What to Check When Buying a Used Car

With the various makes, models, and features, finding the right used car can be overwhelming. Add in the concern over whether the vehicle fits your Providence driving style, and shopping for a used car can sour your car buying experience. However, knowing the things to check when buying a used car can lead you to shopping with confidence. Our team at INFINITI of Warwick aims to make the car buying experience less daunting, so you can get back to your adventures around Warwick.

Preparing to Buy a Used Car at Home

Thankfully, a lot of the used car buying experience can happen from the comfort of your home. However, how can you use research to narrow down your search? Easily prepare for your used car search by learning what to check when buying a used car:

• Determining Your Budget: Understanding your budget helps you begin to narrow down which vehicles are right for you. Tools like our payment calculator help you estimate your monthly payments based on your interest rate, down payment amount, and trade-in value. When you’re interested in selling your current vehicle, our trade-in value tool can help you find your vehicle’s worth.
• Check Automotive Reviews: With used vehicles, you have a better understanding of how the vehicle has aged and any common issues. There can be many things to check when buying a used car, and websites like Kelley Blue Book and J.D. Power and Associates are great resources for how the makes and model has aged over time. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is another great resource that gives you peace of mind about how the vehicle performs on Coventry roads. Learning about the cost of ownership by make, model, and year can help you narrow down your search.
• Making a Selection: Once you’ve settled on a budget and dived into the vehicle information, narrow down your list to your top three makes and models. Use our vehicle finder to the right car for you.

What to Check When Buying a Used Car at a Dealership

When shopping for a used car, you probably imagine kicking the tires and turning knobs, but what are other things to check when buying a used car?

• Check the Vehicle History Report: While kicking the tires can be useful, a full maintenance record can be used to verify the miles on the odometer, show you a record of accidents, and more. Finding a used car with the best maintenance record can save you a lot of trouble down the line.
• Test Drive: Taking the vehicle on Cranston roads means you get an idea of the performance, how responsive the brakes are, and if there are any unusual noises and vibrations.
• Inspection by a Mechanic: When shopping at a dealership like INFINITI of Warwick, our used vehicles are inspected for dependability and safety by the technicians in our service center. However, it is still a good idea to have the vehicle inspected by a trusted mechanic before buying it.

Shop Used Cars with INFINITI of Warwick!

Now that you have an idea of the things to check when buying a used car, you can see that finding the right vehicle doesn’t have to bring you stress. Our guide about good mileage on a used car may help you in your search, but if you have any questions about your car buying experience, don’t hesitate to contact us at INFINITI of Warwick.