Auto Reflexx

Akin to searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, there is that elusive “incredible car deal.”

Whether its spending untold hours searching online, facing the dreaded horrors of driving to multiple car dealerships on Saturday, or perhaps braving the dark corridors of Craigslist, we love to search for a bargain, wherever it may hide.

Are there things you can do to ensure you pay thousands less than everyone else on every car you buy for life? Maybe. But are you willing to take the risks?

Bargain hunting can be a gamble, causing the car buyer to take unnecessary risks that may result in more trouble and expense than its worth. If they had just set their mind on a good deal for a great car instead of the life-altering-best-deal-in-the-history-of-car-buying kind of deal, they may have saved themselves time, headache, and even lots of money.

Let me give you an example. Bob has decided he wants a 2008 Honda Accord with good miles. But Bob doesn’t think of himself as your average, run-of-the-mill car buyer. No, he’s a bargain hunter.

Bob scours the internet. He passes up hundreds, if not thousands, of good buys on a car that fits his needs, searching high and low for that mind-blowing bargain.

Finally, Bob finds it. He finds a beautiful, 2008 Honda Accord for thousands below Blue Book right on his hometown’s Craigslist page. He pulls a Carfax. He double, triple, and quadruple checks the listing. He contacts the seller for more pictures. He covers all of his bases, drives the car, and gets the loan from the bank. His trip to go pick up his beautiful new car from the private seller feels more like a victory march than a car purchase. What a deal!

What Bob doesn’t know is that at least a dozen problems he may not even anticipate could occur at this point. Did the person selling the car even own the car or did it belong to their x-girlfriend? Does the car have a major accident, flood damage, or stolen vehicle report that didn’t show up on Carfax? The title matches the VIN in the window, but does it match the rest of the car? When Bob discovers these issues, can he find the seller? Is the phone number disconnected? Who does he call?And on, and on, and on…

Unfortunately, I’ve seen many, many people get burned bargain hunting. I’m not immune, I’ve been burned many times myself. And yet, we fall for “the bargain” again and again. I suggest that when it comes to cars, it’s not worth it.

When you are online, and you see a car for sale thousands of dollars below comparable cars, your first question should be, “What’s wrong with it?” Believe me when I tell you, it’s exceedingly rare for people to sell their perfect-condition cars for thousands less than they are worth. The likelihood of something being wrong with the car goes through the roof and you could end up spending thousands fixing a seriously flawed car.

Instead, I suggest following the steps I lay out on askthecarpro.com to ensure you get a great car at a fair price. What is a bargain after all? In my opinion, a bargain is a guaranteed car that fits your needs, fully inspected, at a good price relative to Blue Book value. If you find one, buy it. Stop looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

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