This is another very serious theme concerning the buy of a used car from anyone who cannot afford to buy a new one .

If you can afford to buy a new car , for sure it’s a better move , because you and only you would be the one and only owner and the one and only user of your car .

A used Car needs careful attention.

In the case of the used car , you cannot be 100% sure about the situation of the car , no matter what the car dealer says to you , which of course there could be the truth .

You can never have 100% certainty about , the materials the previous owner used for its services . The quality of the fuel he used to fill it . The place the owner lived and acted , because living near the salty(!) sea , from living in a high mountain with 7 months snow , “hurts” different the car parts .

The driving experiences the previous driver had . The hobbies he had . The outdoor happiness for the humans , often gives more “stress” to the car’s reliability : mud , snow , climbing , hard rocks , salt sea activities ,et.c . A of course the “love” and care the previous owner showed to the car , you now going to buy .

So before we say some about the correct (as possible) mentality , in order to buy a very good used car , i must say that all car manufacturers have good and reliable cars in their model’s range .

There is no manufasturer , who has in his WHOLE range of cars , all bad ones . Even if a car factory isn’t between the top ones , in his models range and through his history , he should have some very good models .

Another thing you should avoid is to complex “things” , and compare new cars with used cars , no matter how good the situation is the used car . We compare situations between new cars with new cars and used with used .

If you make the “sideway” thinking and try to compare a very good used car with a new car , you’ll find yourself very troubled .

Even if we have a very good USED car from a very reliable car maufacturer on one side ….. and on the other side a NEW car from a car manufacturer with less prestige and “strength” the choice between these 2 , will put your brain in its limits !!!! I suppose the new will always beat the old .

So after you’ll have all these 100% separated inside you and with clear mind , let’s see what is the best used cars to buy ,no matter how complex this question seems to be .

Searching Mentality for our used car .

First of all , to this question there is no solid and 100% answer as the mathematics gives for the 1 + 1 , which equals 2 . The answer DEEPENDS of so many direct and “sideways” elements and properties . The same goes for the new cars and their reliability .

Of course there are the “heavy named” car manufacturers in the reliability area , the “heavy named” manufacturers in the internal cabin’s quality , the “heavy named” manufactrers in the speed area ,the “heavy named” manufacturers for the off-road area and the list has many areas .

Every manufacturer ,has ITS OWN PHILOSOPHY and it builts its “products” , having this philosophy as a “lighthouse” . Of course , all try to combine many of the above characteristics in the biggest level they can . Some they succeed , some not in the level they want .

Before you’ll search the best used car you wish to buy , you must know exactly :

1) How much money you have in your pockets .

How much you have or you can borrow if you want to borrow from a “third part” . If you have your money in cash , or half cash and half from a loan and how you’ll serve that loan in a way which won’t have “hard” times .

2) After that you should put aside some money for your first’s car expenses :

You’ll need money for the insurance ,the taxes if you have some in your country . A good washing ( outside – engine – cabin for bacteria and “stuff”) so you can see more clearly where you must act .

Many times you’ll need to solve some minor problems in the chassis , engine , steering wheel , general leaks from the engine area , the transmission …. et.c .

Of course your car will be in the greater situation possible , but always there is something you can improve to go closer to the 100% perfection . In these first expenses ,you should always hold some cash for a very good first service from you by your mechanic and your spare parts .

Engine Oils , transmission oils , new spark plugs , new brake pads as their fluids too ( with inspection in their fluid – tubes ) , new steering wheel fluids .

New radiator fluids and maybe a good cleaning , a very intense general look( and change whatever needs to be changed) to the steering wheel area and all the mechanical area . You need to check the streering wheel .

A suspension area very good look and if needed the change of the absorbers with “fresh” new ones , together with their bump-stops( they are at the top of the absorber and takes all the hits from the bumps ) .

A generic electological check and changing of anything which isn’t in the top “shape” ,and of course and NECESSARY the change of the 4 wheel tyres with new ones from a good prestige manufacturer .

3) After all the above you are moving to another mentality checks .

You should have clarify inside you the needs this used car of yours will satisfy and only after that you will look . WHAT CAR YOU LIKE !! You need a car mostly for your town activities ?

You’ll use it from town and small journeys , for town and big journeys ? You’ll use it for big journeys only or for your village needs ?

You’ll need it for your college needs , for transporting needs or for fun and hobbies reasons only ?

You’ll use your car for transport many “things” , few “things” , or only yourself ?

You have many pets , one pet , a big family , a small family and what “adventures” have this family of yours ?

You need mostly extreme reliability or you can accept some “discounts” in order to find more quality n the cabin interior ?

You don’t care much for reliability , you care mostly for the looks of the car ? You want beautifulness and reliability ?

You want only the biggest fuel economy , ignoring everyhting else ? You want “big” engine for your long travels , but with the minimum fuel consumption too ?

You want diesel , gazoline , gas , hybrid , electric , or the combination of those ? You want a used car with the minimum need for services and this is your first priority ?

You want a used car , only to use it as a “tool” for your hand handiwork and only for that ? You want a used car for your weekend trips only , because the rest of the times you use the metro or buses ?

You want a used car because you are a new driver and you’ll feel more comfortable driving and learning in a used car , than a new one ?

You need a good used car to “assist” you in your student years and only for those years ? You need a good used car to serve only your village community , or for your church’s duties ?

Take a close look to the Official research centers .

Right after all these thoughts about your needs , you must consider that in the car manufasturers field , some objective “laws’ concerning the rankings exist . These objective “laws” exist , through the so many decades of history for these manufacturers and their accomplishments .

These accomplishments are been measured often by institutes and search laboratories around the globe and they announce their results . So before you proceed to any action ,take a look to these search centers which measuring the greatness and ranking of every car brand .

Imagine if a car brand , has made a car in some of its category , which had many problems and mark it in a piece of paper and in your brain of course . You don’t want to fall on this specific car model , as a new one or even as a used one . Correct ?

These car search centers are :

a) www.jdpower.com
b) www.Consumerreports.org
c) EURO NCAP ( safety ) : www.euroncap.com
d) ADAC : www.adac.de
e) DEKRA : www.dekra.com

And some wide range acceptable “truths” about the car manufacturers : The Japanese and the Korean’s manufacturers “speciality” is the generic reliability of their cars . This is their “heavy weapons” and for many decades they’ve been criticized because their interior’s quality wasn’t in the highest levels .

But the cars “never” broke . Our present days the Japanese’s( and the Korean’s ) have managed to combine their famous reliability and a very good quality for their cabins and not only .

Of course the “heavy cards” of Motorsport and the car manufacturers as the Germans , the Italians , the French , the Americans , are the “columns“ of the entire car field .

What can you say for the Mercedes , BMW , Audi , VW group ,the PSA group , the Ferrari’s ,Lamborghini’s , Bugatti’s , Aston Martin , et.c .

These manufacturers exist till the beginning of time(!) and they lead the evolution combining quality , technology , reliability performance , beautifulness ,prestige .

These were the “guys” , the Japanese and Asian manufacturers wanted to beat , since the end of the World War 2 , and they evoluted with enormous speed . So if you manage to find a car in a very good condition ,from these manufacturers , your “mission” is accomplished , in a very highly grade .

What are your personal car preferences ?

After the passing of these criteria , you’ll get eventually in the moment you’ll put in the equation , the preferences of yours . What used car you’d like to buy .

All of the above mindset , follows steps “obeying” in logical criteria and some generic “rules” in order to help you and buy a used car and have minimum “themes” before and after that .

Of course you can choose to buy your used car only , by following your heart and buy what you like and just that . It’s ok of course .

But of you want to find the “golden balance” , between of : what you like and some “issues” you’ll deal with your used car , there are some helpful advises to assist you on this .

Final Conclusions

Anyway , you have ended with the money you’ll need , before and after your used car buy ,you have clarify inside you the needs this car will satisfy and you have infront of you all the range of the brands in this world .

Seems hard ? It isn’t . You have done most of the “job” by clarifying the 3 previous criteria and knowing those generic and timeless knowledge about car and their manufacturers .

Combining all the above criteria ( money , needs , preferences , car manufacturers building philosophy ) , start to see models , in your closest car dealers for used cars from all the car manufacturers . Get rid of the cars , which are above your money level .

They should be many i suppose and now focus in the remaining ones . See all the used cars which are close to your needs and if you can find some , which they FULFILLING EXACTLY YOUR NEEDS .These shouldn’t be many , but hold them .

These are the ones you should focus to .

From this number of the cars , take a look of which of them you like . If this number can be counted in your hand’s fingers , you’ve almost reach your goals to find your best used car . Pick the one you like the most and you’ve almost finished .

Why almost ?

Because when you’ll find your precious car and you are sure that it’s combining , all the criteria you need you must drive it yourself , and bring your mechanic to drive it and check it out .

No matter how you like the car you’ve been chosen , you NEVER proceed to the market before your mecahnic’s expert check .If everything goes well and your mechanic gives you the OK , Congratulations you just bought you best possible used car .

If not ?

Expand your search , in the dealers of your hole town ,your hole state , your hole country the web .

And yes you must do all the work , from down under the criteria and the objective “laws” ……..