damaged paint and clearcoat especially bumpers, ground effects,
and roof

-Damaged or missing trim, molding, lamp assemblies (esp LED
taillights and yellowing lenses) badging, ground effects, air
dam, antenna, windows

-Wheels damaged or bent from curb rubbing and other abuse

-Sagging doors due to hinges worn from excessive load bearing

Modern vehicles have many complex mechanical components, and
condition should be verified by qualified personal. If you
encounter the following symptoms or others you are unfamiliar
with, it is wise to seek an expert:

-Unusual sounds such as whining, whistling, howling, grinding,
rubbing, rattling, knocking, tapping, or anything else which
stands out. Listen in all places while car is idling and driving
including, underhood, suspension, transmission, exhaust, rear of
vehicle, ect

-Unusual odors such as strong sweet smell, burning, gasoline

-Uneven engine idle, backfire, or misfire

-Transmission grinding, slipping, or hesitation while driving or
changing gears

-Clutch engagement near end of pedal travel, excessive pedal
play, slipping or revving when shifting/accelerating

-Excessive engine or shifter movement, indicating possible torn
mounts Spongy pedal, whistling, grinding, or shaking when
braking, fading or low stopping power

-Low, dirty, or contaminated fluids especially coolant, oil, and
automatic transmission

-Suspension leaning, excessive bouncing, harsh ride, pulling,
poor handling, or dog tracking.

-Smoke from exhaust or underhood, excluding thin light-colored
condensation buildup

Some minor issues are to be expected with a used purchase, and
the price you pay should be adjusted accordingly. A common
method of pricing used vehicles is to determine the fair market
value then deduct the average cost of repairs. Tools to
determine fair market value include the Kelley blue book and
points of sale such as newspaper classifieds, ebay, and
autotrader magazines. Price of a used vehicle may be influenced
by rare models or packages. Car clubs specializing in the rare
model can offer help in these cases.

Selling

When selling your car, several factors should be considered to
receive the best price.

-Level of cosmetic and mechanical maintenance

-Logs of maintenance, repair, and modification history

-The type of person buying your car, and where to find them

A car which is clean, well maintained, and in good overall
condition leaves a positive impression on potential buyers. This
concept is clearly demonstrated by car dealers when you visit
their used car lots. Also, presenting logs or receipts to help
buyers verify your cars history will increase their level of
confidence when it comes time to make a purchase from you.

This and more great information for the automobile enthusiast
can be found at http://thunderbirdinfo.blogspot.com.

Copyright 2006 Thunderbird Infoway

About the author:
Kevin is the webmaster of Thunderbird Infoway -
http://thunderbirdinfo.blogspot.com. An informative website for
automotive and Thunderbird enthusiasts.