Tom McLaughlin manages Triple-A Mid-Atlantic Auto Repair division and knows how to spot a car with a troubled history..
"If you see a car with mismatched paint and stuff look underneath to see if there's anything bent where it shouldn't be immediately obvious to indicate it had a hard hit."
Another common problem is water damage , and the used car market is likely to soon be saturated with water-logged vehicles after all the flooding in the Midwest this season.
"Inside of the car," McLaughlin says, "where its difficult to clean, some cars will have a seam in the carpet somewhere in the front seat area and you can pick that up and see if there's any mud underneath it. Or you can reach underneath the dashboard in places you can only get your finger in and rub it around and it should come up clean if it comes up muddy you know the car has some history and you just want to back away."
Also back away from vehicles you're not allowed to test drive.
When you do test drive a car, make sure it brakes well and straight.
Let go of the wheel and make sure there's no pulling.
Check to see if the transmission shifts smoothly.
And be on the alert for unusual sounds, smells, or leaking.
Phil Reed, Sr. from Edmunds.com has another tip.
"You can also subscribe to a service called Car-fax.com, and this allows you to check the vehicle history on any car you're interested in buying."
All you have to do is enter the vehicle identification number.
At Lemonlaw.com, you'll find something called the Lemon Dodger worksheet. It has all the questions you need to ask to make sure you buy a reliable set of wheels instead of someone else's problem.
The folks at Lemonlaw.com also suggest you stay away from dealer vehicles sold "as is".
Instead, buy a car that's still under the original manufacturer's warranty or is certified pre-owned.
"A certified pre-owned car is one that has been checked by the dealer; a report has been issued, it is up to a certain criteria level, and they will generally extend the warranty."
It'll cost you a little more in the short-term but save you money in the long run.
When it comes to negotiating a good price for a used car, check out the Kelly Blue Book and the guide put out by the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Check out a tool called T-M-V on Edmunds.com T-M-V stands for True Market Value and is based on actual sales data..
Just put in any car you're considering buying and T-M-V will give you a price based on the condition level and other factors, even the color.
You may not realize it but popular colors, which today include silver and beige - can sometimes cost you more.
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