Buying a used car is quite an experience. The person who is planning to purchase a used car should have some knowledge about the cars, their value and negotiating skills to strike a deal as otherwise he or she will be taken for a ride by the used car dealers and other private car sellers. Buying a used car makes the buyer save lot of money as any car that grows older has a higher depreciation value even in a good condition. Also, the person can go for his dream car with a better performance and, safety features for a rock bottom price. Doing a little bit of research and checking with lot of car dealers will enable the purchaser buy a used car with the best deal possible. Used cars can be bought from either car dealers or direct from the owners or from auctions made by government firms, or from police car auctions or repossessed cars can be bought from financial institutions.

It is good to buy used car from a car dealer or person who has good reputation and brand image in the automobile industry. There are many kinds of sources from which a used car can be purchased. All the avenues should be checked in order to strike the best deal.

If the purchaser is very particular in getting a car of his choice, the car dealer can be informed about the required features of the car, make, model, color and willingness to pay to get a car of his choice. This will make the search easier for both the car dealer and the purchaser. The working condition of the used car which is being purchased cannot be known just by seeing the car. It needs to be test driven to get the feel of the performance of the car on various road conditions and traffic. The maintenance record of the used car needs to be checked thoroughly. If it is not available it can be got from the place where it is usually repaired or maintained to find any discrepancies.

If the purchaser does not have enough knowledge about cars, help from a mechanic or person with sound knowledge on cars can be taken to inspect the car while purchasing a used car. Internet is a good source of information regarding used cars and help from people who have purchased used cars can be asked for guidance on making the best deal. The best tips are that the car is not purchased on the same day of enquiry.

Enough time should be taken to look around for best used cars and also negotiations will only happen if the purchaser shows interest in buying and keeping the decision open for some time. It is not advised to ask for a monthly payment plan for buying the used car, as many dealers make up the cost and will give a very attractive plan but the buyer may end up with huge costs on purchasing the car. The interest rates they charge, the term for repaying the amount, all kinds of fees and the overall cost can all be manipulated. Hence all the details possible should be gathered and checked to find out how much it would cost at the end of the purchase.

N. Sai is an expert in dealing with automobile related matters. He has contributed several informative articles on topics such as used cars and auto loan to webguides - http://www.getbestcars.com and http://www.autoloanguide.info