Buying a Used car from a Private Party..
 

Say you are buying a used car from someone..

what are the steps you take to make sure everything is straight..

where do you take it and what service should u get to make sure u are getting a good deal.


this is for a benz btw, should u take it to the benz dealer?

if you don't know enough about cars, they yeah, take it to a Benz dealership or a mechanic you trust.

If you are lucky you have a diagnostic center close to where you live, where all they do is tell you what is wrong with the car, from the wiper blades and floor mats to the engine/tranny/drive train.

Doubt the seller would like you to take it to a dealer. Usually when I have purchased second hand before I get an AA test done before hand. http://www.theaa.com/

carfax, then a mechanic that is certified to deal with that make of car.

You would be surprised at what sellers are willing to do to sell a car. I have had many sellers bring their car to me so I could see it.

And the suggestion of Carfax is probably not a bad idea, although I don't know how accurate it is. It might have some of the negative info, but I doubt it would list them all.

check vin always from carfax

Carfax is not always 100% accurate, but it does not hurt to get one. I think you can pay about $20 and then access maybe 10-20 car reports for a month on most of those sites. I've heard there are certain states where the car history can be "cleaned" (but I may be wrong.) That being said, check to make sure vin numbers match and there is no overspray. Then have it taken to a mechanic.

BINGO! :2 cents:

if they wont let a dealership check it out, that should set off a alarm.