The Used Car Buyer's Manual II:

How to Get the Best Buy on a Private-Party Sale

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Part I: How to Buy a Used Car from a Private-Party

Chapter 1: Research 13
1. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly 13
2. Used Car Classifications 14
3. Options to Consider 15
4. Best Used Car Bets 16
5. The Library 18
6. The Blue Book 19
7. Recall Information 20
8. Resale Value 20
9. The Phone Book 21
10. Word of Mouth 22
11. Selecting a Mechanic 23
12. Scan the Ads 23
13. Financing 26
14. Auto Insurance 28

Chapter 2: The Search 29
15. Are You Ready? 29
16. Interpreting an Ad 30
17. Questions to Ask 30
18. Get an Appointment 35
19. Excuses, Excuses 36
20. Cars with Out-of-State Plates 37
21. City Miles Vs. Freeway Miles 38
22. Don't be Hasty 38
23. Dangling Carrots 39

Chapter 3: Checking Out the Beast 41
24. Some Firsthand Tips 41
25. A Word About Color 42
26. How to Check for Body Damage from an Accident 43
27. How to Check for Body Damage from Rust 46
28. Tires and Suspension 48
29. Fluids to Check 49
30. Check Air Filter, Belts, and Hoses 50
31. Things to Leak Out For 51
32. California Emissions 53
33. The Tail Pipe 54
34. Check the Glass 54
35. About Sunroofs 54
36. Interior 55
37. Luggage Compartment 56
38. Flood Cars 57

Chapter 4: The Test Drive 59
39. Listen with Your Ears 59
40. Check the Brakes 61
41. About Brake Noises 61
42. Check the Alignment 62
43. Check the Transmission 62
44. The Open Road 63
45. About Receipts 64
46. The Character Thing 65
47. A Waste of Time and Money? 66
48. Going to Your Mechanic 67
49. Double Check for Recalls 68

Chapter 5: Negotiating 71
50. Phase 1: Preconditioning 72
51. Phase 2: Negotiating Before the Mechanic's Inspection 73
52. Phase 3: Negotiating After the Mechanic's Inspection 76
53. Emotion Control 78
54. Other Negotiation Tips 79
55. Transfer of Vehicle Ownership 80
56. Salvage Titles 82

Part II: How to Sell Your Used Car

Chapter 6: Selling Your Used Car 85
57. Prepping Your Car for Sale 86
58. The Lazy Person's Way 87
69. The Person-with-a-lot-of-Energy Way 87
60. California Residents Only 88
61. Asking Price 88
62. Advertising 89
63. The Phone Calls 91
64. The Appointment 92
65. Negotiating 94
66. A Few Last Tips 96

Part III: Caring for Your Used Car

Chapter 7: Car Care 101
67. Your Owner's Manual 101
68. About Oil 103
69. Oil Burners 104
70. Other Fluid Concerns 105
71. Lube Centers 106
72. Tires 106
73. Engine Ping and Gasoline 107
74. Tune-Up 108
75. Repair Fraud 109
76. Engine Warm-Up 109
77. Car Care Tips 110

Appendix A: Directory of Reliable Used Cars 116
Appendix B: Vehicle Inspection Checklist 118