Tips for buying a used car?

Esteban Lyson: Tip one Have any vehicle you are considering buying checked by your own qualified mechanic prior to purchase This is done at your expenseTip two Have any vehicle you are considering buying checked by your own qualified mechanic prior to purchase This is done at your expenseTip Three Have any vehicle you are considering buying checked by your own qualified mechanic prior to purchase This is done at your expenseTip four Compare the name(s) on the title with the seller(s) ID. Only buy from the titled owner, not someone selling a car with a blank signed title. Do not believe any story about them selling the car for a friend or relativeWith your price range, mechanical condition is more important that appearance....Show more

Barton Slisz: Wrap your finger in a paper towel and rub it inside the tailpipe. If it is black or gunky, avoid it.

Lu Snide: Unless you have a good friend who can work on cars or a friend or family member that you trust se! lling a cheap car, you should probably NOT buy a $1200 car.Chances are not good that you get something reliable for that small an amount even if you took a 30 minute test drive and later had a mechanic check it before buying it.I dealt in low end cars for 12 years way back when. I could occasionally get decent cars for that amount, but that was 15-25 years ago and there was no guarantee.And if I paid $1000-1200, I sold for $1750-1995. So the chances of you getting a decent car for $1200 are low.Use uber for 6 months.That said, 17 months ago, I sold my old Buick Century for $1595. It was a 94 model. It has 89,000 actual miles, a cracked windshield and the AC was broken. Otherwise it was a good car and something like that would be ideal. But they are few & far between. Even for $1600....Show more

Mel Crapo: You'll be lucky to find a vehicle that is even road worthy for $1200. You will have to spend at least double that to find a car this is not falling apart or has ma! jor problems.