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by: WarrenScott
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When in the used car market there are many people trying to sell bad cars to good people. They might be a used car dealership, or just someone trying to get rid of their present car. I know that in a perfect world we would all buy new cars, but this just isn't feasible for most of us. So we must be careful when we are preparing to buy that next used car. You most definitely don't want to get a lemon.

I can remember the first time I saw a car driving down the road and it was pointed one way, but going another. I was a little boy and I thought what is wrong with that car? My father went on to explain how the frame had been damaged, and that the car was dangerous to drive.

Unfortunately the seller is not always honest about the history of the car. How can we tell if the car has been totaled in the past? How can we be sure that the seller is telling the truth? This can be a little tricky! But it is not impossible to outsmart the seller and get a good deal in the process.

If you suspect that the car you want to buy has been in an accident or has been totaled check the title. It is law in most states for body shops and insurance companies to report it if a car has experienced so much damage that it is totaled or salvaged. If the title is clean and you are still not convinced then keep reading to find out how you can tell if the car is a solid car to buy or not.

The most obvious signs of a repair on a car are the light covers. I have seen this a million times! If there is paint on the taillight cover then the car has been in some kind of accident for sure. How do I know? Because they had to repaint that piece of the car, and some of it got on the taillight. This might not be a big deal but if the seller won't admit to a "small" fender bender then he might be hiding a much bigger accident and much more serious damage to the car.

Another trick you can use is to check out the gaps between two pieces of the cars body. Check the gaps where the door closes and meets with the frame work. If the gap is consistent then the car is sitting pretty straight! If one end is much wider then the other, then you more then likely have a repair that isn't fitting right. Beware!

Of course we don't want to overlook the obvious, ask the owner! Many times people are honest people trying to sell their car and will be completely honest about the cars history. Remember that not everybody out there is trying to steal and cheat you. In fact a minor fender bender is quite common and if the owner tells me this straight away I trust them and would probably proceed further to consider buying the car. If they aren't straight forward and their answers are questionable I would maybe keep looking!

I was in the market for an SUV last year. I had looked at a few and had started to get tired of the process. As I began looking at another one I noticed that this particular vehicle had a lot of scratches, and it didn't seem to have been taken good care of. I walked around the car and noticed paint on the taillight. I didn't tell the seller that I saw it, but I asked if there had been any fender benders that they had to repair. He replied that nothing out of the ordinary accident that we all experience. I didn't pressure him any further. I didn't like the car anyway. But if I did, he would have had to have given me a more detailed answer to his occasional accidents.

Buying a used car can be a fun experience. Even though it is not new, it is still a new car to you! But you do need to take some precautions and make sure that you get a good deal on your car. There is nothing worse then owning a car for a few months and then finding out there are serious problems. Do you homework and have fun!

About the Author

If you are in the previously owned car market then check out http://findhotcars.com where you will find a large variety of previously owned cars, they also have many difficult to find in a Used Luxury Car at great prices.

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