How to Locate Used Car Dealers

Buying a used car can bring with it multiple advantages, the obvious one being cost. Additionally, used cars are great for new drivers, as any potential damage they incur on a used car will result in less of a decline in value than would be the case for a new one. No matter your reason for wanting to buy a used car, your most important step in doing so is locating a dealer who specializes in used cars and has a large inventory of them on the lot.

• 1

  Browse your local phone book for used cars dealer. If that doesn't turn up any results or if your phone book is out of date, visit "YP.com" and search there for used cars in your area. An electronic version of your physical phone book, this resource provides up-to-the-minute business results and, like your phone book, is free to use.

• 2

  Search Google, Yahoo! or Bing for used car dealers in your area, using the search term "Used Cars City, State." For example, if you live in Ottumwa, Iowa and are looking for used cars, you might search "Used Cars Ottumwa, Iowa." If you live in a bigger city, however, you may want to be more specific. Rather than using "Used Cars Dallas, Texas" as your search term, you might type "Used Cars Grapevine, Texas" or "Used Cars Irving, Texas." Be specific about your car if possible, too. If you only want to look for used Fords, specify that in your search.

• 3

  Visit local new car dealerships to check out their used inventories. Even if a dealer doesn't specialize in used cars, he may have a car on hand that fits your needs. Peruse these lots quickly so as not to waste valuable search time, but with enough care and attention to detail so as not to miss anything.

• 4

  Peruse local classified ads, either in your newspaper or on a website such as Craigslist.com. Often, used car dealers will post ads in publications like these, either for individual cars or for their entire lot. If you do locate a specific vehicle using this method, you can use the fact that you found it in an ad as a bargaining tool -- the dealer wanted to get rid of it badly enough to advertise it.