Buying Tips

10 Steps to Buying a Used Car

You will find all the information you need to make an informed decision about what to buy on the Edmunds.com used car pages. The major topics are accessed by clicking the links to the left of the screen that list such information as: prices, standard features, specs and safety, warranties, consumer discussions, photos and video and resale values. A helpful feature is "Car Ratings" which includes a bar graph representing consumer satisfaction with this vehicle. You can also read reviews of the car by current owners.

Another essential part of the used car pages is "Price With Options." Edmunds.com has developed a True Market Value (TMV®) pricing system to act as a guideline when car shopping. By clicking a bar labeled "Customized Appraisal" you can price a used car more accurately. This figure is based upon thousands of similar sales across the country. We will go into more detail about how to use Edmunds.com's TMV later.

One last vital step to getting a great used car deal: you have to run a vehicle history report on any used car you are considering buying. Several companies sell these reports, which are based on the vehicle identification number (VIN), but Carfax seems to be the most comprehensive. You will find out the vital information about the used car including whether or not it has a salvage title (it has been declared a total loss by the insurance company) or evidence to reveal if the odometer has been rolled back. This is also the time to decide if you want a Certified Used Car. If you do, see our story that describes the certified used vehicle programs offered by each manufacturer.