Buying a used car comes with many benefits. You get lower insurance rates, avoid hidden costs from things such as shipping fees, and if you are buying from an authorised dealership, you get a warranty on repairs for a given period. But the best part is that you get all these at a lower price. Well, this isn't the case with all used cars, and it always comes down to proper selection. You need to be extra careful when choosing a used car because it's easy to end up with a bad option that won't be as friendly to your wallet owing to frequent maintenance issues and repairs. Considering that, here are some key details to keep in mind when buying a used car.

Vehicle History

A used car's vehicle history is extremely important as it can point you towards red flags that would be costly to you as a new owner. While you can always get as much information as possible from the current owner, this alone isn't enough. Do some more digging on your own, and you can start by running the vehicle's identification number through authorised car search services. Here, you will find lots of crucial information such as whether there have been any recalls on the vehicle or model, whether it has liens on it, whether it's been in accidents before, etc. You will also be able to see particulars such as title problems and service points. Some authorised dealerships offer vehicle history reports for free, so it would help to ask first before searching by yourself.

Mileage

Mileage matters when purchasing a used car. And while the style in which the owner drove the vehicle will often be more important, low mileage used vehicles tend to be in a better condition. This means they will likely require less maintenance down the line compared to their high mileage counterparts. However, it would be ideal also to check the car's age when looking at the mileage. A low mileage vehicle that is considerably old may not be the right option just because of the low mileage. Generally, this only means that the vehicle has been sitting around for long and would likely suffer a range of mechanical issues such as corroded parts. Always remember to ask the owner about the car's driving life, whether it's primarily city or highway. If the vehicle spent most of its time in the city, make sure to inspect parts such as the brakes