Used Autos

When it comes to buying a used auto, there are a number of things you want to do as you evaluate a potential auto before you buy it. But, before you can "kick the tires" you need to find autos for sale in your area. Whether you find the right auto for sale right here on AutoBuying101.com or you find a auto somewhere else, consider using our tools to help with your evaluation. Here are our recommendations on where to find used autos for sale:

1) AutoBuying101.com is focused on helping you find the auto you want so we have gone ahead and developed relationships with partners that give us access to over 2.5 Million vehicles for sale across the US. So, you can visit the auto inventory area of our site to find some of the autos for sale in your local area, right now.

Search today's current Auto Inventory on AutoBuying101.com:

2) Cars.com is a large classifieds web site that receives listings from auto dealers and private party's looking to sell their auto. Cars.com is owned by a company called Classified Ventures which is associated with 5 of the largest media and newspaper companies in the US, so they have a robust number of vehicles in inventory.

3) AutoTrader.com is another large auto web site with used auto inventory, which comes from dealers and private sellers. AutoTrader.com has millions of vehicles in their database as well, but we have noticed that it can be difficult to navigate and search through the listings on their website.

4) eBayMotors.com does not usually carry a large number of autos for sale (when compared to the options above) but due to the auction based nature of the eBay site, if you are patient and potentially willing to travel out of town or purchase from a seller in a different area of the country, you can find good deals on eBay.

5) Craigslist.org is one of the most popular websites online, as they are the dominant place for people to place free classified listings. Unfortunately their site design is very basic, so it takes some time and effort to sift through search results to find autos that meet a specific set of criteria, but there are plenty of vehicles for sale.

If you check all of the web sites above, you will most certainly cover all of the autos for sale in your area.

General Used Auto Buying Advice:

It’s important to note that three types of sellers can potentially be selling a used auto: Franchised Auto Dealers (a dealer licensed to sell new and used autos), Independent Dealers (a dealer licensed to only sell used autos), and Private Parties (a consumer selling their own auto or car).

A Franchised Dealer tends to be more reputable since they are a franchise of a major manufacturer. But, Franchised Dealers have overhead costs to maintain a large dealership, and therefore may have higher auto prices. You can potentially save a lot of money by purchasing a auto from a Private Party or Independent Dealer since they have lower/no overhead costs.

When it comes to auto pricing, make sure the Dealer includes all costs (tax, registration, applicable fees, etc.) so you understand what the final cost is going to be. If you buy from a Private Party, make sure you contact your local DMV to find out the costs and process associated with registering your auto with the state.

If purchasing from a Dealer, one important piece of advice is to always ask for the Internet Manager at a auto dealer, this individual usually seems to understand that buyers that use the internet are prepared and have done auto research online regarding pricing and features. Also, make sure you run a auto history report and investigate your finance, insurance, and warranty options before you visit the seller. Once you are at the auto dealer, and ready to buy your auto, it’s hard to walk away and evaluate additional options. If you do all of your auto research beforehand, the better off you will be.