Anytime Adviser—Used Car Buying Coach
Resources
Consumer Reports is published monthly by Consumers Union. The April
issue of the magazine and the annual buying guides offer reliability rankings. Like
your credit union, Consumer Union is a nonprofit organization. As such, it
offers unbiased information.
The Used Car Book ranks models from the past 10 years, including
complaints, repair costs, fuel economy, and crash test results.
Check It Out: How to
Inspect a Used Car is a 30-minute
video that demonstrates how to fully inspect a car. Recommended for those
somewhat familiar with the workings of an automobile.
You can spend days online
and find still more sites about buying cars. The ones listed here are some of
the easiest and most complete information resources. Remember, though, most Web
sites are supported by advertising—try not to let yourself be sold using an
emotional appeal, especially at manufacturers' sites.
Fueleconomy.gov is maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Here you can check fuel economy and green house emissions. It also has
information about hybrid fuel vehicles.
Hwysafety.org If safety is at the top of your list, check this
site funded wholly by auto insurers. You’ll see how vehicles fared in 40 m.p.h.
crashes.
Nhtsa.gov, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, also will show you the safety rating of each model, based on
how likely crash-test dummies were to sustain injury in a collision, but at 30
m.p.h.
Consumerreports.org is the Web site for the magazine. If offers a
used-car price service for a fee.
Carfax4CU.com offers vehicle history reports for a fee
(discounted for credit union members). You’ll need the vehicle identification
number (VIN) found on the driver’s dashboard. The report will indicate if the car
has a clear title or if the car has been salvaged, flooded, or rebuilt.
Edmunds.com Run by the well-known automotive publishing firm,
this is one of the broadest and in-depth sources of online information. While
it's not as popular as Kelley Blue Book (KBB.com), viewers rate it more
helpful. Calculate the "True Market Value" price, which shows you
what cars have been selling for in your region, with options right down to the
color and mileage. You'll find reviews of models. And in the town hall,
consumers share their rants and raves.
KBB.com Run by Kelley Blue Book (another car book
publisher), this is one of the most popular sites. For used cars, note that
Kelley gives the average retail (what a dealer or private party is likely to
ask) rather than the average selling price.
Any car manufacturer name
plus ".com" should get you detailed information on a specific model.
Complete Car Cost Work Sheet
Fill in
your own estimates for each vehicle you are considering. Since insurance
premiums vary considerably, call an insurance agent for estimates.
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|
Monthly cost |
Monthly cost |
Monthly cost |
|
Vehicle
make & model |
Sample |
|
|
Loan payment
|
$280 |
|
|
|
State
tags/licensing |
$5 |
|
|
|
Gas
|
$65 |
|
|
|
Oil
changes (quarterly) |
$10 |
|
|
|
Maintenance |
$25 |
|
|
|
Repairs
|
$30 |
|
|
|
Insurance |
$110 |
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Other |
$0 |
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TOTAL |
$525 |
|
|
Used-Car Priority Work Sheet
Why are there so many different vehicles, with so many different features?
Mostly, it's about choice. What appeals to one person is totally insignificant
to another. For each characteristic, fill in the quality you’re seeking and how
important it is to you using this scale:
0 = Not important 2 = Very important
1 = Fairly important 3 = MUST have
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Category |
Desired features |
How important? |
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Overall |
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Type (car, pick-up, SUV, van) |
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Manufacturer or dealer warranty (1 yr, 2 yr, 3 yr) |
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Manufacturer |
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Style (2-dr, 4-dr, hatchback) |
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Maximum odometer reading |
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Model-year range |
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Color |
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Body free of dings or dents |
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Sunroof |
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Performance |
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Fuel economy (10mpg, 20mpg, 30+mpg) |
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Horsepower |
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Rated as reliable |
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Handles well on highway |
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4-wheel drive |
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Safety |
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Lap/shoulder seat belt |
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Driver air bag |
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Passenger/side air bag |
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Antilock brakes |
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Rated as safe in crash tests |
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Daytime running lights |
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Interior |
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Comfortable seats |
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Interior (vinyl, cloth, or leather) |
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A/C |
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Stereo/tape/CD |
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Comfortable/quiet ride |
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Pricing
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Maximum sales price |
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Low insurance premiums |
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Other |
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Used-Car
Description Checklist
Customize this work sheet by adding the top
features you’re looking for in a used-car. Then complete the column for each
vehicle that you call for details. If you opt to see and test drive the car,
enter information on the suggested retail price for this vehicle. You’ll find
this information in your library or online.
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Owner |
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Phone
# |
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Manufacturer |
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Model |
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Vehicle
I.D. (VIN) |
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Auto
or man. trans. |
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Engine
size |
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Mileage |
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Asking
price |
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Any
current offers on this vehicle? |
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Exterior
color |
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Interior
color |
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Interior
type (cloth/ vinyl/leather) |
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Accidents
or repairs |
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Condition
of body (dents, dings, rust) |
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Radio/stereo
specifics |
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Ownership
history (one owner, fleet car, leased,
trade, auction?) |
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Priorities |
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Before test driving, find the current retail
value of this vehicle and the loan value |
|
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Used-Car Test Drive Checklist
Print this checklist, grab a flashlight, a magnet, a rag, and a pencil, and you're ready to inspect.
Vehicle:
_____________________
Under
the hood
|
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Leaks |
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Fluid levels |
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Oil (should be light brown) |
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Antifreeze (should be green) |
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Power steering (should be clear) |
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Transmission (should be red) |
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Belts (check for cracks) |
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Hoses (should be firm, not soft or hard) |
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Battery and connections |
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Electrical connections and wiring |
|
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Old oil buildup or sludge inside the valve cover--where the oil filler
cap is (signs of neglect) |
Under
the vehicle
|
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Leaks |
|
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Undercarriage for damage |
|
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Exhaust system |
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Tires for uneven wear |
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Loose parts hanging from body |
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Rear suspension for leaks |
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Rust on body |
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CV boots (corrugated rubber boots, usually black) that surround the CV
joints on front-wheel drive vehicles |
Body/chassis
|
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Operation of hood, doors, door glass, all latches, and keys |
|
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Exterior body paint (look for overspread on weather strips, molding
around windshield, rear glass, inside fenders, near hood or truck lid, rear
panels, and door handles) |
|
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Vehicle's body for waviness, irregularities on both sides |
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Magnet check on panels (if doesn’t stick, panel is not metal—may have
been repaired) |
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Mismatched colors and uneven textures |
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Poorly fitted panels that suggest body repairs |
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All lights, headlamps, taillights, turn signals, brake lights, back-up
lights, and license plate tag lights |
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Spare tire, jack, and tools |
|
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Water or water damage in trunk |
Interior
|
|
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Seats,
door panels, headliner, rugs, and mats |
|
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Seat
belts, front and rear |
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Door
locks, power windows, and power seats |
|
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Radio,
tape player, or compact disk player |
|
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Horn
and steering column |
|
|
Windshield
wiper and automatic fluid |
|
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Dash
lights, interior lights, and everything you can get your hands on |
Before starting the engine
|
|
|
|
Stand
behind the vehicle and look for smoke |
|
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Barely
visible (just a little white is normal) |
|
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Blue
smoke indicates burning oil |
|
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Black
smoke indicates engine too rich (too much fuel) |
|
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Heavy,
white smoke indicates a blown head gasket or cracked head |
Test drive
|
|
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On
your test drive, find some rough pavement, go over a few bumps and listen for
rattles, squeaks, and loose suspension. |
|
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Test
to see if car pulls to one side or the other (sudden veering may indicate car
needs front-end alignment). |
|
|
(Front
wheel drive only) Find an empty parking lot and turn sharply to the right and
left in a tight circle and listen for knocking sounds (may need CV joints). |
|
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Brake
performance: Brakes should stop smoothly and quietly (no squeaks or
pulsations or pulling from one side to the other). |
|
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Brake
pedal should feel firm--not spongy. |
|
|
Try
the air conditioner and the heater to make sure they work. |
|
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Engine
performance: Engine should run smoothly and quietly. Listen for pings,
rattles, knocks, grinds, vibrations, squeals, engine hesitation, or stumbles
on acceleration. |
|
|
Transmission
performance: An automatic transmission should shift smoothly without jerking,
slipping, or hesitation on upshift. With a manual transmission shift gears
and listen. A grinding sound may indicate needed clutch plate or internal
repairs. |
Complete Car Cost Expectations Work Sheet
Fill in
your own estimates for each vehicle you are considering, and decide who is responsible
for each expense. Since insurance premiums vary considerably, call an insurance
agent for estimates.
|
|
Monthly cost |
Monthly cost |
Who pays? |
|
Vehicle
make & model |
Sample |
|
|
Loan payment
|
$280 |
|
|
|
State
tags/licensing |
$5 |
|
|
|
Gas
|
$65 |
|
|
|
Oil
changes (quarterly) |
$10 |
|
|
|
Maintenance |
$25 |
|
|
|
Repairs
|
$30 |
|
|
|
Insurance |
$110 |
|
|
|
Other |
$0 |
|
|
|
TOTAL |
$525 |
|
|
Used-Car Priority/Agreement Work Sheet
Why are there so many different vehicles, with so many different
features? Mostly, it's about choice. What appeals to one person is totally insignificant
to another. For each characteristic, fill in the quality you’re seeking and how
important it is to you using this scale. Discuss your priorities, reach
agreement, and circle your agreed-upon priorities.
0 = Not important 2 = Very important
1 = Fairly important 3 = MUST have
|
Category |
Parent’s choice |
Rate |
Teen’s choice |
Rate |
|
Overall |
|
|||
|
Type (car, pick-up, SUV, van) |
|
|
|
|
|
Manufacturer or dealer warranty (1 yr, 2 yr, 3
yr) |
|
|
|
|
|
Manufacturer |
|
|
|
|
|
Style (2-dr, 4-dr, hatchback) |
|
|
|
|
|
Maximum odometer reading |
|
|
|
|
|
Model-year range |
|
|
|
|
|
Color |
|
|
|
|
|
Body free of dings or dents |
|
|
|
|
|
Sunroof |
|
|
|
|
|
Performance |
|
|||
|
Fuel economy (10mpg, 20mpg, 30+mpg) |
|
|
|
|
|
Horsepower |
|
|
|
|
|
Rated as reliable |
|
|
|
|
|
Handles well on highway |
|
|
|
|
|
4-wheel drive |
|
|
|
|
|
Safety |
|
|||
|
Lap/shoulder seat belt |
|
|
|
|
|
Driver air bag |
|
|
|
|
|
Passenger/side air bag |
|
|
|
|
|
Antilock brakes |
|
|
|
|
|
Rated as safe in crash tests |
|
|
|
|
|
Daytime running lights |
|
|
|
|
|
Interior |
|
|||
|
Comfortable seats |
|
|
|
|
|
Interior (vinyl, cloth, or leather) |
|
|
|
|
|
A/C |
|
|
|
|
|
Stereo/tape/CD |
|
|
|
|
|
Comfortable/quiet ride |
|
|
|
|
|
Pricing
|
|
|||
|
Maximum sales price |
|
|
|
|
|
Low insurance premiums |
|
|
|
|
|
Other |
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anytime Adviser--Used Car Buying Coach