Purchasing a used car can be stressful if you don’t know what you’re doing.  You’re going to find that no matter where you live, you’re going to find that the selection is going to be rather big.   Below is a simple, yet effective guide if you’re looking to get the best car, and price on your next purchase.

Do you want to go with a dealer or private seller? A dealer and private seller both have their advantages, and disadvantages.  A private seller is going to be easier to work with, while a dealership may try to up sell you on other items, which can get annoying.  It’s up to you on who you want to purchase from.

Decide what you want to purchase - If you already know what kind of car you want to get, that’s great.  If you don’t, make sure you know all the details that relate to your car.  Know the MPG, the safety rating, the features it has, etc.  Each car is different, and everyone has their own views on it.

Start your search online - The best place to look for a car is online.  Services like AutoTrader.com, and eBay are both great places to start your search.  Input your information, and look for cars in your area.  When you find one, write down the information.  I will generally write down about 5 – 10 numbers.

Know the value - When you’re looking at the cars, make sure that they are priced right.  Use services like Kelley Blue Book, which is 100% free.  If the seller is pricing above the value, you may want to either ignore it, or see if they will negotiate.  I’ve found with these people that they think they know what it’s worth, and they won’t budget.

Call up the owners - Now that you have that list of 5 – 10 numbers written down, you’ll want to call each one up to set up an appointment.  If the deal is hot enough, you may want to jump on it right away.  You won’t want to over do it with the appointments, but rather limit it to a few a day.

Test drive it - When you get to see the car for the first time, you’ll want to first know what you should look out for when purchasing a car.  Test drive it on the highway, side roads, as well as main roads to get the speeds up.   Some cars may have problems when they reach 60 MPH, etc.

By following this simple guide, you should be able to get yourself on the right track to purchasing the perfect used automobile.  You don’t want to spend too much, and you don’t want to buy a clunker.  Take your time, and see what kind of car you can find, and purchase.