{"id":6461,"date":"2025-08-07T09:05:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T14:05:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/?post_type=education&p=6461"},"modified":"2025-12-22T09:22:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T15:22:56","slug":"8-steps-to-used-car-buying","status":"publish","type":"education","link":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/education\/8-steps-to-used-car-buying\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Steps to Used Car Buying"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Follow these Steps to Make Used Car Buying Easy.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’re in the market for a deal on used wheels, here are 8 steps to make used car buying a heck of a lot easier!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Crunch the Numbers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How are you paying for your new car? If you\u2019re paying cash, you already have a car budget in place. If you\u2019re taking out an auto loan, your lender will determine how much you can afford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a good idea to consider getting pre-approved for your loan before visiting the dealer\u2019s lot. One reason is it may give you stronger negotiating power with dealers. Another is pre-approval can make the buying process faster. At St. Paul Federal Credit Union, we make it quick and easy to get the low-rate auto loan you need with our online application<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Create a Target List<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What make and model car do you want to buy? Check out Consumer Reports for reliability ratings on vehicles from the most recent model years. Aim to narrow your choices to three or four model cars and go from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3: Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Start researching prices and listings for your vehicles of choice. Sites like Cars.com can help get you started. You can find used cars for sale in other locations such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. The used-car section of new-car dealerships<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Used-car dealerships<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Used-car retailers like CarMax.com<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Websites like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist where car owners privately sell their vehicles
    <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    When researching cars and prices, determine the average asking price for each car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Next, find out all you can about each vehicle with a vehicle history report from sites like Carfax.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 4: Call the Seller<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Contact the seller to verify the information you\u2019ve learned about each car. If you\u2019re using a private-party seller, ask about any possible mechanical issues. When working with a dealership, ask if the car is still in stock and for any information you couldn\u2019t find on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If everything checks out, set up an appointment for a test drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 5: Test Drive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Pay attention to these details during your test-drive:<\/p>\n\n\n\n