What to Check When Buying a Used Car

If you’re looking for a pre-owned vehicle that can enhance your commutes around Eagan, you might find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer selection available. Mauer Chevrolet has a huge inventory to select from, but you have to know what to look for in order to pick out your perfect model. There are a few things that are the most important factors when buying a used car, and so the team at Mauer Chevrolet has put together a guide on what to check when buying a used car so that you are more prepared when you visit our dealership. If you have any questions, you can contact us today, and we’ll answer them in no time at all. 

What to Check When Buying a Used Car: At Home

Before you visit a dealership, there are some important things you must consider. Review this list to save time when you go used car shopping and to narrow down the type of car you need:

• Check Your Budget: This is the first and most important factor when buying a car is you should determine your budget while at home. Make sure you have a firm budget and exclude all the vehicles that don’t fit into it. To help you narrow down your options, you can estimate your monthly car payments using our website’s handy payment calculator!
• Check Automotive Reviews: There are plenty of prestigious sources that you can use to look for reviews of the make and model you want to buy. Check out Kelley Blue Book and J.D. Power and Associates for information about your potential car’s cost, engine performance, and interior features. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety can tell you helpful safety information such as features and ratings.
• Choose Your Year, Make, and Model: Once you’ve calculated your budget and done some outside research, come up with a list of your top three makes and models from our inventory.

What to Check When Buying a Used Car: At the Dealership

Do you need to kick the tires? Probably not. But there are some important factors when buying a car that you’ll want to check at the dealership before you commit to buying a used car. Here are some of them:

• Checking the Vehicle History Report: Go over your potential car’s history report, which will tell you the mileage, maintenance record, accident record, and how many owners the car has had over the years.
• Test Drive: You’ll want to see how the car handles on the streets of Woodbury before committing to it. When driving it, see that it has responsive brakes, an appropriate amount of power, and that there aren’t any unexplained noises.
• Inspection by a Mechanic: We make sure that every vehicle in our inventory is carefully inspected before putting it up for sale, but you can have your potential car inspected further by a mechanic of your choice.

Trust the Team at Mauer Chevrolet Today

Find out for yourself why so many St. Paul drivers trust Mauer Chevrolet when it comes to what to check when buying a used car. Our finance department has all of the information that you need about the car buying process, and we can streamline it, so you don’t have to worry.