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1. Set mileage limits! The ability to gauge how many miles is too many on a used vehicle is necessary because cars are only as good as their previous owners treated them. A 10 year old car with 100,000 to 150,000 miles is a good bet, seeing as how cars are estimated to be driven 15,000 miles per year. Used automobiles at or around 200,000 miles can be diamonds in the rough, but it is HIGHLY likely you are going to spend some money replacing some key components soon, so use caution. However any car over 300,000 miles is guaranteed to have problems. Keep your money and avoid this death trap at all costs!

2. Walk away if you hear... "We just replaced the heads!", "The car was overheating!", "I think the heads are cracked!", "I do not have the title, but I have a bill of sale!", "You're gonna need a tow truck because it does not run!", "I have no idea why It will not start and I don't care!", "It won't go in reverse!", "It needs a timing belt!", and any car problem involving the word "Transmission". Unless your a seasoned mechanic or related to one and your getting a steal, do not even waste your time on this inevitable fiberglass and steel disappointment. This car is a ticking time bomb. So walk away... quickly!



3. Do a walk-a-round, inside & out inspection. Open all the doors, hood and trunk, check if the windows work, check the tires for tread and check the wheels for all of the lug nuts, look for leaking fluids under the vehicle (oil, anti-freeze, etc.), gas cap, air filter, working AC and heat, check for working head and tail lights, windshield wipers, reverse lights, mirrors, working in-dash gauges, seat belts, a spare tire & a jack, etc., Everything! Everything that you can list and check off, do it! Some of http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Pickup+Truck these may seem trivial, but the more you know about what your buying means you can make a more informed decision before you buy.

4. Test drive, test drive test drive! Never buy a car (used or otherwise) unless you can test drive it! There are a privileged few (myself included) who can spot a lemon from a mile away. But just assume that you can not tell if a car sucks or if it is a winner just by looking at it. Make sure you take it for a spin. Bring a friend (a mechanically inclined friend preferred) to drive it as well to get a second opinion because two heads are always better than one. Listen for odd engine noises, smoke coming from the tail pipe or under the hood, steering issues, and other problems. The test drive will either be love at 1st sight or a date from hell... Go with you gut feeling on buying a car and not your need to have one so badly. Or just go home and sleep on it if your uncertain...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49OhrMSwOnM

5. Leave yourself enough money to do miscellaneous maintenance. After buying a used car, its always a good idea to buy new tires (with http://www.vestalautos.com/car-news/