If you are getting ready to purchase a used car, you will want to make sure that you are doing everything you can in order to be fully prepared for this. This way, you will be less likely to find yourself leaving the used car dealerships feeling disappointed. Here are some things to put on your to-do list.

Figure Out Your Payment Option

You will want to already have an idea of how you intend to pay for your used vehicle. If you are going to need an auto loan, you will want to try to have as much of a cash down payment as possible. This will limit the amount of money that you have to borrow, which should help give you a better shot at being approved for the loan. If you intend to pay in full with your own money, you will need to be prepared to have the cash in hand. You can always call the car dealership ahead of time to see if they take debit cards for payment, as not all are set up for that.

Be Prepared To Search The Vehicle's History

Besides looking under the hood, you will need to know the accident history of the vehicle. You do not want to pay a premium price for a vehicle that has actually been in several severe accidents. There are online resources that you can use from your smart phone while you are at the car dealership. All you will need is the VIN, or vehicle identification number, of the vehicle you are interested in to look up that information. If you do not want to have to deal with that on your own, you can always restrict your searches to the car dealerships that offer free copies of accident reports on all of their vehicles.

Have A Mechanic On Standby

You will want to know that your trusted mechanic will be able to take a quick look at any vehicle that you are seriously interested in purchasing. After all, he or she will know more about what should be looked for, especially for the particular year, make, and model of the used vehicle you are interested in. If your mechanic says that the vehicle is safe and in good condition, you should be ready to make the purchase.

Remember, with quality used car dealerships, vehicles tend to be sold quickly. Therefore, if you have your eyes set on a vehicle you really like, you will want to get over to the lot as soon as possible.