Buying a used car is a great way to save money but there are risks involved. The majority of used car dealers are perfectly honest and they will sell you a good car for a fair price. However, we’ve all heard horror stories about dodgy dealers selling cars with all sorts of hidden problems, so it’s important that you don’t get caught out. Even though you always have to put a bit of faith in the car dealer, there are some simple ways to spot the good ones and avoid the bad ones. These are some of the biggest warning signs to look out for when visiting a used car dealership.

The Cars Are In Bad Condition

The first thing to look at is the condition of the cars. Just because the cars are second hand, that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t look good. A reliable used car dealer will put a lot of effort into making sure that their inventory is in good condition. This means keeping the cars clean and dealing with any rust or scratches before they put the cars up for sale. If you go into a dealership and the car exteriors are not well looked after, you need to ask yourself what is going on under the hood. A car dealer that can’t even be bothered to wash their cars and buff out scratches isn’t likely to keep up with important maintenance either, so their vehicles won’t be in good working order.

They Won’t Let You Test Drive The Car

If you’ve found a car that you’re interested in, you should always give it a test drive. This is important when buying any car, but especially with used cars because you need to make sure that there are no obvious problems with it before you buy it. A reliable dealer that is selling you a good car won’t have any problem with you taking a test drive because they have nothing to hide. But if the dealer is reluctant to let you take it for a test drive, that’s a bad sign and you should look elsewhere.

The Price Is Surprisingly Low

Low prices are usually a good thing, but if the price is surprisingly low, that’s a cause for concern. It’s easy to get taken in by low prices because everybody wants to get a great deal on their next car, but if they’re selling the car for way less than the average market value, you have to ask yourself why. In most cases, the price is so low because there is something seriously wrong with the car and they’re trying to shift it as quickly as possible. Before buying any used car, check what the average price is and compare a few dealerships. If the price is a little lower, that’s nothing to worry about and you’re getting a good deal. However, if somebody is selling a car for half of what it’s worth, it’s probably too good to be true.

Whenever you go to a used car dealer, you should always watch out for these warning signs and if you have a bad feeling for any reason, trust your gut and look for another dealership.