How to make money selling craigs list cars.............

First let me say that if you do not know anything about cars, or anyone who does then this is not for you. However if you have basic electrical and mechanical skills, then there is money to be made from the internet.

Many of the cars that you will find online are for the most part overpriced or priced to move.  Neither one of those options are good to try and turn a dollar from. The margin on these cars is too low, after refurbishing, and tune up most of the time after taxes you barely break even.

The cars that you are looking for are surprisingly the broken ones.

Most people have no idea how to fix a car, or know where to start when there is a problem.  Many times a simple fuse replacement or relay swap will a once dead car come to life again.  Many people do not maintain their vehicles, this can lead to more serious problems. These are ones to try to stay away from.

Sometimes you can find a chery that just needs to be cleaned up. (paint interior trim etc.)   Unless you have extensive knowledge or experiance, cars with engine problems or bad transmissions are something to keep away from.  If you know what you are doing however, these cars are the best ones to rebuild.

Most common are bad servos or solinoids in the transmission, or blown head gaskets for engines.  By the time these little guys reach the internet, the owner has already decided that their car is not worth the paper the title is printed on.  Many times things are as simple as a burnt wire or a loose ground connection.  Im not saying you should go around screwing people who dont know any better, but taking advantage of a good deal when it crosses your path is definatly the right thing to do.   Many times you will come across a car that is in great mechanical shape , but the owner neglected the paint or trim.  These cars are good to look at just because their apperance is so bad. Many times there is not anything wrong with the car its self, it just looks crummy because of the exterior.  Many times the owner of this type of car has also neglected the engine, take a peek inside. If there is any sign of leaking or other major malfunctioning you might want to reconsider.  A good indication is the milage of the vehicle. If the car has over 100000  miles on it you can bet that there is going to be a need for new gaskets somewhere in the engine or transmission. Ask if there are any service reports for the car, or make inquiries about oil changes and the spark plugs. If the owner has replaced all of the tune up components for the engine, more than likely they at least attempt to keep their vehicle in good working order. The better maintained the better the buy, in cases like these.

The best buys are from wealthy people or older people, who are more likely to buy a newer car, rather than fix the older one. Many times these owners just want the vehicle to go away.  Money is not the object in these cases, most of the time these people just dont want, or need the car anymore.  These you can usually get for way below blue book, due to the eagerness to sell.  Always check for titles, there are alot of scammers out there.  You dont want to be buying stolen cars from any jerk off the street. (more common than you'd like to think)  Salvage title vehicles are good, because they go for cheaper. Just be careful, because if you do get one,and the cops identify it. You will be out of pocket the cost of the car, that is unless you have great insureance, but most of us do not.

Electrical problems are another story.  Like i mentioned before, many times a simple replacement of fuses, solenoids or relays will solve a good majority of problems. Most elcetrical issues are not that serious, (German Cars Excluded, these have the worst electrical systems in the business) Stay away from cars that have been visibly tampered with. May times an owner or friend will atempt to fix a simple electrical problem, however after doing a number on the wires and harnesses, the car usually becomes inopperable.  These can be good if you know alot about electrical systems and wiring diagrams. If you dont, these little babys will end up at the dealership mechanic, and you will be footing a heafty bill.  Electrical can be tricky, so if you dont want to have a mess on your hands, you might not want to tangle with these types of problems.

When purchacing a used car always start with the most simple things first,  Check under the car as well as inside, and under the hood. Look for leaks and cracked hoses. Look for bent components, as well as for bondo. Wrecked cars are bad.  Always look for an underhood label, if there is not one visible this is a good indication that the car has been wrecked at one time or another.  If you have a few bucks try a carfax report or the equivilany before you make your final decision.  Lemon laws will only carry you so far.   Look in the oil and coolant resivours for rust or mixed fluids. Always consult a service manual for referance to things that are not normal.  There are usually trouble shooters which if not indicatting the problem, will lead you in the right direction.

Unless you are a good mechanic, stay away from non running vehicles.  If you do not know what you are doing, you can make things worse, even put yourself and others in danger with a bad fix.  Dont cut corners and pull quick fixes. It is better to solve a problem, rather than just cover it up.  Know your car prices. If somone is asking too much for a car tell them, and try to negotiate.  Always make a list of problems, potential and actual. Compare your costs with your profit margin to help make a beneficial decision when thinking of purchacing a used vehicle.

Dont buy something just cause it looks cool. The object is to make money, not collect broken cars.  No one wants the outside of their house to look like an episode from Sanford And Son. Just think smart dont be too hasty.  Always base your purchase on risk versus reward.  If you know what to look for you will come out ahead every time.