Buying a Used Car as a New Yorker
Recently I accepted a Software Engineering Job in a different state and needed a car to travel.
Being a native New Yorker from Queens, I was in the situation where:
- I have never owned a car
- I have never needed a car
- I have never wanted a car
The public transportation in the 5 boroughs has always been there with its delays and all. Plus a monthly Metrocard is still cheaper than paying monthly for a car + gas + insurance + maintenance. I never needed a car but since everywhere other than NYC you need a car, I decided it was time for me to grow up a little and buy a car.
Below is what I found out researching when buying my car:

Buying from a dealership:
The top 3 website I would recommend are :
Once you find a car you want on one of these sites, get the VIN then go to:
It is by far the best aggregated car history, information, spec and everything about your car website. See the history of your car, if it still is to your liking. Remember to look though its history and its carfax, “remember when buying a used car you inherit the previous owners problems” so be weary of this.
When you are ready, contact the dealership and they will lead you through the rest.
Some things to take note of when you meet a dealerships salesman:
- They are trying to make a sale and are not afraid to lie.
- The face value of the can be negotiated.
- Some will try to take your license and pressure you for a sale.
- The information you provide may be used to run credit checks.
- They may offer a warranty for extra money but please read the fine print and be aware of the Lemon law which may make it redundant, (in case they sell you a warranty you are suppose to get for free). Certified cars may have special warranties, read the fine print on those too.
Used Car Lemon Law:
Something to make you feel better after hearing all that negativity is that in NYC there exists something called “Used Car Lemon Law”
Basically, it protects you as a buyer from the certain cases when buying a used car from dealerships. Auto dealers are required by law to provide you a written warranty to covers certain things, to see them go to:

Buying from a private seller:
If you decide not to buy from a dealership, you can buy a car from a private seller.
Private sellers can be found online, on the street, at your local bar, the number on a car, and pretty much anywhere someone is saying “I’m selling a car.”
I suggest the Craigslist: https://newyork.craigslist.org/search/cta
Still use the VIN research website link as you should still know a cars history especially if it was from a private seller.
I would recommend visiting a trusted Automotive Service Excellence certified (ASE) mechanic, use:
and have them inspect your car before buying it.
“Remember just because a car looks good on the outside, does not mean it is good on the inside and vice versa,” have a trusted mechanic inspect the car and it may save you repair costs in the future.
Once you are ready to buy the car, go to the DMV website and get the necessary paperwork to transfer over the car from the private seller to you. The 4 things you will need are:
1) Vehicle Title, (the seller will have this) it should look like:

2) Vehicle Bill of Sale
4) Odometer and Damage Disclosure Statement
Next you will need to apply for auto insurance:
I went to:
To get a good summary of places that had the best insurance price, then I applied to a few of them, the insurance for me with the best value was at Progressive and Geico.
The last Steps:
Once you have done all of all of the paperwork at the dealership, go to:
Download ALL paperwork you need, the dealership should have provided you with some stuff, the only things you need off of the DMV website now are:
a Sales Tax Exemption may be included if the tax was taken already at the dealership.
Once you have all the necessary paperwork, you would normally just go to the DMV then wait in the long abyss that is the DMV but don’t do it that way, it is a waste of a few hours.
Make an Reservation instead:
Go to:
Yes the website looks like a 5 year old made it but it is legitimately the best thing to happen to you and DMV since you heard about it.
I used it and made an reservation at 2:00 pm before leaving my house, I arrived at the DMV at 2:57 pm and checked in.
I was called to the counter the same minute I checked in THANKS TO THE RESERVATION.
At the Jamaica Queens DMV I was in and out in 8 minutes.
In 8 minutes, I got my plates, my registration and was out the door at 3:05 pm off to drive my used car.
I recently did all of the above and bought my used car on July 26, 2017.

Now I need to learn how to drive among all these crazy New York drivers.
If you have read this far, thank you for reading and good luck on your used car purchase.