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[quote=Anonymous]I volunteer with an organization that helps people in need and one of the things we'll do occasionally is help someone purchase a car.  We ALWAYS get the car inspected.

You need to figure out what are deal-breakers for you.  For us, OIL LEAKS are a complete NO GO.  We will NOT purchase a car with an oil leak because oil leaks are very hard to fix.  Cosmetic things like scratches or problems with the interior are on a case-by-case basis.  Torn seating usually is a problem because it doesn't go away and gets worse with wear but some things can be fixed if you have scratches or dents on the outside.

Try to stick with reputable dealers, like big name dealerships doing new car sales and also have pre-owned sales.  That said, sometimes you still have problems.  We bought a used car for one family.  Thought we had a great deal.  We're driving back to DC with the car and 2 miles off of the dealership's lot the Check Engine light came on.  Jeez.  Anyway, we turned around and went back.  Even though they weren't required to, the dealership's mechanics looked at the car and fixed the problem for free.  A reputable dealer will do that because they want their rep to stay intact.

Also see if your insurance company has a buyer's program.  Those can help you identify a reasonable target price and then give you some ranges for potential problems.  You need to expect that a used car will come with some issues - after all, why do you think the car is used - but you CAN find a good car for a good price if you're willing to do the legwork.[/quote]

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