Used Car Online Shopping

From LoveToKnow Online

You can shop for just about anything online; you can even go used car online shopping. All you need is knowledge of where to find them, a quick reference guide for determining if the seller is asking too much, and the ability to check the car's history. As a bonus, you can even check the car against other similar models in a side-by-side comparison, making sure you get the car with the features that matter most to you.

Going Used Car Online Shopping

Yes, it is possible. You can browse ads, compare models, and do a lot of the typical footwork without ever leaving your computer. In some cases, you can even pay for it online.

Available Sites
  • eBay allows you to place bids on cars just as you can with smaller items. You can get great deals on high-end models. As a buyer, you can generally choose to pick up the car or have it delivered, so you can purchase a car from any location without wondering how you'll go get it if you have the winning bid. Make sure that you check the VIN before bidding.
  • Car Classifieds by State makes it very easy to find a used car in your area. It gives you the ability to inspect a potential purchase before buying and driving it home. Start with your state, then choose your county, your city, and the make and model of the car you're searching for.
  • Auto Trader allows you to do your used car online shopping, too. Search by make, model, zip code, and the years you're considering. You can also search by price range or by type (in case you only want to see convertibles, for example).

What the Car Is Worth

Before you make an offer, you need to know what the car is worth. This will be a definite bargaining point. Also, there's no need to go into such a large purchase blindfolded when you can just as easily find pricing information online as you found the car ad. To find out what you should probably expect to pay for a used car from any given year, visit Kelley Blue Book. On that site, you can choose your potential new car's year, make, and model. You can see the trade-in value, private party value, and suggested retail value for each type of car. You will probably be most concerned with the private party value and suggested retail value.

Check the VIN

Before making an offer on a used vehicle, it is imperative to know its history. Has it been in an accident? Is it a lemon? Once you know the VIN, take it to Carfax.com. The report is not free, but you can view a sample report to see exactly the sort of information you're paying for and the security it can provide.

Comparing the Car to Similar Models

There are a few sites that offer side-by-side comparisons of cars. If you've found a potential winner online, but you aren't sure it's the exact car for you, try these sites:

  • MSN's auto comparison site first asks you to select one car and gives you a blurb about the car you've chosen. It then gives you a list of years to choose from to get more detailed information about the car you've selected during any given year. You'll get the Kelley Blue Book value as well as reviews from experts and users. Simply click the Compare link in the listing that matches the car you're interested in buying to view competitors side-by-side. You'll see their gas mileage, how many people the car will seat, horsepower, and more.
  • If you simply want to compare gas mileage and how your potential car will affect the environment, you can visit FuelEconomy.gov. This will list the city and highway mileage, plus it gives you an estimated annual fuel cost, air pollution score, and carbon footprint.
  • Autobytel.com lets you select the two cars you're considering from dropdown menus. Then you can compare them based on satisfaction ratings, fuel efficiency, convenience features, performance, and more. The downside to this site is that it only allows you to choose from two years, so if you're looking for an older car, this site won't help you make a decision. You can, however, search used car inventory there.

With the convenience of online shopping and the wealth of information available with just a few clicks, you'll soon be hitting the road in your new vehicle.

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