All cars are not created equal. Prospective car buyers should always do as much research as possible before starting their search for the vehicle of choice. Used car buyers should take some precautions when shopping for automobile. Not solely do you need to find the car that you like, but you will also need to know the car's collision and repair history, its book value and you can also take it for a test drive. You might also determine if you should purchase a car extended warranty. It would be wise to not make that decision under pressure from a sales person though.