Examine the car yourself using an inspection checklist. You can find a checklist in many of the magazine articles, books and Internet sites that deal with buying a used car.
Test drive the car under varied road conditions – on hills, highways, and in stop-and-go traffic.
Ask for the car’s maintenance record. If the owner doesn’t have copies, contact the dealership or repair shop where most of the work was done. They may share their files with you.
Talk to the previous owner, especially if the present owner is unfamiliar with the car’s history.
Have the car inspected by a mechanic you hire.
You can find out a used car’s history, which is a must if you’re buying a used car that is not certified

You don’t- If you have to buy from a dealer, go to CarMax- you may not get the best price, but you won’t get ripped off, and you won’t get a piece of junk, they go through their cars pretty thoroughly.

Best way is to take it to a reliable mechanic and have them look it over. They normally charge an hour ($50-$100) for this service and it could save you in the long run as good mechanics will also tell you of problem areas for the specific car.

This really depends on the Vehicle you are purchasing….like with many of the Hondas right now, there are some Incentives that allow us to go well below MSRP….on new anyway.

Used is a little different, but you can see a cars value compared to the selling price by using KBB (Kelly Blue Book) or the NADA Site and seeing what the trade value of the vehicle is….compared to the price you are buying it for….and each place you talk to (Dealers) are different.

What vehicle are you interested in buying…that would help me tell you how much leeway you might really have…

You dont.

So your best bet is to do some research. Try to get as much information about the vehicle as possible. Does it have maintenance records showing oil changes, etc? You can search online at a few different places to find out whether the car has ever been wrecked, stolen, etc.

Past that – the best bet is to take it for a nice long test drive, and either take it to someone, or have them come with you that knows about cars – ask your family and friends if they know anyone. Have them give you an honest opinion of the mechanical condition of the car, this isn’t a gaurantee, but it definitely helps head off the biggest pieces of crap.

Never buy a car that looks like too good of a deal – there is usually going to be a hidden catch. And never be in too much of a hurry to buy a car – look around, and don’t just fall in love with something.

The fact is, cars break, but a lot of it has to do with how well they are taken care of. A lot of sportier cars on used lots are a bad idea, because they have probably been ragged out pretty bad (there are always exceptions of course) but usually people don’t buy a 380Z to drive the speed limit.

Look at lots of cars – look at them online, compare prices, features, and most importantly – get somebody that knows what they are doing to give it a good look over before you buy it.

Or you could just go to EasyDriver Used Cars in Auckland, New Zealand, and they’ll sort you out