Really, although a lot of people don't like to deal with them, used car lots can be a good choice (if you know how to deal with them). I recently got rid of my 91 tri-colored worthless POS Thunderbird for a 97 Grand Prix GT. I ended up going to an independent used car dealer, which most people will advise against.
First and foremost, check with the Better Business Bureau or
www.ripoffreport.com for information on the business. Better to know them before you let them get to know you.
Second, find out everything you can about the car - ask obscure questions about potential problems that you know the dealer may not even know (like 'How did this scratch get here?') and ask what they plan on doing about them.
Third, if you aren't comfortable with the dealer, don't bother. Make sure they seem to want to genuinely help you... if not, there's plenty of other lots. Don't cater to them, let them cater to you. You are the customer. They don't have a business without business like yours.
Fourth, RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. I recommend
www.carfax.com and other websites that give you the history of a car. I was lucky - I found that my car had only had one owner, never been in an accident or had an incident with the police, was never used as a lemon, and (most of all) had correct mileage. Any of these things listed would have dropped the value of the car. I paid my $20 on CarFax to find this out, and it was well worth it. Even to find out that the car had been in one accident would have made the whole report more than worth that $20. Please, don't buy a used car without doing this.
Fifth, don't rush! Even if you need a new car soon (as I did), take the span of a week or so. Let them know you are interested, but only casually interested. Bring other people with you to check out the car. Sometimes even bringing others along helps to point out small nicks, bumps, scratches, or loose items that will help when you are...
Sixth - bargaining. I got the price of my car dropped by $2000, had a whole new set of pads, shoes, and rotors on the brakes done, had new wiper blades put on, had the console tightened, had the battery plate tightened and painted, had several small scratches touched up, had the seal replaced on a door, and many other minor things done. Unless it is a new car, it is bound to have some wear and tear, which is normal. But even when it's normal, you can bargain with it. Also, make sure that BEFORE you talk to anyone about the car, that you know the Kelley Blue Book value:
www.kbb.com. Especially in used cars, the KBB can be used as a great bargaining tool. Check out other used cars like the one you are interested in in newspapers, magazines, ads from dealerships, etc. Use the estimates in the papers to compare to the one you'd like.
And although I shouldn't have to say this (especially because Billfred is a pretty bright guy), make an informed decision. Don't leave the lot with the car until you've signed and put money down. Test drive frequently. Know every small scratch and dent, and give them heck for it.
Best of luck!