Helpful Resources

Below is a list of resources that I recommend you use in your quest for making a Wise and Confident Buying Decision. 

Independent Dealer Info
  • VIADA: Virginia Independent Automobile Dealers Association
  • NIADA: National Independent Automobile Dealers Association


Pricing Guides
*My Input: Pricing guides can be helpful if used the right way and with proper understanding. But they can also be confusing and unhelpful if not used and understood properly. What you must realize is that they are just guides and when it comes to pre-owned vehicles, no two cars are identical. The easiest way to determine this is to simply compare the price of a vehicle on multiple pricing guide sites and you will find more often than not that the "suggested" prices are different...SOMETIMES VERY DIFFERENT! 

Other factors that affect pricing you should be aware of:
  • Region of the country the vehicle is from
  • Has the vehicle had paint or body work and was it repaired well
  • Overall demand for the vehicle...this can vary from one market to another

Auto Parts

Vehicle History Info
  • AllData: AllData provides vehicle Recall and TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) info. You can see every recall for your particular vehicle and then contact the dealer to see if your vehicle has been serviced for that recall.
  • Carfax: Carfax for vehicle title and accident info.
  • AutoCheck: AutoCheck is supposedly a little more comprehensive than Carfax and a better deal.
*WARNING: While I recommend you run an AutoCheck or Carfax report, I warn you, do not rely on these reports to determine if a vehicle has been in accident or has a title issue. Vehicle History Reporting companies have conned the public into thinking that by having one of their reports, you are guaranteed that the vehicle you are purchasing has a clean title and accurate accident history. That is far from reality! Most accidents, including any paint and body work, don't show up on Vehicle History Reports. 

And in many cases, these reports can show a clean title, but then months later an issue (salvage, flood, totaled, odometer) can show up on the title. 

Also, these reports may show an odometer discrepancy when in reality, it could have been a typo or not reading something accurately and thus reporting a discrepancy. 

Consumer Info
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