How to buy a used car

[Meowkins]

Hey dudes,

I have an old POS 2002 Audi (sorry Sam, I know this hurts your heart) that is pretty much done. The brakes are giving out and will cost $2500, gas is expensive, something weird is going on with the transmission, not all the windows work, the AC doesn't work, heat doesn't work--

ANYWAY, I am ditching this car. We are expecting a mini-mustachian, I am a new driver (long story), and these two factors mean we want a safe car.

I am in a new city. I don't know a mechanic. I have asked the Mustachian group in my city for some advice and am waiting on that.

In the meantime, is there any advice you can give me on buying a safe car the mustachian way? I figure used is best. Do I do.... Carvana? Craigslist? Some other used car dealership?

Thanks in advance. And yes, for those ready to mock my automobile ignorance, I will 100% take the holier than thou high road of NEVER having lived the clown car life* ;)

(*Note: Sometimes humor is hard to convey in text. This is a joke.)

[nereo]

You have a keen focus on this being a "safe" car.
Car safety has increased incrimentallly that virtually any car (recalls excluded) built in the last 10 years will be as safe or safer than cars from the 1980s and 1990s.  You'll be hard pressed to find a sedan made in the last 10 years that is less safe than your '02 Audi.

Having said that, once you have established the kind of car you are looking for I'd stalk Craigslist (set up a Google Alert) and chcek one or two of the other used car sites.  You can get a ballpark idea of what a particular car should cost by looking at the Kelley Blue Book value (though that's just a starting point).

Finally, if you are buying third party, first locate an independent mechanic who will do a full inspection of the car.  This is a very common thing and doesn't cost very much ($40-100, depending on the shop - often they will waive that entirely if you do any necessary repairs there).

[Meowkins]

Thank you! I've found a mechanic who I trust who will do the pre-inspection and am scouring both craigslist and cars.com :)