Hi Bro. I have had bad experience before, though it was only a small problem, but it doesn't feel good to be taken for a ride by the dealer.
First of all, I think you must find a reliable dealer. If you are unsure, ask around on the forums to see if anyone has had bad experiences with this dealer before. Ask the dealers questions about the car, how many owners, got any accidents, why the owner wanted to sell etc. Of course, don't take their word for it, but at least if u see the dealer is hesitant and not very upfront, it might be an indication that the dealer is hiding something.
Next, try to find someone who knows about cars to go with you. This person should be able to check the engine for you. Basically, check the state of the engine, is it rusty or dirty etc. Then check the fluids like engine oil, transmission oil, brake fluid etc. If the car has been left for some time, and it has leaks, the fluids will be low. And low levels of fluids might show that the car wasn't well maintained by the previous owner. Check the engine compartment for any signs of welding, which might indicate a serious accident.
Then, check the body and paint for signs of rust, or repainting and repair. Most repaint jobs, no matter how good, will be slightly different in colour, unless they re-sprayed the whole car. The surface of the new paint well also be slightly different from the old paint. Make sure u check the boot as well, as the last car I bought had a rear end collision, and a poor repair job was done, so water was seeping into the boot.
Note that just because a car has been in an accident doesn't mean it is not worth buying. As long as it is well repaired, and at least u know about it, I think it's fine.
Make sure u go for a test drive, and check for any sounds or knocking coming from the engine, tires or elsewhere. U might not be able to diagnose the problem, but if any funny sounds are there, it might mean problems. Make sure the transmission of the car is ok, brakes etc are working, there are no warning lights on the dashboard.
Finally, make sure that u check the tires and the servicing records of the car. Generally cars need to do a major servicing at around 40k, change timing belt etc. This differs from model to model, so tat's y u need the expert. What happened to me then was that I din know about all these, that's y my first servicing after I bought the car cost me in excess of $1k because i had to change the tires, timing belt, etc. Not tat I expect the dealer to do all these for me, but I think this kind of thing can bring up and try to cut a bit off the price.
I think getting a friend to go with u is very important, as two people can resist the hardsell tactic of the dealer better. Try not to agree on the spot unless u are very sure that the car is for u. N right after u get the car, bring it to a workshop u trust to go thru everything properly.
All this is from my own experience, so might not be the most accurate. If any experts out there can share more, we can all learn.
