Before You Buy: A Savvy Way to Check Out a Used Car

People often make mistakes when they buy used cars because they don't do their homework. One owner of a Diamond Certified Auto Dealership, encourages customers to take their time and not to get emotionally involved with a particular vehicle. He also suggests getting deep background on a used car through a service called CarFax (carfax.com).

This company has a database of roughly 2 billion vehicle history records from 800 sources. You type in a vehicle ID number, and within a matter of minutes, you get the lowdown on a car's odometer history, ownership, registration status, and accident record. You can also use the website to find out if the car is legally considered a lemon or if it has been recalled. A single report is $14.99 and it could save you aggravation.