3. Use multiple methods to find available cars

Your research will help you decide what kind of car you want. Now you have to find one for sale. Ideally, you should decide on two or three cars that suit you. With flexibility, you can bargain for the best deal.

Use all available resources to search for used cars for sale. Try to find both dealers and private individuals who are selling the type of car you want.

Good resources include:

• Websites like the ones listed in item 2, plus sites for individual auto dealers.
• Online classifieds, such as craigslist: www.craigslist.org
• Newspapers, both large metropolitan ones and local weeklies.
• Bulletin boards in your neighborhood.