15 Secrets to Buying a Used Car

12. Don’t Fall for False Urgency

Once a salesman realizes that you’re interested, he’ll do anything in his power to try and close the sale. With used cars, this often means convincing you that you must act now or miss out on a great opportunity.

Salesmen know that the best time to make a sale is when the buyer is in the heat of the moment. They don’t want you to walk away and think about your purchase. They want you to buy immediately. To keep you on the hook, they might tell you that the vehicle could go to another buyer that day, or that whatever financing deal they’re offering will be unavailable later.

Don’t fall for this. Most of the time, anything that’s available today will still be there after you’ve had a chance to consider the offer. Take as long as you need to be sure you’re making the choice you want. Even if the car is gone the next day, you’ll be able to find another one. It’s better to wait a bit longer for the right car to come along than to be pressured into buying something you weren’t totally sure you wanted.