How to find the right first car for you
 
Obviously, you know that new cars can only come from new-car dealers, but used cars can come from a variety of places including private individual sellers, car dealers, automotive web sites, classified ad sites, and even public car auctions.

From private party sellers

You can buy a used car from an individual seller - someone who owns a car they no longer want. These people may advertise their cars in a number of ways. Some simply place “for sale” signs in the windows. Others may park the car in an abandoned parking lot or consignment lots with a “for sale” sign and contact information. Others may advertise in newspaper classifieds or “autotrader” magazines available free at supermarkets and auto parts stores. Others may place ads on online sites such as , AutoTrader, and UsedCars.com.