I sold cars for twelve years. I recently left the business after publishing two books. However it is ironic that after being out of the business for six months, I have been inundated with car-buying questions. One of them is, "should I buy a used car?"

If you are careful and know what to look for, you can purchase a safe and reliable used vehicle that will bring you many years of happy driving. But there are several things you need to do first. For example, check the condition the vehicle in question. For starters open the hood and the trunk. Check the trays beneath the glass and the seams along the sides of the engine compartment and trunk. If the screws holding the fenders onto the car appear to have been scratched or coated with fresh paint, this suggests that perhaps the vehicle has been hit. Check the carpeting inside and top of the dashboard for water stains. The last thing you want to own is a "Katrina" car. This is particularly true if you are looking to buy a used Jeep Wrangler. Some folks who have owned these vehicles never seem to put on the hard or soft tops so that the gaskets are alined and the fit is snug and tight. Or perhaps the top has leaked ever since the vehicle left the factory. The latter does happen occasionally. I know, I sold Jeeps for twelve years. If you are in doubt as to your competence to perform the above checks, take someone along who is proficient; or, take the vehicle to a body repair shop of good reputation. The same holds true for the mechanical reliability of the vehicle. Simply take the vehicle to your mechanic.

Another question I am asked is about pros and cons of extended warranties. Having sold Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge for many years, I can tell you that if you plan to buy one of their used cars that is less than three years old or has an odometer reading of less than 36,000 miles, the remainder of the original factory warranty is still good. The same should hold true for any other manufacturer. However do your homework. Qualifying years and miles are not uniform in the industry. And you might find that some manufacturers' warranties will cover the original owner only. So verify the qualifications.

If you are intent on buying an extended warranty for your used car, it is a good idea to make sure that it is a manufacturer's warranty. A manufacturer's warranty should be recognized in fifty states and Canada. But double check. Second party warranties can be purchased as

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