Even if you’re almost certain of the type and the model of the car you’re looking for, bring your business to a second-hand car dealer that has a large inventory of all sorts of brands and models. If you’re not impressed by the road test of your first choice, after all, you won’t have to go very far to see or try another one.
Most car dealers inspect the cars in their inventory, but go for a dealer that also sells certified pre-owned vehicles. This type of cars are generally sold with generous warranties that come close to those offered on brand new cars, and this detail has its importance: the more certified pre-owned vehicles a car dealer sells (with the added warranties), the better the chances he really trusts the quality of its inventory (or else he would ruin his business by honoring customer claims). The excitement of the purchase of a new car often clouds buyers’ judgment and they don’t pay attention to warranties they think they’ll never need, but that’s not the point: the level of the warranty is a good indicator of the quality of the car.
Let’s add this last point and wrap up with it: even if you find a second-hand car dealer with a large inventory that includes a lot of certified pre-owned vehicles and also offers highly competitive financing options, take a look around you to see how the employees treat customers after they bought a car. This is a golden rule of business: a quality service is invaluable.