The Used Car Buyer's Guide

We graded 20,253 car dealers in 109 metros from public reviews. See how A dealers differ from F dealers and what it means when you buy.

Franchise dealers get an F 2 percent of the time. Independent used lots get one 19 percent of the time. Here is how to shop each kind.

Lemon, scam and check engine light show up in F dealer reviews. No pressure and no hidden fees show up for A dealers. Here is what the words tell you.

A 4.7 from thousands of buyers beats a 5.0 from a dozen. See how F grades fall from 23 to 1 percent as dealer review counts rise.

Car dealer reviews are mostly five stars or one star. Only 3.5 percent fall in the middle. Here is why the one star share tells you more.

17 percent of graded dealers have lots of five star reviews and lots of one star reviews too. Here is what a split record means for you.

Buy here pay here lots lend you the money themselves. See how 324 graded lots compare to other used lots, and what to check first.

We ranked 98 metros by how their car dealers grade. See the five best and five worst cities, and what a low rank means for you.

Which brands have the best rated dealerships? We graded franchise stores for 29 brands. See the top five and the lowest five.

Luxury car dealers earn an A far more often than mainstream brand stores. See the numbers and what they mean for a used luxury buyer.

The warning signs of a bad car dealer, from review words to how a lot treats you in person. The biggest one is refusing an inspection.

A quick ten minute routine to check out a car dealer before you visit. Grade, reviews, listing, photos and two questions to ask on the phone.

A step by step walkaround and under hood check any buyer can do on a used car, plus what a professional inspection finds that you cannot.

The questions that matter when you shop a used car at a dealer, from the out the door price to the Buyers Guide sticker and an outside inspection.

What a vehicle history report shows, what it can miss, and how to read title brands, accidents, owners and odometer records before you buy a used car.

What each fee on a used car deal means, which ones go to the government, which ones the dealer sets, and why the out the door price is the number to get.

How to test drive a used car, from a cold start to highway speed, braking, turning and warning lights, so you notice problems before you buy.

How to spot a flood damaged used car by smell, sight and paperwork, why flood cars show up far from the flood, and what to do if you suspect one.

What certified used cars really include, how manufacturer programs differ from a dealer's own label, and what to check before paying more for one.

How dealer financing compares with a bank or credit union loan, why a preapproval helps, how rate markups work, and why price matters more than payment.

What an extended car warranty really is, how it differs from a manufacturer warranty, what to read in the contract, and when one may be worth buying.

What buying a used car as is means, how the Buyers Guide sticker works, how implied warranties and state rules differ, and why an inspection matters more.

A plain approach to negotiating a used car price, from research and the out the door number to inspection findings and knowing when to walk away.