If it’s your first time to buy a second hand car, there are many ways to prepare yourself when it comes to discussing the vehicle’s price with a seller. In this article, we give you some tips on how you can negotiate with car dealers or private sellers when purchasing a used car.

We discussed this subject in Can You Negotiate the Price of Your New car. Dealerships with a used car lot will likely keep the trade-in on the lot and assuredly sell it for a profit. This profit becomes your trade-in’s value negotiation leeway. In other words, you may be able to convince the dealership to take less profit on your used car (i.e. give you more money for your trade-in) in return for buying a new car there. If the dealership does not have a used car lot, then your sales representative will have to call independent used car dealerships in your area and ask them how much they are willing to pay for the trade-in. In that case, only the items listed in points 1 to 10 become a factor and you are not likely to get more than market value for your trade-in.

The second reason to look at is, is that the parts you are getting are OEM parts, which means they will fit first time, every time. As they are original parts they have been designed by the manufacturer to fit and work perfectly. There are many auto wrecking yards around and are easily found in your local area’s.

So here we go, each factor is listed in order of importance. By the time you are done reading through, you should have a clearer idea of what truly affects a trade-in’s value. This will help you plan ahead by taking good care of the car you have now in anticipation for the time where you will want to trade it in. It will also help you buy a new car today that will be a great trade-in candidate in the future. Finally, it will prepare you to negotiate your trade-in’s value if you are currently buying a new car.

Another great resource for car parts is a junkyard. Although it’s possible to find OEM parts at a junkyard, the pickings might be slim. You might also have to search for the part yourself, which can be a daunting task when a south austin toyota has a large inventory. But you may find what you need at a good price.

Look at the car during the daytime so you can see it properly. Listen to the engine run, It should run smoothly. There are a multitude of things you should check on both the outside and inside of the car. On the outside check for signs of rust around the wheel wells, door hinges, etc. Rust spreads like a plague. Also check the body for any rippling. Rippling will tell you the body has been repaired. Check the tires tread and tire pressure. Make sure all the lights work.

Once the wheels initial scrub is complete, the main car wash can begin. You start by rinsing the car, beginning at the top of the car and working your way down. Be sure to pay special attention to spots where dirt or debris may accumulate. A good tip here is to pull all of the windshield wipers away from the glass into the propped position prior to rinsing or soaping the car.

Clean the exteriors: It is essential that the car is squeaky clean for optimum performance. Dust and dirt react with oxygen in the air and affect the exteriors of the car. This reaction results in rust. Car must be washed on a regular basis in order to avoid rusting. One may opt for professional body wash or can clean the car using a pipe hose and mild detergent.

Shop Online. Wholesale providers of automobile replacement parts and accessories are springing up all over the internet. Some stores are good, some are not. What to look for: available customer service agents; a toll free number where you can call someone to talk with directly; a store that never closes and has a secured payment site; and clearly understood shipment, payment, and return policies. Generally, an online retailer should be a great option as low overhead and purchasing directly from the manufacturer is what sets these wholesalers apart from the rest. Still, do your homework and make sure that the site is what it says it is.

Maintenance costs such as oil changes and other periodic services can be a bit higher if you need to go to the dealership for services such as oil change possibly to keep your warranty from being voided. This is however a value added service which does add to the resale value of the car. In the long run, this type of maintenance will help you protect your car.