Used Car Buying Help:

  600-Point Pre-Purchase Inspection
  Top 10 Buying Myths and Mistakes
  Why use Auto P. I. Used Car Inspections?
  The 1-2-3 Steps of Buying a Used Vehicle
  Master Technicians & Frame Specialist
  Why Frame Inspections are Critical
  Determining the True Value of a Used Vehicle
  Used Car Industry Scams and Practices
  Helpful Links and Titling Information
  Auto P. I. FAQ's

Buyer Beware:
  A CARFAX Report is NOT an Inspection
  Certified Used Car Drawbacks
  Other Types of Used Car Inspections
  Voided Factory Warrantee on Used Cars
  The "AS-IS" Sale Document
  Odometer Fraud at  High Levels
  Totaled and Flooded  Vehicles on Lots 
  Title Cleaning and Title Fraud
  An Individual Seller or Curbstoner?
  10 Things Your Mechanic Won't Tell You




Helpful Links

Texas title application - Texas Motor Vehicle Registration and Titling

DPS State Inspection Sticker - Locate a Texas inspection station in your area.

Texas Vehicle Certification Appraisal Form - Effective October 1, 2006, If you are purchasing a used vehicle from a private seller, below its market value,  you must have an certified appraisal from a licensed Texas Dealer or licensed Texas Insurance Appraiser. This inspection will cost between $100 to $300. To determine the "Standard Presumptive Value" of a used vehicle, click here, you will need the VIN and mileage of the vehicle.

Safety recalls - Find out if the vehicle you are purchasing has any safety recalls and if they have been performed. Call a local manufacturer's dealership, give them the VIN, and ask if the vehicle you are purchasing has any outstanding recalls not fixed. Also, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site provides information on safety recalls.

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
    VIN deciphered
- See what the VIN numbers and letters represent
    VIN check digit - See if your VIN has an number or letter error
    More VIN Information

Used car pricing web sites:
    www.edmunds.com

    www.kbb.com

    www.nada.com

Technical Service Bulletins (TSB's) - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site provides TSB's which are not recalls but problems that a particular model(s) has with certain components.

www.autosafety.org - The Center for Auto Safety site lists auto defects and consumer complaints by make and model.

800-424-9393 - US Department of Transportation Safety Hotline recalls

www.nhtsa.gov - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site provides recall information and crash test rating.

www.highwaysafety.org - The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) click on "Have we tested your car?" IIHS crashes one side of a vehicle's front end which tests the performance of the car's structure.

Disclaimer: These links are provided as a convenience only.

Don't Buy a Used Car With Past or Current Problems
Know the True Condition by Scheduling Auto P. I.'s 600-Point Inspection.

Expert Advice on Wheels

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