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Oct 10, 2007 -- The ins and outs of buying a new or used car

Clark's associate producer, Joel, has been in need of new transportation and now he's got his hands on a great used vehicle. His old Honda Accord croaked on him and he'd been very patient looking online for a used car over the past few months. By checking Craigslist.org on a daily basis, Joel was able to snag a 2000 Altima with 139,000 miles for $3,200. Clark's executive producer Christa used AutoTrader.com to buy a Lexus EX 300 about three years ago. The car had 99,000 miles and looked like new. She initially narrowed her search to 10 cars, and eliminated five off the bat when she couldn't get the VIN number from the owners. A few cars she did get the VIN for had been in serious wrecks, so she was able to eliminate those ones early in the game too. The important thing to know is that you're less likely to have auto heartache if you're methodical and have the vehicle vetted by a mechanic and run the VIN number before purchasing. Both Joel and Christa paid cash, so they have no car loan. Meanwhile, Kim -- Clark's producer -- has had a pickup truck for about five years. She bought it on a whim when she wanted to take a road trip and got a zero financing deal. Within days she regretted her purchase -- she actually hates trucks! But she didn't compound her troubles by selling the vehicle and facing steep depreciation. Instead she's hung on to it and turned a not-so-great purchase into a financially viable one.

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What others are saying

  • CRAIGSLIST SCAMS (EVERY CITY!)
    SCAMS IN EVERY CITY!
    DO NOT RESPOND TO A CRAIGSLIST AD UNLESS THERE IS A LEGITAMATE PHONE NUMBER IN THE AD! IF ONLY AN E-MAIL ADDRESS IN THE AD,99% SCAM!IF THE PRICE IS RIDICULOUSLY LOW,ITS A SCAM!THEY WILL SEND YOU ALL KINDS OF SOB STORY AND LEGITAMATE SOUNDING E-MAILS IN AN EFFORT TO GET YOU TO SEND MONEY,DO NOT DO IT!
  • VIN
    All the CarFax reports ads say free...but there is really a charge to get the full reports...are aby totally free?
  • Used Car Search
    My husband and I have been used car searching for a couple months now. This site is very helpful. When Joel purchased his car on Craigslist, did he have to go through eBay? If so, are there any guarantees with eBay?
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