Cheap used cars are easy to find if you know where to look. If quality isn't a factor, just look for the lowest price without worrying too much about other details. However, it will also be necessary to check the usage of the used car to make sure it is not only economical, but also safe and operable.
Steps
Step 1. Buy from a junkyard
Automobile junkyards and car wrecks often receive old vehicles. These cars are usually either in poor condition and could not be sold anywhere else, or they are in decent condition but are too old to negotiate. Cars usually get crushed or cannibalized of their parts, but sometimes, junkyards have some cars that have yet to be destroyed.
- Contact a car wrecker in your area to find out if they sell their vehicles to the public, and if so, ask them to come in and take a look. The junkyard will show you the cars they have available or allow you to search for them yourself. Once you've found a car you're interested in, negotiate a price. The price is usually quite low.
- Be prepared to do a lot of work on the machine once it is purchased. Cars bought from junkyards are usually in poor condition and in need of some work.
Step 2. Keep your eyes peeled
At times you will surely have seen cars with "for sale" signs. When you don't need a car, you don't pay attention to these kinds of signals. Look for these cars advertised for sale along the street or in parking lots and driveways. Mark the number you see on the sign. When you call, ask for the price and the use that has been made of the car.
Be aware that buying a car from a private individual may present some risk. It is more difficult to verify whether an individual has been honest about the history of the car, and it is also more difficult to return the car as it turns out to be scrap once it is brought home
Step 3. Ask people you know to shop around
Let your relatives, friends, acquaintances, colleagues and neighbors know that you are looking to buy a cheap used car. Ask them to keep an eye out for cars with a "for sale" sign. A close relative might go so far as to call the number and get the information you need, but even a simple acquaintance or good colleague would be willing to write down a phone number if they see it.
Step 4. Go to a used car dealer
This is, perhaps, the most obvious option. A used car dealer will offer you a good amount of choice and a decently low price. Although used car dealerships have a reputation for scammers, it is possible to find out whether a particular dealer is trustworthy or not by looking for the firm on the Better Business Bureau or local review websites. Regardless of the dealer's reputation, you should also check any dealer's vehicle well before buying it.
Step 5. Check the newspaper
Through your local newspaper you can get in touch with local people who have a used car to sell. Check out the classifieds section to find cars for sale, paying attention to price, brand, and description. Due to the limited characters, the descriptions may be quite sparse, so be prepared to ask for more information when contacting the seller.
If you don't get the newspaper at home, go to the newsagent and buy a copy. If you don't want to buy the newspaper, ask a neighbor or someone you know to save the ads for you
Step 6. Look for free classifieds online
These sites are very similar to newspaper ads with the exception that there are no character limits. This means that you should look for an ad that divulges more information rather than less information. Generally speaking, the more informative an ad is, the less the seller proves to be hiding something.
Look for ads that also have photographs. As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." You may not know everything there is to know about a car simply from a photo, but you can learn a lot
Step 7. Search an online auction site
You can search for a certain make or model while browsing for used cars on an online auction site, or you can simply search for used cars by category. You can also specify the minimum and maximum price you are willing to pay. Unless you can select the area where the vehicle is located, you run the risk of finding a car on the other side of the country, which can make buying excessively difficult.
Step 8. Visit a site that specializes in the used car trade
A quick Internet search for "used cars" or "buy used cars," using your favorite search engine will return numerous websites specializing in the used car trade. Many of these sites allow sellers to post ads while retaining ownership of the car, but a handful of these sites sell cars they bought from other sellers.
- Before buying from either type, find out what policies the site has in place to protect the buyer, and also look for third-party reviews about the site's trustworthiness.
- Search using a website that provides the vehicle usage report. In addition to looking for a specific car on the website, you can usually search local dealerships. By searching through a site that lists the history of the vehicle, you can access the announcement of the car for sale and its history in one step instead of two.
Advice
- Prepare a list of questions you want to ask before visiting a dealer. At a minimum, you should understand if the car has a history of past accidents or problems.
- Set a budget before you go shopping. Having a budget in mind before negotiating will help you focus on the cars you can afford. Knowing what you can afford can also help you find a higher quality car, since you won't be pushed to buy the cheapest vehicle available.
- Find out about the history of the car before buying it. A vehicle history report lists any accidents or major mechanical work done on the car. Since websites that provide vehicle history reports do not profit from the sale of the car, they are likely to be accurate and honest about a dealer's or seller's car history. You can search for vehicle history by visiting a vehicle history site and typing in the vehicle's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
