Before you outright buy the car, sit down and do a thorough research.
This is when the Internet comes very handy.
There a lot of websites that sell cheap used cars and other websites that recommend or advise you from where you can get genuine used cars.
Do your comparison using different review sites and gather take note of the recommended dealerships and agencies online that you can use.
When buying a used car, you need to look beyond the cost price and factor in the maintenance costs as well.
There is a possibility that the car may come with its few problems and you may need to be paying extra because of that.
Go with your mechanic if possible so he can do a full auto body work out for you before purchasing.
The car may need a set of new wheels, or the car seats needs replacement.
These may be the initial costs apart from the buying price that you would want to consider.
It's important to test drive your vehicle.
If you are buying from a dealership or government model, test drive a three or four cars of the same model.
This is only possible when you are sure of the model of the car that you want to purchase.
The legal transactions of the car need to be carefully looked into as well.
Inspect your documentation carefully and make sure that a change of ownership is effected and there are no registered liens against the vehicle.