# How to Buy a Used Car Without Getting Screwed

Buying a used car can be a daunting task, especially when dealing with private sellers on Craigslist. However, with the right knowledge and preparation, you can avoid common pitfalls and drive away in your dream car without breaking the bank.

## Before You Start Your Search

Most of the important stuff should be in the ad, but before you go look at the car, call the owner and ask them about leaks, weird vibrations or noises. Do they have a pink slip? Has the car been smoked in? Do they use the car to haul around dogs? Dogs are nice, but they don't give a [expletive] about your interior.

## Gathering Essential Information

Get the VIN number and run a Carfax report. Verify the mileage and find out where the car has lived its whole life. Has it been in any accidents? Has it passed state inspection recently? Does it have a clean title?

Carfax never lies, sometimes sellers do time to go look at the car. Bring tools: a jack, two jack stands, a screwdriver, and a flashlight. Print out a bill of sale from the DMV website, just in case you decide to buy.

## Inspecting the Car

Say what's up to the owner, shake their hand, be normal, point out any dents and scratches. Look at the condition of the tires, check the brakes, do the pads and rotors look thin? Do they look grooved like a record? Then they're broken.

Check out the engine: check the oil level, check the brake fluid level in color, check the coolant hoses, check the belts. Is it leaking? Ask the owner if you can jack up the car; it's not weird, it's normal to use two jack stands for safety and climb under there and poke around.

Look for cracks in the subframe, look for welds on the frame: those things mean it's been in an accident and it's broken. Look at the CV boots, look at the ball joints: are they cracked or torn? Then they're broken.

## Testing the Car

Check out the engine again: if you hear a bunch of rattling, it's broken. Get out from under the car and check out the interior: are the windows broken? Is the AC broken? How about the radio? Is that broken? Touch all the surfaces, push all the buttons, jiggle stuff; is anything broken?

Look at the dash lights, check engine, ABS airbag: if a light is on, then something's broken. Feel the brake pedal; does it feel spongy? Does it hit the floor? Then it's broken.

## Time for a Test Drive

If the owner is riding along with you, tell them to shut up; you need to pay attention to the car! Look listen and feel everything the car is telling you. Become one with the car, turn it slalom style back and forth; don't crash it, but go kind of hard.

Feel for vibrations in the wheel and suspension: do you feel like you're on a boat? Then your shocks and springs are broken. Put the car in a high gear and press the gas; does the engine rev really high without gaining speed? The clutch is broken.

## Making an Offer

Add up all the broken stuff you found in your head; are you willing to fix it or not fix it and just live with it? Yes, cool! It's time to make an offer. Go through the broken stuff list with the owner, feel them out, be chill, point out all the dents again.

Always start low, negotiate back and forth, see if you can meet somewhere in the middle. Never be afraid to walk away or sleep on it; it's not rude, it's normal. Did you buy it? Cool! Make sure you get keys and a signed title. Have the owner fill out your bill of sale.

Congratulations, you've bought a used car without getting screwed.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: endon't get screwed buying a used car don't get screwed buying a used car so you found your dream car on Craigslist most of the important stuff should be in the ad but before you go look at the car call the owner ask them about leaks weird vibrations or noises do they have a pink slip has the car been smoked in do they use the car to haul around dogs dogs are nice but they don't give a about your interior get the VIN number run a Carfax report verify the mileage find out where the car has lived its whole life has it been in any accidents has it passed state inspection recently does it have a clean title Carfax never lies sometimes sellers do time to go look at the car bring tools a jack two jack stands a screwdriver a flashlight print out a bill of sale from the DMV website just in case you decide to buy say what's up to the owner shake the owner's hand be normal point out any dents and scratches look at the condition of the tires look at the brakes do the pads and rotors look thin do they look grooved like a record then they're broken now check out the engine check the oil level check brake fluid level in color check the coolant hoses check the belts is it leaking find out what's leaking ask the owner if you can jack up the car it's not weird it's normal use two jack stands for safety and climb under there and poke around look for cracks in the subframe look for welds on the frame those things mean it's been in an accident and it's broken look at the CV boots look at the ball joints are they cracked or torn then they're broken look at the shocks if they're covered in Grime it's a good sign that they're broken bang on the catalytic converter if you hear a bunch of rattling it's broken get out from under the car check out the interior are the windows broken is the AC broken is the sunroof broken how about the radio is that broken touch all the surfaces push all the buttons jiggle stuff is anything broken look at the dash lights check engine ABS airbag if a light is on then something's broken feel the brake pedal does it feel spongy does it hit the floor then it's broken do still like the car cool time for a test drive if the owner is riding along with you tell them to shut up you need to pay attention to the car look listen and feel everything the car is telling you become one with the car turn it slalom style back and forth don't crash it but go kind of hard feel for vibrations in the wheel and suspension hit a few bumps do you feel like you're on a boat then your shocks and springs are broken put it in a high gear and press the gas does the engine rev really high without gaining speed the clutch is broken Envision yourself driving driving the car are you excited about the car add up all the broken stuff you found in your head are you willing to fix it or not fix it and just live with it yes cool it's time to make an offer go through the broken stuff list with the owner feel them out be chill point out all the dents again always start low negotiate back and forth and see if you can meet somewhere in the middle never be afraid to walk away or sleep on it it's not rude it's normal did you buy it cool make sure you get keys a signed title have the owner fill out your bill of sale congrats ulations you just bought a used car without getting screwed scw buying a used car don't get screwed buying a used car we're Lamborghini Queen Lamborghini Queen Lamborghini Queendon't get screwed buying a used car don't get screwed buying a used car so you found your dream car on Craigslist most of the important stuff should be in the ad but before you go look at the car call the owner ask them about leaks weird vibrations or noises do they have a pink slip has the car been smoked in do they use the car to haul around dogs dogs are nice but they don't give a about your interior get the VIN number run a Carfax report verify the mileage find out where the car has lived its whole life has it been in any accidents has it passed state inspection recently does it have a clean title Carfax never lies sometimes sellers do time to go look at the car bring tools a jack two jack stands a screwdriver a flashlight print out a bill of sale from the DMV website just in case you decide to buy say what's up to the owner shake the owner's hand be normal point out any dents and scratches look at the condition of the tires look at the brakes do the pads and rotors look thin do they look grooved like a record then they're broken now check out the engine check the oil level check brake fluid level in color check the coolant hoses check the belts is it leaking find out what's leaking ask the owner if you can jack up the car it's not weird it's normal use two jack stands for safety and climb under there and poke around look for cracks in the subframe look for welds on the frame those things mean it's been in an accident and it's broken look at the CV boots look at the ball joints are they cracked or torn then they're broken look at the shocks if they're covered in Grime it's a good sign that they're broken bang on the catalytic converter if you hear a bunch of rattling it's broken get out from under the car check out the interior are the windows broken is the AC broken is the sunroof broken how about the radio is that broken touch all the surfaces push all the buttons jiggle stuff is anything broken look at the dash lights check engine ABS airbag if a light is on then something's broken feel the brake pedal does it feel spongy does it hit the floor then it's broken do still like the car cool time for a test drive if the owner is riding along with you tell them to shut up you need to pay attention to the car look listen and feel everything the car is telling you become one with the car turn it slalom style back and forth don't crash it but go kind of hard feel for vibrations in the wheel and suspension hit a few bumps do you feel like you're on a boat then your shocks and springs are broken put it in a high gear and press the gas does the engine rev really high without gaining speed the clutch is broken Envision yourself driving driving the car are you excited about the car add up all the broken stuff you found in your head are you willing to fix it or not fix it and just live with it yes cool it's time to make an offer go through the broken stuff list with the owner feel them out be chill point out all the dents again always start low negotiate back and forth and see if you can meet somewhere in the middle never be afraid to walk away or sleep on it it's not rude it's normal did you buy it cool make sure you get keys a signed title have the owner fill out your bill of sale congrats ulations you just bought a used car without getting screwed scw buying a used car don't get screwed buying a used car we're Lamborghini Queen Lamborghini Queen Lamborghini Queen