Tips for Buying a Used Car | Consumer Reports

There are a lot of things you need to check when shopping for a used car. Consumer Reports’ expert explains how to evaluate a pre-owned vehicle and negotiate with the dealership to get the best possible deal.

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[jeremytd]

Logged in for the fine acting. Wasn’t disappointed.

[NickC]

This is actually good advice. When buying my car the experience was very similar, when we went into the office for paperwork signing, dealer wanted to sell me over $3000 extra in useless warranties and insurance i didn't need and my normal insurance covers, guy was visibly upset when i declined it all.

[ed]

I spent close to an hour before with the dealership trying to coerce me into ad-ons. It was like a police interrogation. Never again.

[robinyu]

Love this video... good information. Thank you!! Love Keith acting two different roles.

[joenye]

Fabulous - so entertaining and simultaneously informative

[javautube]

Good production value and awesome tips. Keith should be nominated for an award.

[wsc]

Some years ago we were looking hard at a used car my wife really liked. Did the test drive, found some problems which the salesman assured us would be resolved before we took delivery. (It was a late model, near luxury import so for the price they asked it should have been cherry.) We decided to buy so we went back a few days later to do some serious dickering. On the way into the dealership we saw the car sitting where we had left it and with the same issues. Got down to hard numbers with the salesman who said the value he put on our trade in was incorrect so that number went down but the price of the car stayed the same. We counter-offered so off to the manager went the salesman. The wife and I were not first timers and when he came back with marginally better numbers we just said no and walked out. Loved the look on his face when we did that. Never went back, bought her a new car a few months later.

[Kimbrough]

Ha ha very funny I love it I’m going to look at a car today I will try some of these tips.🤓 i’m going to tell the dealer I smell coronavirus in the car to get the discount😝🤪

[AviationandAutos]

Keith did a great job here, props! 👏🏻

[jobber]

Keith did great in this video. He's a good actor.

[deadpoet]

Great advice! But this is why I hate going to dealerships. Maybe CR can consider doing an episode of how to buy online only? A lot of dealerships are offering for pick up on the curb or delivery at home, too. Otherwise, keep up the good info.

[DKSOOHOO]

Great tips for buying a used car. I would also suggest having the car checked out by an independent trusted professional car mechanic and checking the VIN to determine if there are any records of it being in an accident, flood, etc. before buying.

[Buc_Stops_Here]

Consumer Reports parking lot. Kia was the car (symbol was covered but it was obvious). Still good advice throughout. My checklist is a lot longer than theirs but it is from working on cars myself for years and learning about them. For example, you can place a dollar bill over the exhuast while starting the car, and if the car tries to suck the dollar bill in the pipe, it means bad valves on the engine. Another trick, if it is stick shift, play with the clutch. Any grinding - walk away, that car needs a new clutch. Plenty of tricks like this if you know what to look for.

[cardo]

lol. Well done, some good info here 👍🏽

[toronado]

LOL that's the best video CR has made!

[shane]

He bought a Ford...Then he should have gotten the aftermarket warranty!
My brother-in-law bought an Explorer (new), and one year after the manufacturer's warranty expired, his electrical steering system broke. lots of other things broke while he was on warranty as well. $3000 was the price for the electric steering motor+gear...Now he owns a Lexus.

If you buy American/European/Any car with CVT/Robotic transmission, get the aftermarket warranty. If you buy a Korean/Japanese, you don't need to. With CVT/Robotic you only need the powertrain warranty. With American/European get the "Bumper to bumper" warranty.

We got an extended warranty and regret it, 180K Km, bumper to bumper (on everything) with NO time limit for 2500 CAD for our Hyundai 2010 Santa Fe (Bought used with 90K Km on it). That was a mistake since this car is extremely reliable. So far (5 years and 60K Km of ownership) they paid for a new alternator ($700), a new driver-side locking actuator ($250), and a control arm ($250). I don't think we got any chance of breaking even on that warranty. It is transferrable though.

[JustChillingNahhhhMean]

Good small advices, made many mistakes when I got mine.

Could have saved a lot of money. 😣

[jesusmvr]

when I go buy a car I'm going to specifically haggle the dealer for that TruCoat

[tubedude]

Remember to ask where the used car came from . Dealers in Ontario will have been getting away with not supplying an owners manual in English if the car came from Quebec . In turn the buyer will have to pay $50 plus for a owners manual if they want it in in English . .

[RanThaMan]

How about that True Coat? Finders fee? It’s my deal, Wade