In buying used cars, it is wise to turn to friends, relatives, family and officemates. It can save you a lot of money, which is normally received as commissions by sales agents.

Giving priority to the used vehicles that your friends or family recommend can give you better information about how the car was handled. You can also get clearer details about the quality of the used car. You can also ask a mechanic friend to come see the car with you.

If none of the used vehicles recommended by your friends appealed to you, you can turn to the classified ads of your local newspaper. There are many used cars for sale listed there. You can narrow down your search by knowing the type of car you want to buy, the model, the engine type, mileage and some features like color and other accessories.

The type of car may include four-door, two-door, hatchback, station wagon, sports utility vehicle, sports car, pickup truck, two or four-wheel drive and so on.

You can list the ones that you think can pass your standards and contact the owners to ask questions that were not answer in the listing. If you like the answers you get from the owner, request an appointment to see the auto. This can save you time and effort.

If you have access to the internet, you can visit free classified sites such as Craigslist. You can also try looking at other websites devoted to selling used cars. If you are not comfortable with it, you can first type the phrase: "how to buy a used car" on the search box. Then your search engines will load the results of sites that offer tips and step-by step guides on how to buy a used car.

There are many dealers of used vehicles that offer manufactured-certified pre-owned cars. Generally, they may charge you more. However, when you buy a preowned car, it comes with a limited warranty.

List the top 10 choices and contact the owners for an appointment, it is wise if you bring someone who is an expert at cars. Take notes for each used car that you see so you can compare notes with all the cars you see.

Part of the standard operating procedure is to request for a photocopy of maintenance records from the owners. There are also websites that make this information readily available as you view the used cars.

Ask for its vehicle identification number and run a check on the Carfax to know about its actual mileage, number of transfer of title ownership, and some information such as incidence of being wrecked or salvaged.

While doing the inspection, you can ask for a drive test. Your friend and you can do the test driving to better understand the real condition of the car engine, alignment condition, and the capability of the brakes. Check everything like the headlights, tail lights, hazard lights, brake lights, carburetor, air-conditioning system, heater, windows, tires and rims, and the radio of the used cars.

When you have found the used car of your choice, make a deal with the owner and get the necessary papers, forms including the bill of sale, and the car title. Some used cars dealers handle the paper work for you.

Do you want more information on buying a used car? Then, go to http://www.northwestcarsandtrucks.com . Come and discover the new articles we have to help buy a reliable used car. We have some excellent listing in Washington. We have a car and truck magazine for used vehicles. We can help you find that used auto at Buy a used car .