Used Cars
  • New car dealerships have many types of used vehicles for sale. One common name used for previously rented vehicles is "Program Cars". These one to two-year-old cars have rather high mileage but may still be warranted by the factory .Other vehicles available are those traded in by new car purchasers as well as those turned in at the end of a lease. Previously leased vehicles can be a good buy because most are still under factory warranty, are well maintained and have low mileage as required by the lease. All other used cars from new car dealerships come with a 30 day warranty.
  • Another source for used or previously owned vehicles are rental companies like Thrifty or Enterprise. These vehicles also have rather high miles because they were rented. They usually come with a 30-day warranty from the company.
  • Used car dealerships have a wide variety of vehicles and probably a larger selection of older used cars. One must check out the reputation of used car dealerships before purchasing through them, though. Historically, there have been some not appropriately licensed to do business.
  • Getting much attention recently is CarMax, a used car company with "no haggle" pricing. These vehicles tend to carry higher prices than one could obtain elsewhere.
  • And last, but not least, private owners usually advertise in classified ads in newspapers. Given enough information and following the steps outlined below, these vehicles tend to be a great bargain. Keep in mind, however, unless it is still under factory warranty, no 30 day warranty will come with such a vehicle.

Before purchasing any used car be sure to have you own mechanic or service stationcheck it out. You are going to need a safety inspection before you can register the vehicle anyway, so spending the @ $60 up front to ensure the reliability of the car makes sense. Ask the used car source for any service records available to see about the level of care it received by the previous owner as well as any lingering problems it may have.
It is worthwhile to check with www.carfax.com for a history of the vehicle you wish to purchase. There is a fee for this service, but worth it to avoid making a big mistake.

Needless to say never buy any vehicle without really test driving it. That means driving it on the highway/beltway, stop-and-go and up hill and down. Also, sit in it long enough to determine its comfort level. If you can't test drive it more than 5 miles, don't buy it.

If you buy a used vehicle from a private party and plan to register it in Maryland, you will need a notarized bill of sale as well as the safety inspection. If you don't have the bill of sale with you when you register the car, the DMV will assign a price to it often much higher than what you paid for it, resulting in higher sales taxes.

To ensure you do not overpay when buying a used vehicle, you may telephone ABCD BUYERS CLUB at 301-261-2227. This free service to members will ask you for the year, the make and model, upgraded equipment like leather seats, power equipment, etc. and the mileage on the odometer. In turn they will tell you what a fair price is based on the Black Book.