Now is an exciting time to be in the market for a pre-owned vehicle. Whether you’re looking for family transportation or a daily duty pickup truck, you’ll find a variety of vehicles with years of life in them. Finding the right vehicle at the right price, however, can be daunting. Here are some steps you can take to make the search easier.

Determine Your Budget

Before you start browsing the internet for cars, and certainly before you set foot inside a showroom, it’s important to determine what vehicles you can afford. When budgeting, it’s important to look not only at the sticker price of the vehicle, but also at the monthly upkeep and expenses that the vehicle will require. So, for example, your automotive budget may include
• Down payment
• Monthly payments (through financing)
• Auto insurance
• Gasoline
• Annual inspection
• Routine maintenance (tires, wiper blades, etc.)
Once you’ve compiled your budget, you should have a price range for an affordable vehicle in mind. Now you can begin to look at the type of vehicle that best meets your needs.

Find the Right Vehicle for You

Chances are, you have some concept of your ideal vehicle. Whether you need a minivan to get the kids to soccer practice, an SUV for daily driving, or a reliable work truck, having a clear concept of your ideal vehicle will help you fine-tune your choices. It will also help ease the burden of “choice fatigue,” giving you a manageable field of options from which to choose.

Once you have a general vehicle type or style in mind, you can start shopping around for the models that have the features you want. Do you live in an area that experiences harsh weather? Maybe 4-wheel drive is an essential feature for you. Or maybe you’re more concerned with towing capacity, ground clearance because you’re an avid outdoors-person. This is the time to decide which features are most important to you.

Once you’ve selected a group of candidate vehicles, you can narrow your choices further. Say, for example, you’ve decided on a smaller SUV. You may opt to look at pre-owned vehicles such as the Honda Pilot, Nissan Rogue, and Toyota Highlander.  By refining your choices, you give yourself the best chance to get the features you want at a price you can afford.

Find Used Cars in Your Area

By now you should have a solid idea of the vehicle type you want and the features you’d like to have. The next step is to locate a reliable seller. If you don’t feel like cruising car lots for potential deals, try searching online. Sites such as Craigstlist, AutoTrader, AutoList, and CarMax can be the ideal starting point in your search.

Pricing & Financing

Okay, now you can start comparison shopping for cars in your area. Checking the Kelley Blue Book value on your ideal vehicle can give you a good idea of its worth, and what you should expect to pay. Bear in mind that used vehicles can vary greatly in condition. Much depends on how hard the vehicle was driven, how many miles it has accrued, how it was stored, and how well it was maintained. Don’t expect perfection in a pre-owned vehicle. Cosmetic imperfections, for example, may be acceptable if the vehicle has a solid engine, transmission and suspension.

This is also a good time to think about financing for the vehicle. Your budget gave you a ballpark figure, now it’s time to crunch the numbers to determine if the monthly expenses fit within your budget. Also, if you’re planning to obtain outside financing, as from a bank or credit union, you’ll have the exact make and model in mind, so you can make clearer choices.

Get a Vehicle History

Once you have a specific vehicle in mind, check its history using a service like CarFax. This will provide you with a detailed history of the vehicle based on its VIN number. This will let you see if the vehicle has ever had any accidents or major repairs. A vehicle history can expose potential problems or reveal past damage that may affect your purchase.

Negotiate

When it comes to pre-owned vehicles, selling prices are not always etched in stone. Negotiate with the seller based on the vehicle’s condition and features—you may be able to save yourself a few dollars. A private seller may also be more flexible on pricing than a dealership.

Drive the Vehicle

There’s nothing like a test drive to give you a true feel for a vehicle. You can check acceleration and braking, as well as steering and handling. A test drive can tell you if a car has problems too. Be aware of unexpected or unexplained sounds, sluggishness, or poor handling. A test drive also lets you get familiar with the make and model, if it’s new to you. Every vehicle handles a bit differently, so a test drive is a great opportunity to determine whether a candidate  vehicle will become your daily driver.

Complete the Paperwork

You may be eager to get out on the road in your new vehicle, but it’s essential to dot the “i”s and cross the “t”s. Completing your financing paperwork and obtaining proper insurance will help keep you and your ride street legal.

We hope you find these tips helpful. At Main Line Transmissions we value your vehicle. Since 1987, we’ve helped repair, rebuild, and replace transmissions so our clients can get back out on the road. Need a transmission checkup? Come in or call today!