Monitor C/L like a hawk.
And then there are some other things you can do to boost things in your favor.
1. Understand when vehicles are most likely to get posted.
For example: I spent 6 months looking constantly - was getting weary actually!
I was crawling around Kijiji (up here it's better than C/L) and was all the way back on page 6 or 7 of the listings. Up popped a private sale of a low mileage 2002 3/4 ton cargo van with a high top already installed and at a price that made me wonder what was wrong with it.
On the phone in a heartbeat, arranged to look at it the next day (3 1/2 hour drive each way). No one else even phoned about it.
Long story short, the owners' daughter had posted it on her lunch hour on Friday. It turns out that all the dealers post their ads late on Friday afternoon for the upcoming weekend warriors. Her ad got buried way back on page 6 where I found it.....
2. Have the money ready - at least a down payment in cash on hand and the rest in the bank.
Once you've found the van you want is no time to be scrambling for the money.
I looked the van over, negotiated the price down a bit based on a couple of things I was concerned about. Gave them a hefty deposit and we signed a bill of sale.
3. Have an agreement of sale printed and ready to fill out.
I found a sample agreement on line that allowed me to print if off and I took a blank form with me, all ready to fill out.
4. Be prepared to spring in to action.
If you don't know enough about vehicles mechanically and physically to be completely comfortable appraising them yourself, then have someone already lined up and available to do so. Do NOT wait until you find something you think you want to start finding a mechanic.
Oh, and most of us don't spend anywhere near 10G on a used vehicle unless they're buying an 'almost new vehicle.'
The good deals DO exist, you have to be patient and diligent to find them! And ready to jump when you do!!
