Buying used cars is totally different than buying new. For starters most people looking for used cars must deal with sellers in less than ideal environments. From shysters selling cars on the side of the road to the little independent lots around your town and even up to the used car operations at major dealerships the used car business is still fraught with questionable tactics at the very least. Here are some of the variables that will throw you a curve while you are shopping for a used car.

First and foremost you have to realize that every used vehicle is an original. There is no used car factory that you can call and order up what you want. You won't find an identical car down the road like the one you are currently looking at. You may find one that is the same year and the same color but the difference in condition can be huge. A Perfect vehicle my sell for $15,000 while the same year, make, and model may sell for half that with high miles and hidden damage.

There are no fixed wholesale values or selling prices like you have with new cars. Shopping the price on a used car will be at the very least difficult. The asking price fluctuates constantly and can change instantly if you mention you are trading.

There is no magic formula for where to find a good used car. You may find a true gem at a run down lot and you may very well purchase a total disaster from a new car dealer. You just can't assume that all of the independents are crooked and you can't automatically trust the new car dealers either.

It takes a good deal of time to thoroughly check out a used vehicle. Most people judge a vehicle by how it looks making decisions that involve thousands of dollars on appearance alone instead of taking the time to inspect the vehicle. Even worse, many times people allow their emotions to run the decision making process.

Financing rates vary greatly with used vehicles depending upon the year and mileage. The rate can vary as much as twenty percent! If you plan to finance a used car you have to shop the finance rate for that particular year vehicle. Do not make the mistake of financing with the dealer, you will pay for it. The best bet is to get pre-approved for a loan first.