Buying A Used Car

Used cars are generally sold "AS IS". An auto dealer will give the purchaser a sheet of paper that shows the car being sold "AS IS" or "AS IS" will be printed on the sales contract.

Before you sign any contract, you are entitled to have the car checked out by your own mechanic. The dealer has no duty to the buyer to have the car in excellent mechanical condition. DO NOT BUY A USED CAR FROM ANYONE WITHOUT HAVING YOUR OWN MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT.

The car may fall apart as you are driving out of the dealership. If you have signed a contract, the car and all its problems are yours, unless you have purchased a return option. Then you have two days to return the car.

Sometimes the dealer will sell a "warranty" with the car. Usually this is a "service contract" and not a warranty. You may have some protections, but it is not the same as the warranty protections for new cars under the "lemon law".

Used cars can be a very economical way to purchase a car. Just be sure you know what you are purchasing. A low odometer reading does not always mean a low mileage vehicle, nor a vehicle without problems.

If the dealer or seller makes statements (representations) about the car, and you are relying upon those statements, make the seller or dealer puts them in writing, signing and dating the writing.

Have a history run on the car to find out if the title is good (no lien, not branded by being "salvaged" or a "lemon buyback").