There are a lot of different things you should know or at least be aware of before you set out to buy used cars in Cincinnati. At King’s Ford, we understand that there’s a lot of information to take in before you can make an educated decision on which used car to buy. That’s why we’ve put together this list of research tips and tricks to help make your used car buying experience as easy and straight-forward as possible, no matter where you go in Cincinnati to buy a used car. Our research and preparation tips include information about financing options you’re likely to encounter, attributes you should scout out about the used car, and things to watch out for in a used vehicle. We want to make sure that you have a great car buying experience at King’s Ford, before, during, and for years to come! Once you walk through the doors to our dealership, we’re confident that we’ll be able to find you the used car that makes the most sense for you!
Before you step foot in a dealership or on a used car lot, many people like to get a sense of the type of car they are looking for. Getting a sense of what your ideal car would be in both price and style before you make the journey out to see us can help you be prepared to find exactly what you want. The more you prepare, the more likely your used car buying experience will be quick and easy. Preparation will save you time and keep you from getting overwhelmed or confused by the many varieties of used cars in Cincinnati. Before you begin your search, here are a couple of things you should do before heading out to a dealership:
Knowing your budget is the first step you need to take before buying any type of car. You need to understand your personal financial circumstances and take into account various costs or expenses beyond the price of the used car itself. It’s easy to budget just for the cost of the used car, but there may be other expenses as well. Here are the most common primary costs you’ll likely see when you buy a new car:
Used cars offer a great deal of value for a wide range of customers – allowing for an option that works for just about anyone. By choosing a used car, you can save a lot of money on upfront costs, avoid the initial depreciation associated with new vehicles, and help out the environment by keeping a car on the road longer. But all of that comes with a big concern about the quality of a used car. Reputable used car lots in Philadelphia can help you overcome those concerns by offering vehicles in the best condition possible.
When you buy a used car from a private seller, there is no telling what that vehicle has been through. You can use a vehicle history report to get some sense of what might have happened to it, but you never really know for sure. By choosing a reputable used dealership, however, you get some peace of mind from knowing that it is in good condition overall. Plus, the availability of Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles ensures you can get used models that will be reliable for years to come.
Here at Northeast Car Connection, we pride ourselves on offering the best used vehicles in the Philadelphia area, with knowledgeable salespeople that put your needs first. Whether you are looking for an inexpensive used option, or prefer the peace of mind that comes from a CPO vehicle, we are the choice for you. You have a lot of options for used car lots in Philadelphia, but we work hard every day to prove why we are the best. Call or visit us today and let us help you find the perfect used vehicle for your needs.
Of course, figuring out your budget is meaningless if you are not able to stick to it, and one of the best ways to stick to your budget is by choosing a dealership that values your time and money. You might be tempted to go with a private seller that offers you the best price you can find on a vehicle you are interested in, and that is completely understandable. After all, who doesn’t want to save some money on a vehicle?
In reality, however, saving a little money up front by buying a used car in Cincinnati from a private seller can end up costing you a lot more in the long-run. When you buy from a private seller, you really have no way of knowing what that car has been through or what kind of condition it is in. A private seller does not have your interests in mind – they just want to sell their old vehicle and move on, which is only natural.
When you buy used cars in Cincinnati from a reputable dealership, however, you have a lot more advantages working in your favor. For one thing, dealers are required to provide you with certain information about the vehicle, including anything they know about it and the condition of its mechanical and electrical systems. There are laws that regulate sales from dealerships and that are designed to help protect you as a buyer – when you buy from a private seller, you have no such protection.
Finally, it is in a good dealership’s best interest to make sure you are completely happy and to build a long-term relationship with you. Here at Kings Ford, we are not interested in selling a vehicle through whatever means necessary and then calling it a day. We want to make sure you are completely happy so that the next time you are shopping for a used ride, you will come back to us. And with our factory-certified service center and OEM parts department, we will be here for you whenever you need service or maintenance. Try finding that with a private seller.
Once you’ve calculated your budget by factoring initial costs as well as repeating costs and random ones, you can tell how much you’re willing to spend on a used car in Cincinnati. Now it’s time to do some actual research on used vehicles. Researching the actual vehicles for sale is an incredibly important step to take. There is a myriad of factors that go into a car. If you walk into your dealership without at least some understanding of the make or model you’re interested in, you could end up very lost and confused. Here are some research points to help you get started figuring out what kind of used car is right for you.
It is all well and good to have a list of details to research when you sit down to look for the right vehicle to meet your needs, and it is certainly important to know what to look for. But once you have that information, then what do you do? Just because you know the make and model of a vehicle, that does not mean you can actually do anything with that information.
That is why it is important to make your research count when you are shopping for used cars in Cincinnati by figuring out what you really need and looking for a vehicle that checks all of your boxes. For example, let’s say you are in the market for a full-size truck, but you are not sure which one you need. There are a lot of different trucks within that segment, and with used models, you are going to find the same make and model from many different years. So what do you do?
Figure out what you need so that your research can be targeted toward your specific requirements to help you find the right used car in Cincinnati for you. For example, let’s say you need a full-size truck that can handle up to 10,000 lbs of towing capacity. With that knowledge, you can then look at light-duty trucks with powerful engines and towing packages on them that can handle that much weight or heavy-duty models with standard engines. Figure out all of your specific needs, including safety features you insist on having, the towing and payload capacity you need for a truck or the number of passengers you need to be able to take in your SUV.
This will let you make the most of your research by giving you actionable information and goals that you need to meet for a vehicle to work for you. The exact information you come up with will depend a great deal on the kind of vehicle you are looking for, but you can figure out your requirements so that your research is really useful. A little extra time before you head to a dealership can save you a lot of time and hassle once you are on the lot looking at dozens or hundreds of used vehicles in front of you.
Now that you know about how much you’re willing to spend and the general type of car you’re interested in, it’s time to make a test-driving checklist. This might seem redundant, but it isn’t. You might think that you’ll be able to “just tell” when you’ve found the right used car in Cincinnati, but we want to make sure that you have all the information first. There are some warning signs that you might not notice on the first inspection that could make the car the wrong choice for you. Here are a few of the most common items that you should add to your test-driving checklist before heading to a dealership:
The above checklist is a great place to start and covers some of the bare minimum things you should be looking at and checking out when you go to see or test drive a vehicle. But when you are shopping for used cars in Cincinnati and want to be sure you get the best ride you can, then you need to go a step further. That checklist can help you eliminate cars, trucks, and SUVs pretty quickly, but once something looks pretty good, then go beyond the checklist.
First, find out when the vehicle was last serviced – this includes maintenance such as an oil change, other fluids, and lubricants checked or changed, and when new tires were put on it. If it is scheduled for routine maintenance soon, then find out about that and make sure it will be covered when you make your purchase. Cincinnati can be rough on cars, so you want to be sure that the previous owner, or the dealership, has taken proper care of the vehicle before you buy it.
This might make you feel a little silly, but it is well worth it: get down on the ground and check out the underside of the vehicle. Give the tires a good look and take a look at the brake pads and other hardware while you are down there. Look at the bottom of the body and the underside and frame. In particular, look for signs of rust. Cincinnati winters take their toll on vehicles, and rust is one of the biggest dangers from all the moisture.
Early signs of rust are not necessarily a deal-breaker since discoloration can be handled pretty easily. More severe damage, however, which includes warping, pitting, and missing parts of the body or frame that have been destroyed by rust, are a serious warning sign. Get away from that car immediately and find one that has not suffered through quite so many winters – or at least was treated better during them.
Finally, make sure the vehicle is off while you are doing all of this inspecting and let it cool down a bit. Then start the vehicle yourself so you can hear how it starts – it is likely that you will be shown the vehicle when it is already running, so this will let you hear if it has a rough time starting. After it has sat in one spot for a little while, have a salesperson start it and move it – then check where it was to see if there are any signs of leaking fluids. These minor things can save you a lot of money when you are shopping for the best used cars in Cincinnati.
Although some people think “Certified Pre-Owned” (CPO) is just a fancy way of saying “used,” they are actually much more than other used cars. Ford CPO vehicles must pass a thorough 172-point inspection to ensure they are of the very highest quality. Any issues found during the inspection must be corrected so that it can be sold as a CPO vehicle.
When you choose a Ford CPO vehicle, which you will only find at a Ford dealership, you get a CARFAX vehicle history report that lets you know everything we do about that vehicle. Ford CPO vehicles are also covered by two warranties that go beyond any coverage that might already be on the vehicle. A Ford CPO vehicle comes with a 12-month or 12,000-mile comprehensive limited warranty as well as a 7-year or 100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty. This gives you a level of peace of mind that you simply cannot find with most other used cars in Cincinnati.
Now that you’ve found the right used car, you should do your due diligence and check out these important details to make sure it’s perfect before pulling the trigger. Here are some must do’s that you should take into account before buying used cars in Cincinnati.
Many people incorrectly think that you can’t get a used vehicle inspected before you own it. This is incorrect. If you want to get a potential used car in Cincinnati inspected before you lay down your dough, that is completely okay! You wouldn’t buy a house without getting it inspected first, and the same principle applies to cars. Get your used car in Cincinnati inspected by a trusted mechanic before you buy.
There are lots of different warranties available depending on where you purchase your used car. One type is an “as is” deal, this leaves all the responsibility for the vehicle with the new owner unless you’ve got a written agreement stating otherwise. If you enter into an “as is” deal, make sure to get the car properly inspected beforehand. There are other warranties which are implied and hold the dealership responsible for a certain standard of quality. Most used cars in Cincinnati are under a limited warranty with differing degrees of coverage. There are many different types of warranties, ask what the warranty covers before you decide to buy.
After you choose a used car in Cincinnati and bring it home, it’s up to you to properly maintain it. If you choose to get a used car from King’s Ford, we can walk you through the recommended maintenance schedule to ensure your “new to you” used car works for many years to come! Owning a car means taking care of it. Get the oil changed on time, rotate the tires, and get new brakes when it’s recommended. Proper maintenance and care will prolong the life of your used car and help it retain its value!
No matter how much preparation you do, going to a respected and trusted dealership can make all the difference in your used car buying experience. At King’s Ford in Cincinnati, we will do everything that we can to make your used car buying experience fun and stress-free. We value all of our customers and want to make a great relationship with you for years to come. All of our used cars go through rigorous testing, so you can be sure that what we sell you is in great working condition before you drive it off the lot. No matter what type of vehicle you eventually choose, we are committed to being upfront with our pricing and helping you bring home the perfect car for your needs! In the meantime, feel free to browse our extensive online inventory, call a member of our professional sales staff, or stop by for a test drive today!
