Questions to Ask When Buying a Used Car

Buying a used car is a great way to get something to drive around San Diego without paying the full price of a new vehicle. Since there are many options for used cars on the market, it’s important to know what to look for and what to ask when buying a used car. What questions should you ask when buying a used car? Learn what to ask when buying a used car with the car-buying expert at Kearny Mesa Acura. Then, visit our dealership to find your very own pre-owned model that has everything you need.

What Questions Should I Ask When Buying a Used Car?

Because used cars have been owned by another driver before they found their way to a dealership lot, it’s important to ask questions about a used car’s prior history and other important factors. If you’re wondering what to ask when buying a used car for your National City, here are some of the top questions we think need to be considered:

• How Was the Vehicle Maintained? Make sure that you check the maintenance history of the vehicle that you’re considering before you make any serious offers. The maintenance history will tell you if the driver kept up with the vehicle’s maintenance schedule and if the vehicle was in any accidents. A poor maintenance history could indicate potentially significant and costly repairs in the future.
• How Many Miles Does It Have? This is something that you’ll be able to see on the odometer, but it’s something that you’ll want to consider to yourself. For reference, most drivers put an average of about 12,000 miles on their cars every year, so if a vehicle is five years old with 100,000 miles, then it may not last as long as a vehicle that’s 10 years old with 60,000 miles.
• How Long Was It Owned by the Previous Driver? Even though a vehicle is seven years old, it may have gone through more than one prior owner. If the previous owner of the vehicle only had the car for a short amount of time, then it’s important to ask yourself why.
• Is the Price Fair? You’ll want to consider how the vehicle arrived at the certain listing price, which may involve a little bit of research. Use our trade-in value tool to see what the car’s trade-in price is, and use this to try and negotiate prices at a dealership.
• How Long Will It Last? This is something that will be best answered by considering a multitude of factors about the car. Ultimately, a used car is only as good as the potential amount of miles it will last you.

Now that you know what to ask when buying a used car, you can take the next steps to find a used car that’s ideal for your Carlsbad drives. For more car-buying questions like how to sell a car to a dealership, reach out to our finance center at Kearny Mesa Acura.

Find a Used Car at Kearny Mesa Acura

Contact us to get all of your used car-related questions answered and find a pre-owned model that’s well within your budget.