There are several main ways to buy a used car: You can purchase it from the owner in a private sale. You can buy from an independent used-car dealer, manufacturer-branded dealership, or national chain ...

Elysse Bell is a finance and business writer for Investopedia. She writes about small business, personal finance, technology, and more. Samantha (Sam) Silberstein, CFP®, CSLP®, EA, is an experienced ...