It happens to all of us. We rush into buying something and then regret our decision and waste precious, hard earned money. If you’re lucky the item was an inexpensive purchase and no major harm came of it. Buying the wrong used car, on the other hand, is something that could have longer lasting effects especially when you cannot resell the car easily. So what should you do before buying your used car?

Begin by working out your budget. Work out your monthly household costs and how much combined income you make. Work out how much of your current and monthly savings you can afford towards a car, making sure you have sufficient funds for unanticipated emergencies like loss of a job or health problems. If you need financing, take time to find the cheapest and most reliable options for a payment period that doesn’t add unnecessary pressure on your essential spending. Don’t choose a luxurious car if you don’t have the cash for it. It will only add unnecessary pressure on your already tight budget.

Now it’s time to select a car manufacturer and model, one that will pay off in the future. Plan ahead and consider that you will eventually be selling off the car you’re buying. To make sure you loose the minimum amount of money possible choose a car manufacturer, model and year that is the most popular consistently. For example, Suzuki, Honda and Toyota are extremely popular cars in Pakistan and most models irrespective of the year of manufacture, obtain superb resale prices in the used car market. Be wise and save your money even if it will be realized a few years later.

The other important things to keep in mind while selecting a car include fuel consumption, maintenance and repair costs. A car with a larger engine could give you the speed you desire, but could also cost your heavily on gasoline costs. Spare parts and repairs should also be considered. Once gain, in Pakistan Honda and Toyota spare parts and repair costs are far higher than a Suzuki. A little dent or broken fender can result in substantial outflow of cash. Choose extra features carefully as well as often unnecessary luxuries like a sunroof or heated seats can jack up car prices substantially.

Finding the car that suits your budget and other requirements is far easier now with hundred of online classifieds catering to particular cities and countries. While widely read newspapers can also be a great source for used cars, they prove to be far more tedious while searching for a car within a budget. Most of the good online classifieds have advanced search options like engine size, trims and a price range. By simply selecting only a price range the results will display a multitude of used cars that fit your criteria.

Organize your results in the form of a spreadsheet like Excel or on paper. Make sure you have columns for price, features, make, model, year of manufacture and contact details. Clump similar car makes together so you can examine the variation in prices for similar car models and year of manufacture. Using this data you can bargain for a better deal on a used car that you want to buy.

Before buying your car make sure you take it for a test drive and have it thoroughly checked. No need to be embarrassed in taking a little precaution. I hope you feel satisfied and more confident in buying your used car after having followed the above steps. Good luck and enjoy your new ride.