Car News Articles 
 Alternative Fuel Vehicles
 Automotive Articles
 Car Buying Tips (198)
  Car Financing (29)
  Car Warranty (5)
 Car Insurance Articles
 Car Maintenance
 Car News
 Car Racing
 Car Repair
 Car Safety
 
 Driving Economically
 Environmental Issues
 Exterior Car Care
 Garage Know How
 
 How Car Stuff Works
 Motorcycle Articles
 Road Trips
 Traveling with Kids
 Younger - Older Drivers
 
 Amsoil Synthetic Oil
 Article Archives




spacer
spacer
Car Buying Tips

Buyers Steer Clear Of Cashed-In Clunkers

Buyers steer clear of cashed in clunkers is good advice. As a car buyer you should always know where your new vehicle has been. You can do this with the help of carfax.com.

(NAPSI)-Nearly 700,000 used cars were traded in and sent to be scrapped under the federal Car Allowance Rebate System, or "Cash for Clunkers." But how many of those autos actually made it to the scrap yard? Experts say it could pay for used car buyers to ask just that.

Some now warn that although it is illegal to resell any car traded in under the Cash for Clunkers program, many of the used cars that were supposedly scrapped may in fact be resold around the country.

Protecting Yourself

Fortunately, there are ways for car buyers to protect themselves. For instance, working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Carfax recently added the vehicle identification number (VIN) of every car included in the Cash for Clunkers program to its database.

The information is available for free at www.carfax.com/clunkers. After plugging in the 17-digit VIN, the free check alerts buyers and sellers to any vehicle that was supposed to be scrapped as part of the initiative. The company's vehicle history reports also include the clunker information in addition to other important facts about a car's past--facts that a seller may be unaware of or choose not to reveal. Carfax Reports can indicate if a car was in a flood, fire or wreck or if its odometer may have been illegally rolled back.

It's also smart for shoppers to give a car a visual inspection and have the car inspected by a trusted mechanic before they buy. A few things to look for:

•Make sure the seller's name and the vehicle identification number matches on all documents and the car itself.

•Be aware of malfunctioning air bag indicator lights. The light should turn on briefly when you start the engine and then turn off.

•Cracked wires or interior rust; cars that were once under water will rot from the inside out. Wet wires become brittle and metal bolts and brackets will start rusting when they dry out.

Learn More

For more information on the Cash for Clunkers program and guidelines, visit www.cars.gov. For more information on vehicle history reports, visit www.carfax.com.







Related Articles:
Use Canadian Black Book For Reliable Trade-in Information
The Canadian Black Book Rates Vehicles With Best Trade-in Value
The Best Vehicles To Fit Your Needs
Eight Secrets To Safely Buying A Car Online
Buying A Car? Avoid These Wrong Turns
Price Versus Value: When Is It Worth The Upgrade?
Driving A Bargain
Car Shopping Protect Yourself From Online Fraud
Shop Smart For The Best Car Deals Online
Five Tips To Find The Best Car For You
How To Find The Right Car For The Teen Driver In Your Family
New Ways To Sell Or Trade A Vehicle Online
How To Read A Vehicle History Report
The Great Car Debate: To Buy or to Lease?
Buying A New Car Or Truck That Can Be Custom Fit

spacer
sdg
make image
model image
zip code


Stay Updated!


Car Buying Tips
Related Articles
Spring Car Shopping? Take Care
Five Must-haves For Your New
What You Need To Know
Taking A Test Drive: Do
Money Saving Checklist For Buying
Use Canadian Black Book For
The Canadian Black Book Rates
The Best Vehicles To Fit
Eight Secrets To Safely Buying
Buying A Car? Avoid These
Price Versus Value: When Is
Driving A Bargain
Car Shopping Protect Yourself From
Shop Smart For The Best
Five Tips To Find The
How To Find The Right
New Ways To Sell Or
How To Read A Vehicle
The Great Car Debate: To
Buying A New Car Or
spacer

Feed Button



Car Insurance Info | Newsletter | Car Classifieds | Online Car Rentals
Auto Pictures | Link To Carjunky.com



Complete List of Article RSS News Feeds


Copyright © 1999 - . CarJunky® All Rights Reserved.