Benefits

• One of the benefits of buying a vehicle directly from a private owner is saving money. You also don't have to worry about traditional dealer hassles, such as rushed purchases, inflated interest rates or pushy salespeople.
  
  

Considerations

• You have to find financing for yourself if buying privately. Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book websites both provide private-sale values on used cars, so research the car before you agree on a price.You can use a local lender, but obtain a pre-approval before heading out to shop. Pre-approvals can take up to several days, in which case you can lose the vehicle if the seller does not want to hold it. With a pre-approval, you can return to the bank with the vehicle identification information, sign your contract and receive a check for the seller.
  
  

Warning

• Dealers are required by state law to make sure a vehicle passes state inspection before sale. A private seller does not. In addition, it is common practice to sell a used vehicle "as is" for a private sale. If you want to buy the car, protect yourself from future repairs and expenses by taking the car to a trusted mechanic or by having one come with you to look over the car.