6 Tips for Buying a Used Car

When it comes to buying a used car, you have to be meticulous in your planning and make sure you take all the right steps. To help used car shoppers in San Diego, Kearny Mesa, and El Cajon prepare for adding a vehicle to their family, our team at Norm Reeves Toyota San Diego has compiled these helpful used car buying tips. After reading these helpful tips, feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. Let’s get started!

1. Determine Your Budget

The first thing you should do when you decide that you want to add a car to the family is to figure out your budget. Before you can do anything else, you need to calculate how much you can afford to pay each month.

One way you can calculate this is by using the 20/4/10 rule. You should make a 20 percent down payment, take out a four-year loan plan, and you should commit to paying no more than 10 percent of your gross income per year on car payments.

2. Know Your Finance Options

Now that you know how much you can spend, it’s time to think about which finance option you’re going to go with. First and foremost is the option to pay out of pocket.

However, it’s much more common to go the route of taking out a loan or leasing the vehicle through the dealership. Depending on your budget, though, you could go a number of ways, so you’ll want to consider all of them.

3. Make a Solid Wish List

Once you figure out how much you can afford to spend, your next move should be to figure out what kind of car you want and what features you need that vehicle to have. Consider your lifestyle and your daily routine and ask yourself what you need to not only accomplish your errands but enjoy the ride, too.

If you commute on a daily basis, you’ll want to consider adding enhanced efficiency and an infotainment system to your wish list. If you have a bigger family or plan to do some moving in the near future, extra cargo space may want to be a top priority.

4. Do Your Research

Buying a used vehicle is a great option. But you should research which type of used car you should get—there are used vehicles and certified pre-owned vehicles. Though they are different in many ways, they both have many benefits.

You’ll also want to do some research on the car or cars you have your eye on. Make sure to get a CARFAX® Vehicle History Report™ and as much history as you can about the vehicle’s past drivers.

5. Take a Test Drive or Two

It should go without saying that you should always test drive a vehicle you’re thinking about buying. We want to emphasize its importance, however, because the test drive can make or break your impression.

A vehicle can have all the features you want but, in practice, can turn out a lot differently than you were expecting. Maybe you thought you wanted a V6 engine, but you realize it doesn’t have enough power once you get behind the wheel.

6. Ask a Professional

One last tip we want to extend to the used car shoppers in San Diego, Kearny Mesa, and El Cajon is to consult with a professional. Make sure you’re getting all the information you need to make this big decision by talking with those who live and breathe cars.

If you’re ready to get started on your used car buying journey today, we’d be thrilled to help! Give us a call at Norm Reeves Toyota San Diego today for more information about our inventory or to set up a time to come to see us!