Used Car Buyers Guide

Many people opt to purchase a car that's long since had its sticker price removed from the window-and often for that very reason. Most cars shed about 25% of their value within the first 3 years of taking them off the lot. And with so many used cars under attractive warranties, buyers can find a great value on a pre-owned alternative. But you will want to know some things before just heading to the car store.

Used Car Buying Skills

• Know what you want.
  Perhaps one of the single most important things when buying a used car is knowing which car interests you before heading to the lot. The salesmen is not likely to have difficulty suggesting one, but 9 times out of 10 you will not be happy with the end result if you haven't done the research to begin with. You'll want to read reviews and consumer reports. Make sure to ask your colleagues and friends about their cars. Compare gas consumption data. Ideally, you will be able to refine your search down to one or two models.


• Examine a car well before purchasing.
  The best safeguard is to have the car inspected by a trusted mechanic. Never pay any deposit or sign any contract before this has been done. And consider getting a report of the vehicle's history.


• Be Careful with Paperwork
  Don't rely on the spoken promises of a salesperson. Whatever they promise, you need to get written on paper. The salesman wants nothing more than to close the sale and much of what they say can be put off or disregarded later on.

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Things to Watch Out for

If you buy from a private party, be certain there are no registered liens against the vehicle and that whoever signs the Bill of Sale is the actual owner.

Stay away from rental cars. They are often abused since their numerous drivers didn't own them. And such abuse leads to mechanic bills down the road-steer clear.

Tips and Tricks

When test driving the car make sure to drive it in various conditions such as stop-and-go traffic, uphill, and on the freeway. A defective car wont always reveal its flaws doing 35 mph on a flat surface.

If your knowledge of cars is minimal and you have little interest in truly educating yourself, ask a knowledgeable person who knows about cars to help you with the process.

When you decide on a car, be sure to check the vehicles history and use Kelly bluebook to get an accurate market value. They are both easy to do and will help ensure that you get the best value. Many car repairs are linked to an ugly past and vehicles that have been restored after flood damage or serious accidents will never run soundly. So just get the report, you wont regret it.

How Do Tickets Affect Your Rates?

Every state has their own point system which they use to assign demerit points for each type of violation. Obviously, the more demerit points you accumulate, the higher the rate at which your insurance premiums are set. And if you rack up too many points in too short a period, the state may even revoke your license. The general logic is that a reckless driver that receives tickets is unsafe and thus is a high risk to insure.

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Other Factors Affect Car Insurance Rates

Traffic violations are not the only factor that affects your insurance premium. Components such as location, age, gender, and occupation all come into play. Regarding the demerit points on our driver's license, the more tickets you get, the higher your score and insurance premium.

To be sure, not all violations carry the same value. For example, being convicted of a DUI or exceeding the speed limit has a higher impact on your premium than failing to use a turn signal. Also, remember that parking tickets do not affect your rates since they are not a traffic violation.

Though most insurance companies assign a similar risk value to convicted traffic violations, there is a degree of variance between the formulas they use to calculate your premium. Therefore, your insurer too is a variable in how the ticket affects your rate. You may want to shop around after an increased premium to verify that your insurer is offering you the best rate.

Lowering Your Insurance Premiums

Unfortunately, once convicted of a traffic violation there is little you can do to remove it. Some state traffic courts do, however, provide the option of a driving course. If you attend and successfully complete this class it may reduce the impact of the ticket on your driving record and insurance premium.

Also, there are various unrelated means to lower your premium. The difference in premiums between insurance companies can be surprising. What one company considers a high risk factor, another company may not place as much emphasis on. Be sure to shop around and look into purchasing a policy online, for which many insurers offer a discount. And consider paying for an entire block of insurance up front (6 months to 1 year), which will also land you a good discount. These little tricks can help counter balance your insurance premium after a traffic violation.

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