Your Used Car May be Hiding a Secret, it May Have Been “Title Washed”

When it's time to replace your vehicle, many folks are opting for used rather than new. Often times in order to grab a "great deal" before someone else beats them to it, they wind up with a faulty vehicle. Just because a used car is cheap and seems OK during a test drive doesn't mean it's safe to buy.

The Huffington Post reports that criminals have devised ways to artfully conceal structural damage on used cars, allowing vehicles to be sold for a profit even though they may have been shoddily rebuilt after an accident or submerged in ocean water during a hurricane. More often than not the vehicle has been "title washed," and should not have been sold to the public in the first place.

Don't rush into purchasing a vehicle. Instead, check with services such as Carfax, call the previous owner if possible, and pay the money to have a trusted mechanic fully inspect the vehicle. Often times a good mechanic will find things you and I would never think of, and it's money well spent.