Used car shopping - dos and don'ts

One way to save on the cost of car insurance to buy a used vehicle...and since used vehicles are already less expensive than their brand new counterparts, you save twice—at least. The potential for savings could be even more though, as the opportunity for bargaining is far greater when it comes to purchasing used cars than it is in purchasing new ones. Follow these guidelines when shopping for a used vehicle:

Do check out used car dealers in your area, and find out which ones have good reputations when it comes to the quality of the cars they sell, and the customer satisfaction of their clients.

Don't rush if you can help it. Taking the time to make a well informed decision will be one of the biggest money saving behaviours you engage in.

Do have a friend with knowledge of cars accompany you to look at a privately listed vehicle. Such a friend will have a keen eye for detecting easy-to-miss tell-tale signs of a previous collision, and to spot signs of trouble—both present and future—that an amateur might not catch.

Don't make any decisions without doing a test drive. If a dealer or seller is unwilling to let you test drive the car, take this as a red flag and move on.

Do require a warranty of some sort if purchasing from a dealer.

Don't purchase from any seller who won't allow you to have the vehicle in question inspected.

Do listen to what others have to say. As with most goods and services, word of mouth is invaluable in helping you both to eliminate dishonest dealers, and to focus on the worthwhile ones, so if you know somebody who recently purchased a used car and was happy with their purchase, ask lots of questions about what made that purchase successful.