How to avoid scams when buying a used car

From online to in-store to over the phone, there are all kinds of ways to make a purchase from a used car. But every step is fraught with danger. For new car buyers, having a used car is a great thing, says Joseph Minichino, who teaches a class on purchasing a used car at the University of New Haven. But for a used car, you have to be very careful.

Minichino’s caution comes from personal experience, having run into some of the not-so-small issues that plague used car buyers. He says many people get turned off by the safety of a used car, but he doesn’t buy it, either. Safety is a real issue in used cars, he says. You have to be very careful.

Buyers are warned about a host of issues that can affect a car, says Joe Talacchi, president and CEO of Cars.com. These range from maintenance costs and air-bag defects to a car’s interior or exterior and whether it is driving- or starting-ready. Buying a used cars in phoenix is a long game. “It could take five to six months to a year before it is completely covered.”

Buying a used car is different from buying a new car, even one that is certified pre-owned  or certified new. And while used car dealers are reluctant to sell used cars that aren’t certified, used car shoppers shouldn’t expect the certification process to guarantee the quality of a used car.

If there are any safety issues in the car, they can’t be fixed by simply inspecting it, says Minichino. If the problem is safety related, you can’t fix it in the inspection period. You have to take it to a service center.

Experts say the most important factor in buying a used car is price. It’s not a matter of if a used car will cost more than a new car, but when. And when it comes to used cars, sometimes the price difference is substantial.

They are cheaper, says Minichino. But they aren’t necessarily going to be cheaper or have the reliability and performance of a new car.

“You’re not going to get a new car for half the price,” says Tony Bailey, vice president of pricing and analysis at Edmunds.com, an online marketplace that sells used cars