There's something extremely exciting about getting a great deal on a used car. You know you're getting a great set of wheels that's already got some miles under the hood, which means it's not a dealer lemon, and isn't wearing a new car price tag, which means it's going to be a big boost to your budget during these terse economic times. That doesn't mean you want to walk into the deal blind, however. A car with a good history could have some dark spots in its history just as easily, and the last thing you want to do is take the dealership's word for it that your car is still untouched.

It makes sense that the first place you would go would be the car insurance company that was insuring your car in the first place. After all, a history of car insurance claims would provide a nice, clean trail to let you know what your car's been up to the past few years-and help you quickly identify any trouble spots that might pop up in the future. After all, unless it's done right a rebuilt engine or transmission is nothing but a ticking time bomb, as anyone that's ever had the misfortune to have to deal with knows all too well! Knowing these things ahead of time can go a long way toward saving you a world of heartache.

Unfortunately, it doesn't really matter what car insurance company you talk to. They're going to tell you that your car's previous owner's driving history is absolutely none of your business-and in a way they'd be right. After all, getting ahold of your car's history also lets you know exactly what kind of driver their previous owner used to be. That's considered an invasion of privacy, since there's a chance you don't even know these people and even if you did they probably wouldn't want you having unlimited access to their past foibles!

That doesn't help you out, however. The good news is, there's someone who can.

Have you ever heard of CARFAX? When you need to know anything about your car you can turn to CARFAX. They'll give you a report free of charge through their website just using your car's VIN. And since you can access the CARFAX website from anywhere that has an Internet connection, including your Blackberry, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to either get the report yourself or have one printed out by the dealership. If they try and come up with any reason you shouldn't, walk away. There's something fishy going on, and your wallet will thank you in the long run.

Even if it does cost you a little more right now.