Tips for Buying a Used Car in Pittsburgh

Thinking about buying a used car in Pittsburgh (or anywhere in the country) often brings thoughts of sleazy salespeople at sketchy used car lots. However, visiting a used car dealer in Pittsburgh does not have to be a hassle. Before you begin your search, here are some tips for visiting a used car dealer in Pittsburgh.

If you are thinking about buying a car from a used car dealer in Pittsburgh, you'll want to do some research first. Pittsburgh used car prices can vary and you need to have an idea of what a fair price of the car is. This price will vary upon whether you plan to buy from a dealership or from a private owner, as well as whether you will have an extended warranty on the car. It is fairly easy to find this information - web sites like Kelley's Blue Book or Edmunds will provide the suggested retail value for the used car that you are considering, taking into account that you are buying from a used car dealer in Pittsburgh (versus other parts of the county).

Next, you should take a look at the used car listings in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and the local Auto Trader magazines (which can be found at many Pittsburgh grocery stores for no cost) to get an idea of actual prices of used cars in Pittsburgh. The web is also a great place to look for Pittsburgh used car price information and most Pittsburgh-area dealerships have websites which list the used cars that they have for sale. When recently looking for a used car in Pittsburgh, we noticed that Pittsburgh dealerships actually have two different price books - one for online used car prices and one for those who come into the dealership without first looking online. The online prices were significantly cheaper than those found in the newspapers, so make sure to look online before visiting any Pittsburgh used car dealership to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible.

If you think that you've found a Pittsburgh used car that you are interested in, you'll want to ask for a Carfax report which will give you information the car's background, including accident and ownership history. In our recent Pittsburgh used car search, we came across one car that had four owners in five years, which was a definite turnoff. Most Pittsburgh used car dealers will provide this information, but won't necessarily offer it to you, so make sure to ask before making your purchase.