5 Tips for Buying a Certified Used Car from a Dealership

I grew up in the suburbs and was fortunate that my parents provided me with a vehicle once I became of driving age.  Due to a wild constellation of facts, I have a long list of cars in my driving history.  To wit (in order of appearance):

1984 Honda Prelude
2000 Toyota Corolla
2004 Toyota Camry
2002 Acura MDX
1999 Volkswagen Passat
2004 Volvo S80
2002 Volvo S40
2014 Toyota Prius V

The two Volvos were my foray into buying from private parties on Craigslist.  Given that I just bought the Prius yesterday, certified used from a dealership, I thought I'd share some tips on the car-buying experience and insights I've gained on the question of whether to buy from a dealer vs. private party.

If buying from a dealer:

1. Break your visit up into different days. Even in the nicest, most consumer-friendly and patient of dealerships, the fact is, a dealership is a car store, and they do everything in their power to make buying the car appealing.  And by "appealing," I also mean "easier than resisting" and "a way to get the torture over with."  It can take a long time to look at cars and arrive at a reasonable price (it took us 6 hours, but we also had to feed a baby and change a diaper).  Once you've gotten to that point, stop. Cool off.  Return in a few days when you are fresh to sign paperwork (took another 2 hours).
2. Sign the stuff YOU want to know about 1st, before you get weary and tired.  I would suggest looking at the warranty documents 1st, making sure all pages are in place, and signing those.  Next, the loan document.  There will be a GIANT stack of documents to sign.  Remember, you have the power, and until the loan document is signed, you hold the power.  Why not sign the documents in the order you would like to?  There is a "sales order"-looking document that you will have to sign.  I'm inclined to say this document is not binding.  Take a look at the language.  I will scan and upload images of the documents I was faced with to help guide you through this process.  Some documents are just there to tire you out or make you think you have reached the point of no return.
3. Bring a calculator, pen, a pad of paper, and some post-its.  They're asking you to spend 1000s of dollars.  There's no shame in wanting the terms laid out, taking time to calculate things, etc.  They're doing all of that in their office--why shouldn't you be able to, as well? 
4. Bring snacks, take breaks, and remember you have the power, even when you are in the Finance person's office.  She will be intimidating (maybe in a friendly way), talk like you've already purchased the car, and make it incumbent upon YOU to stop the train, inconvenience her, make a scene, and say no.  SAY NO.  Say you need time.  Walk away.  She's the real salesperson in the dealership.  And a formidable one.  They make it seem like they're doing you a favor by selling you a car.  You gotta be kidding me!  This is the one store I know of where they bully you into buying things.
5. Don't get too excited about the warranties.  Just don't.  Don't count on them when you buy the car and don't buy any extras.  

Overall, the experience was mildly entertaining, very enlightening, incredibly exhausting, intimidating, and a little insulting to my intelligence.  I'm frugal, a savvy consumer, and have a formal background in reading fine print.  The dealership treated me politely.  Nonetheless, I left feeling a touch bullied by the Finance Manager.  I can only imagine how abused and taken advantage of your everyday buyer must feel, and even moreso if you are less empowered due to language ability, perceived naivete, etc.

Fresh off the dealership experience, I'd say I prefer a private party sale with a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic I trust over a dealership sale almost any day.  Private party sales are more fun and don't leave you feeling like you just overpaid to participate in the consumer-financing-industrial complex.