Overhaulin'

What recourse should I take against getting a faulty Used Car?

I'm preparing to buy a used car, and I'll be buying direct from the owner. Is there anything I can do (ie. get them to sign a contract saying to the best of their knowledge the aforementioned car is ------ ----, and ------) to keep from getting scammed? I'm only asking because I'll be buying a low cost vehicle (2500-3500$) and it seems a lot of deals are too good to be true. Of course I'll test drive it, but if they are selling it chances are it'll pass a test drive.

Public Comments

1. take it to a mechanic and have them check it out. it doesn't cost much and it will give you an idea anyway as to the condition of the car.
2. The only REAL assurance you'll be able to get that's worth anything is by taking it to a trusted mechanic to have it inspected. They will usually charge you around $50 to take a good pre-purchase look at it. Anything written by the owner is worthless. He will have every out with the "to my knowledge" claus.
3. Only a mechanic you know and trust will be able to help on this one. The seller can always come back and say they weren't aware of such and such a defect and then it is your word against theirs, unless they have had it into a shop 18 times for that defect and YOU know this and can back it up with documentation. By then you will have put more time money and energy into the deal than its worth, so take it to a mechanic before you even put a deposit down on it, and then heed his advice!
4. go to used car checklist on yahoo/google...there are several checklists/what to look for info...your never gona get more than a as is guarantee lol
5. You're not going to get them to sign something like that because they don't have to. The majority of used cars are sold "as is - no warranty". It is the buyer's responsibility to determine the condition of any vehicle before buying it. If you want hassle-free car ownership, buy new. If you buy a used car, you are assuming all risk. You're buying a car in the $2500-$3500 range, you almost have to expect some issues with it.
6. YOU must go to this website. It help me get a used car. http://www.freewebs.com/usedcarsecrets/ It tells you all the rules you need to know and the video is the best. Don't buy a car untill you go to this site.