In the economy we live in, most families are going to choose to buy a used car rather than a new car.

With that being the case, there will be a lot of issues concerning finances that go into place when making a used car purchase.

When I say financial considerations, I am not just talking about the sales price.

When you represent a family and were really looking for ways to save money, you obviously don’t want to buy a used vehicle that has extra repair expenses that you weren’t prepared for.Especially if your budget did not have those extra expenses in it.

So one of the major things to be aware of is having to do a smog test.  The last thing you want to have to do is make expensive repairs for a failed smog test.  I have seen too many used cars in my San Diego auto repair business have this happen.

So when you are making the purchase of that used car, some things to consider are here.

Under a law passed in 2005, if your car is 1976 or older you don’t ever need a smog check.So if your vehicle is newer than that your car will need to be tested based on state emission laws.You can learn about your state if you call the Bureau
of Automotive repair at (800) 952-5210.

If you live in California and are buying a used car you may need a San Diego smog check.If the car has been sold and registered in California for the first time, you will have to get a smog check.

Otherwise, if the car is in it’s 5th or 7th year, a smog test done biennially will be needed.

If you made the car purchase in another state but live in California, you will have to find out if your vehicle can pass a smog test.  Generally California is much stricter.

With that being the case, you want to keep that in mind when purchasing your vehicle.

Costs for a smog test San Diego generally run between $30 to $80.But as previously mentioned, it isn’t the biggest cost.The biggest cost will be if costly repairs are needed.

So when purchasing the used car, make sure you find out if the vehicle has recently passed a smog test.

You don’t want any surprise expenses popping up when your goal was to save money by buying a used car.

Follow these pieces of advice when making a purchase of a used vehicle and a lot of money will be saved.