About
Cars by Jim publishes honest, practical guides for people buying or selling a used car.
Who writes Cars by Jim
Jim Harlan writes and edits Cars by Jim. His guides walk used-car buyers and sellers through inspection, history reports, pricing, negotiation and private sales in plain English, built from consumer-protection sources, NHTSA data and published market information, and they say clearly when an independent mechanic or your state agency should have the final word. Questions and corrections are welcome through the contact page.
What we cover
How to inspect a used car, read a vehicle history report, judge a fair price, negotiate with private sellers and dealers, judge reliability and sell your own car privately.
How we write
Guides are researched from consumer-protection sources such as the FTC and NHTSA, state motor-vehicle agencies, published pricing and market information and manufacturer information. We explain each step in plain language and say clearly when an independent mechanic or your state agency should have the final word.
Read our Editorial Policy for how articles are researched and updated.