Buying a Used Car Without Getting Burned
A real monthly cost sheet, VIN and recall checks, test-drive and inspection checklists, loan questions, add-ons to say no to and a filled-in example.
In Under $15
By Whole Life HQ4 parts · about 4,400 words · printable · read online
Open your copy
You own this. Everything opens straight from here.
OpenWho it's for
First-time and nervous car buyers who want a checklist for costs, history checks, inspection, loan questions and paperwork before they sign for a used car.
What you receive
- 4 written parts, about 4,400 words
- A real monthly cost sheet and an out-the-door price ceiling
- VIN, recall and title checks, plus walk-around, test-drive and inspection checklists
- Loan comparison, add-ons to question, paperwork list and a filled-in example
4 printable pages, in reading order
- Part 1: Before you look, the real cost
- Part 2: Finding a car and checking its paperwork
- Part 3: The test drive and the independent inspection
- Part 4: Financing, the price and the paperwork
See inside
The first 4 pages, as they print.
Look inside
The first page, word for word. 4 printable pages in total.
Part 1: Before you look, the real cost
General money education, not financial advice. This guide explains how to shop for a used car in the United States and what to check before you pay. It does not tell you which car or loan to buy, and it is not legal advice. Laws differ by state, so check your state attorney general or motor vehicle agency, and the official sources named in each part, such as consumerfinance.gov, ftc.gov and nhtsa.gov.
A used car is one of the biggest purchases most people make, and one of the easiest to get wrong because it happens fast, in person, with someone who sells cars for a living. The best protection is to decide a few things at home, in writing, before you walk onto a lot or answer a listing.
How to use this guide. Part 1 is the budget and the plan, done at home. Part 2 is finding a car and checking its paperwork. Part 3 covers the test drive and the independent inspection. Part 4 covers financing, the price, the add-ons and the paperwork. A made-up worked example runs through all four parts. Print the sheets and take them with you.
What is in each part
- Before you look, the real cost
- Finding a car and checking its paperwork
- The test drive and the independent inspection
- Financing, the price and the paperwork
What buyers say
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Downloads included
4 printable pages: see the list
- Part 1: Before you look, the real cost
- Part 2: Finding a car and checking its paperwork
- Part 3: The test drive and the independent inspection
- Part 4: Financing, the price and the paperwork
They open in your library, and you can print them, once they are yours.
Who wrote it
Written by the Whole Life HQ team.
Not yet reviewed by an outside expert.
We plan to ask a finance educator to review it. Until then it is general information, not professional advice.
General education, not financial, tax or legal advice. For decisions about your own money, talk to a qualified professional.
How you get it
- In your libraryAfter you pay, it is in your library straight away.
- Any devicePhone, tablet or computer. Print it if you like paper.
- Yours to keepIt stays in your account, and you can come back any time.
