If you are like me then you don't enjoy the process of buying a used car. I enjoy driving it, but the whole process of bargaining and looking at several cars isn't enjoyable to me. I hate trying to guess whether what the seller is telling me about the car is true or not. Unfortunately we have to drive cars and we all have to buy used cars throughout our lives.



We have all seen the used car ads in the paper for a car that is really cheap. We call the seller to find out that the car has been totaled and has some major problems. Thus the cheap price!

In this case it is quite easy to see that the car is not functioning properly and will cost you a bunch of money in the future. But some cars that are lemons are not that easy to spot. How do you know that you are getting a good deal?

If you suspect that the car you want to buy has been in an accident or has been totaled check the title. It is law in most states for body shops and insurance companies to report it if a car has experienced so much damage that it is totaled or salvaged. If the title is clean and you are still not convinced then keep reading to find out how you can tell if the car is a solid car to buy or not.

The one thing that I see all of the time is over spray on the taillights. This is a sure sign that the car has been repaired and repainted. I don't know why the seller doesn't scrape it off, or buy a new one. I have looked at several cars that the seller swears has never had any damage done to them, yet there is paint on the taillight cover. Do you think that it came out of the factory like that? No way! If the buyer isn't open about a small fender bender to explain the paint then they are hiding a much more serious problem and I wouldn't buy that car.

Another place to look is the lines where two parts of the car come together. For example, you would want to check the crack between the front fender and the hood. If one end of that line is close together and the other end is far apart then you know something is not lining up right. Something has probably been changed and isn't fitting like the original.

In all your investigating don't forget to do the obvious and ask the owner about the car. Many times people selling the car are very honest and will tell you every detail. Remember that you are in control and they have to answer all of your questions. Many times you can tell if they are hiding something by asking some simple questions. If they are hesitant and a little shaky, then walk away. There is a better car just down the road with a seller that will tell you everything that you want to know.

I recently was looking at a used car. I immediately noticed the spray paint on the brake light cover. After that I could much more easily see that this particular fender was a noticeably different color. I asked the seller if the car had been in any accidents. He said, "oh you know nothing major just the normal scrape here and there." Hmmm, I don't know if I believe that response. That is a easy way of not lying, but not telling the whole truth. Needless to say, I didn't buy that car!

Don't be afraid while you are looking at a used car. Stay in control and ask the questions that you want to ask. If the seller gets upset because you are asking several questions then he is more then likely hiding something so beware! Happy car shopping!