Buying a used car can be a difficult, if not frustrating experience for many people and it's not something to be done in a hurry or without some prior research into the used car market.

First off, you should consider your budget and your income to see how much you want to spend, or what the monthly payment levels you are going to be comfortable with. If you are looking at the car of your dreams and it's going to cost you over $15,000 and you only make between $18,000 and 26,000 a year, you may want to consider a less expensive car.

Decide if you want to pay for the car in full from a savings account or finance it. I paid for a 1999 Honda Accord about 5 years ago in full and have had no problems with it except for one minor repair to the hardware on the shift lever. Naturally you have to factor in the cost of brakes every year or two, oil changes and tires, as well as the occasional tune up.

If you check the book value of the make and model cars you are interested in, they will range in price due to the mileage and the year. A 1999 Toyota Camry will cost less than a 2001 Camry with similar mileage numbers. If you don't want to go through any major repairs within the first few years, you may want to avoid getting a car with more than say, 35,000 to 60,000 miles. Even then, something can always happen but you are safer than if you were to purchase a vehicle with over 90,000 miles on it.

Certain cars run well into and over the 100,000 mile mark, such as many of the Honda and Toyota models. Since they are known to have a good record of durability over time, it may be a good and practical choice rather than another car that looks great and is impressive, but not as practical or sensible. Check around on the internet for reviews and consumer feedback when you are making your decision as to what car is the best car for you. Yahoo answers is a pretty good place to look as the feedback given to questions is from readers just like you and I. The experience of others is always helpful when looking for answers to questions you may have.

Whether you shop online for a car in your local area by using the ads, such as craigslist or other ad services, or you go to a used car dealer in your area, have some knowledge about the car you are looking to buy. Make sure you find out it's history and if the car has been in an accident, as well as how many previous owners it has had. Was the oil changed regularly? How many times did it get tuned up? Make sure you check the transmission fluid to see how dirty it is. These things can give you an idea of how well the car was maintained and if it is worth the money being asked for it.