FAQ

The best way to get the most for your trade-in vehicle is to take great care of it and document that care every step of the way. Save your maintenance and repair invoices and keep a detailed record of all that’s been done to your car.

CarFax is one of a number of organizations that provide drivers and auto dealers with detailed vehicle history reports. If you’re buying a used car, be sure to ask about the CarFax report, and remember that a vehicle without a detailed history may be a riskier purchase—a fact you can use to negotiate a lower price if you think it’s worth that risk.

Used vehicles don’t need as many repairs as they used to. These days, cars are engineered to last longer than they once were. As a result, many used cars are more dependable than you’d think. You can also get a fairly new used car that’s only two- or three years old with many modern amenities at a fraction of the cost of buying new.

Even if you buy from a dealer, it’s good practice to walk around the vehicle and give it a brief but detailed inspection before test-driving. Furthermore, you should have an idea of a particular make and model’s value before negotiating.