5 Tips for Buying A Used Car

It is a well-known fact to some, that I love searching for cars, although my time with this hobby is over for now! If you are looking for a used car, avoid the following mistakes. The best tip I can give you though is to ditch Kelly Blue Book altogether, it is outdated and I have found it to be worthless in buying a car, use the industry standard NADA!  

Mistake #1 – Not checking the vehicle history report This is a no-brainer when buying privately or from a dealer. You want to make sure the vehicle has never been in an accident, a hurricane, had the odometer rolled back, or was a rental unit! A lease return is ideal! There are two vehicle history reports available: Carfax.com and AutoCheck.com.

Mistake #2 – Not checking the vehicle inspection report Simply ask to see the mechanic’s inspection report on the vehicle you want to purchase.

Mistake #3 – Ignoring fuel consumption It’s more difficult to ignore a vehicle’s EPA fuel mileage rating when gas prices are at $4 per gallon. The best place to research fuel consumption is a user-friendly, government website: FuelEconomy.gov.  

Mistake #4 – Ignoring certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles You’ll pay a bit more for a certified pre-owned vehicle, but those benefits won’t diminish if you make a great deal on the selling price.  

Mistake #5 – Don’t comparison shop The Internet has changed how new and used cars are bought and sold, there are now ample tools online to comparison shop. Ignore Kelly Blue Book, just use NADA.com for pricing, then check sites such as Craigslist.org or Cars.com to see how similar vehicles are priced. Most of this was taken from yahoo, click here for the entire article.

21 Things You Should Never Buy New

This is an interesting article taken from Yahoo finance: If you're looking to get the most value for your dollar, it would do your wallet good to check out secondhand options. Many used goods still have plenty of life left in them even years after the original purchase, and they're usually resold at a fraction of the retail price, to boot.

Here's a list of 21 things that make for a better deal when you buy them used:
1. DVDs and CDs
2. Books
3. Video Games
4. Special Occasion and Holiday Clothing - odd to me.
5. Jewelry - another odd thing... here is your used wedding ring?
6. Ikea Furniture - Can find on Craigslist already assembled.
7. Games and Toys
8. Maternity and Baby Clothes
9. Musical Instruments
10. Pets - I agree, adopt!
12. Craft Supplies
13. Houses
14. Office Furniture - seems like an odd thing to be on the list.
15. Cars
16. Hand Tools
17. Sports Equipment - and I am thinking about buying a New Putter.
18. Consumer Electronics - I would only buy new, so I disagree with this.
19. Gardening Supplies
20. Timeshares
21. Recreational Items