Groovy Automotive: It's New To Me! The Groovy Guide to Buying a used car

By Steve Smith

Buying a used car can be a daunting task. It's hard to know what you are REALLY buying. Here are a couple of facts and opinions about used car buying.

Do your homework!

It is the buyer's responsibility to thoroughly inspect a vehicle before buying. In Texas, any repairs that a dealer of used cars does after the sale is out of the goodness of their own heart. There is no legal recourse if you buy one that has catastrophic issues that are or aren't visible a the time of purchase. Drive the car, listen to the car, smell the car after it has heated up. Does the car look like it was owned by someone who was proud of it and took good care of it? If a seller has a problem with you having a certified mechanic shop of your choice check out the prospective auto prior to the purchase then leave and do not buy from them.

There are warranties available, but beware! Many dealers will throw in a warranty with the purchase. In most cases, these warranties only cover the drive train and will be honored only if the motor, transmission or differential fails within the specified time frame. Some of these warranty companies will use trickery to get out of paying a claim. You have to be very careful when calling in a claim for a failed component. It is always best to have a shop with experience in dealing with these warranty companies to make that call on your behalf.

Don't buy cars that cost a ton to work on.

Unless you are ready to pay big money for repairs and upkeep don't buy luxury European cars. If you by Volvo, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Audi, etc. then you are signing up for costly repairs in the future. Most every repair will be much more costly.

We at groovy find there are some common makes that cost more to fix as well as some that tend to cost less to fix.We find that most Nissan cost more to repair. We find that Honda tends to lower repair costs.

All cars will last longer and have a lower lifetime repair cost if they are well maintained.

Groovy Automotive offers a buyers check. The way we work this program is that you pay for the first one, then if that car isn't for you the second one is 1/2 off and the third one is free!

Mention this blog post and get a buyers check for $79.99!

Where do I buy a used car?

There are many dealers as well as craigslist. One company that we have had good experiences with and can recommend is Texas Auto Center. They have several locations in Austin and offer financing and free oil changes in some cases! Call them at (512) 490-0088.