If you are in the used Vehicle market

-Highly suggest you perform the following procedures / Steps PRIOR to final purchase
-It’s well worth the money in my humble viewpoint considering what vehicle prices are
-Plus can save you a ton of headaches --- getting stuck with a Lemon etc

STEP 1
-Purchase Consumer Reports ( CR )
Good bet on used cars annual report
-Or subscribe to Monthly Magazine
And get Annual Report as part of package
-I have both Hard copy + online version
Online is great tool
Don’t have to search for Hard copy magazine
http://www.consumerreports.org

STEP 2
-Get VIN # of vehicle considering for purchase
-Then fund / Gain report from CarFax / CarChex
http://www.carfax.com
http://www.carChex.com
-An independent company established in 1986

STEP 3
-Pull a sample of Engine Oil + Transmission fluid and have indepth analysis performed by independent Lab
-Receive in return detailed report
-Its like a blood test
But for vehicle critical fluids
And will be able to alert a pending buyer
of internal matters of engine & Transmission
http://www.blackstone-labs.com
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/lemonaide.html
http://www.Predictusa.com

STEP 4
-Have your local mechanic give it a once over
-And pay for services
-Gain report

STEP 5
VIN Switching Scam Protection
Every vehicle made has a unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate located on the dashboard that can be viewed through the windshield. VIN switching is a technique used by thieves to disguise the identity of a stolen vehicle by replacing the VIN number plate with a number from a non-stolen vehicle. Fraudulent titles and registration papers are also created to complete the scam. The unsuspecting customer then purchases the vehicle and tries to register it, only to find out its stolen. Law enforcement takes the vehicle from the buyer, returns it to the original owner, and the buyer loses the entire cost of the vehicle. The thieves are so adept at counterfeiting, even used car dealerships have been tricked into selling a stolen vehicle. To help protect yourself against this scam, the Dyno-Scan reads the VIN number from the vehicle's on-board emission control unit (ECU). The on-board ECU computer VIN and the windshield VIN plate must match. If they do not match, find another car to purchase as this vehicle VIN plate has been tampered with. This crime is on the rise and avoiding it could save you tens of thousands of dollars.
Web link = http://www.auterraweb.com/index.html

 

Some of the simple things I check for on older vehicles is to see how worn out the pedals are as far as mileage. Some trucks with 200k will look alright. But if they are worn to pee...then maybe you might have some mileage fraud.

 

good tips Kevin, thats why i usually find one good used dealer and stick with them, they guy we buy from has sold us 8 vehicles and never once done us wrong, he even gives us CHEAP deals on "mechanic specials" that he knows WE can fix easily and sell to make a few hundred or thousand off of.......we got a explorer i fixed and sold and getting ready to get a jeep to fix and sell.......

another thing is to go on instinct, if you dont feel like its a good deal, or something is too good to be true, or dosent seem right, just walk away, not worth loosing money over.....there is another vehicle out there somewhere.....

 

i dunno about car fax. i run the report on my 86 300z. said one owner and no accidents.

turned out it was in a minor fender bender.. that why i ran the report i found some questionable areas i on the car but no biggie. and i'm the at least 4th owner.
the origanl sales forms where left in the glove box from 1986 i contacted the origan al owner. who sold it to a friend of her's and she traded the car in in NH in 93..
from there i dunno.

but the car fax read out was definetly WRONG!

 

they will refund your money you paid for the car if they are wrong.....