The 10 biggest mistakes used-car shoppers make

Most used-car shoppers buy with their eyes.

The right color. The right options. The right brand. ​The overwhelming majority of buyers have been immersed in an ocean of new-car advertising that make a car's looks seem like the most important ingredient in the recipe.

So what do most do in the end? They try to find the best looking car at the lowest price, and it doesn't matter if the car comes from a dealership or a driveway.

As a car dealer for 15 years and an auto auctioneer for hundreds of public auctions, I can tell you that most people inexplicably fall in love with a pretty car and truck for all the wrong reasons. They make up their mind before knowing all the facts — even when their future transportation needs are dependent on a vehicle with hundreds of possible faults and tens of thousands of parts. The act of spending $100 and a few hours to become familiar with a car's true history seem to be too much trouble.

What are the worst errors when it comes to buying a used car? Let me give you the short version of a long list. Better yet, let me help you overcome them.

10. Not reading the contract

Contracts with a ton of small print and a multitude of surplus forms enable unscrupulous people to hide what your eyes can't easily see. The wrong selling price. The wrong financing terms. In the worst cases, sellers will slip in a flood damage disclosure or even a mileage discrepancy in that ocean of small print.

So sit down and read it. Even if it takes a half-hour. Ask for a little reading time wherever you buy your car so that you know what you're getting into.

9. Not doing the math

Most folks who finance just look at that monthly payment and that's it. If you do plan on financing a vehicle make sure that you look at the interest rate, the duration of the loan and especially any fees that may have wandered into that contract as you sat at the dealership, along with the total amount of payments.

If you are a cash buyer, make sure all the numbers line up and that no sneaky bogus fees have been shoved in at the last possible moment.