Used Cars Online:
5 Tips to Know
Before You Start Shopping

When shopping for used cars online there are five things you need to be aware of. Knowing the following can help ensure you have a safe, successful and fun car buying experience.

Five "to dos" when shopping for
used vehicles online

1. Know what you are looking for - There are countless used cars and trucks for sale online today. It can be very easy to get overwhelmed real fast with too many choices. If you first decide on a make and model with a year or an approximate year range it can make things a lot easier and more manageable for you.

2. Make sure the seller is reputable - I’m sure you are aware that there are a lot of dishonest people doing business online today. Many of the worst online sellers of used cars sound very credible. Many times they hide behind big names to make themselves sound ethical like Ebay.com or Craigslist.com. Don’t let that fool you. Many people have been ripped off from people selling cars on big name sites. Remember buyer beware!

   One way to help you avoid these crooks is to shop at reputable local new car franchised dealerships online. Franchised dealers are much more regulated by the government and their manufacturer and they have a lot more to loose if they deal dishonestly.

3. Make sure the title is clean - Remember without a valid legal title you don’t own the car no matter how much you paid for it. If the car was stolen and you get a counterfeit title one day you will be in for a big surprise. Getting a carfax.com report can help with this.

   Many franchised dealerships will give you a free copy of this report for the used car you are looking to buy from them. If you buy from a private party or an independent used car dealer you can buy this report from carfax.com if you know the VIN number of the used vehicle you are considering.

4. Check the mechanical soundness - Some dealerships offer warranties with their used cars. If you buy form a private party or independent dealer (or anyone) it’s smart to have it checked by a trusted mechanic before you buy it.

5. Transfer ownership properly - Two things here are important.
   a) Make sure the person you are buying it from had the title properly transferred in their name.
   b) Make sure you get the title properly transferred in your name immediately. Franchised dealers handle this for you. With private owners YOU need to handle this to be safe.

If you live in the greater Phoenix area you may want to check out this local free used car buying service. It's a unique way to safely save time and money when you are shopping for used cars online.

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Car Buying Prices
3227 E Bell Rd
Phoenix, Arizona 85032