I’m a car guy—no doubt. It’s in my DNA. I sold my first car at the age of 16. I was fortunate to have a father in my life. My dad served in WWII flying B-17 Flying Fortresses over Germany and was definitely a ‘Car Guy.’
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My dad taught me a great deal about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and some mechanical knowledge. I don’t consider myself a mechanic, but I can do the basics such as changing a starter, radiator, alternator, batteries, etc. Although I really never liked to try and change out an engine or transmission, I have done a few. I leave that up to the experts that I use like Danny or Randy Brewer with Dr. Automotive in Smyrna or Rod and Cheri Roberts over at Mr. Fix It in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Buying and selling cars at such a young age taught me a great deal. I have made mistakes—like we all do and will do. But if you can try mitigate those mistakes and often losses it will pay big dividends in the long run.
Case in point—just this year back in January I noticed a great deal on a 2017 Honda Odyssey van. He was asking $10,500, which was a really good price. However, I noticed that after I sent him a message via Facebook Marketplace and he agreed to meet me, he changed the ad to show it as a 2016. The van was loaded with all the options—including the TV/DVD player, leather, backup camera and more. It was black with gray leather and was just what I was looking for… but… I had a bad gut feeling about the guy. He definitely ‘wasn’t from around here’ in middle Tennessee. I asked, “Why are you selling the van?” He responded, “I need a truck for construction” in very broken English. He had what I’m assuming was his son or nephew acting as an interpreter. I asked him if he could get closes to $9,000 and he quickly dropped the price to $9500. He asked of I can buy it right now.
He seemed desperate to sell it. I said that I would like to have the van inspected by my friend’s shop before buying it. I took a picture f the vin number of the driver’s side door and as I was driving home I called my wife who was at our business and asked her to run a Carfax. 
The Carfax showed the mileage was about 138,000, yet the odometer on the van showed 114,000 and that the vehicle was purchased at the Nashville Auto Auction in November of 2024. i now knew why my ‘spidey senses’ were going on high altert. This dude had purchased another odometer and swapped it out with the original—this committing fraud. When I called him back I confronted him about it. He acted as thought he purchased it that way and began to play even dumber than he looked. I told him that “he could go to jail for odometer tampering and committing fraud.” Buyer beware. 
The guy lives in La Vergne and is constantly selling Honda Odyssey vans…and yes—I reported it to the state motor vehicle commission.
To be honest, I was disappointed in the state. They acting as though they don’t have the resources to enforce the motor vehicle rules and protect that unsuspecting mother who purchased the van.
Below is a video we produced when I was operating MidTn Autos.com, Tennessee’s 1st ‘dot com’ car business. The first to utilize a domain name for a car business. When I applied and placed the name on the application, the guy at the Tennessee Motor Vehicle told me, “You can’t do this.” I asked, “Why?” He responded, “It’s never been done before.” I also sold the first car online when I was about 28 years of age in our state as well—not bragging, I was blessed with some insight and discernment. The Nashville Business Journal covered the story nationwide ‘back in the day.’
‘I was on to something’: Nashville Business Journal
During my tenure of owning and managing MidTn Autos we sold roughly 2000 vehicles. Needless to say—the automotive business is a very tough business.After the ‘Cash for Clunker’s’ government scheme program it made the business every more difficult.
Below are 11 Steps to Purchasing a Used
1. Establish Your Budget – Calculate the maximum amount you can spend including taxes, fees, insurance, and registration costs. 
Factor in potential repair expenses and ensure you maintain emergency savings for unexpected costs.
2. Research Your Ideal Vehicle – Identify makes and models that fit your lifestyle, reliability requirements, and feature preferences. Consider fuel efficiency, maintenance costs, and long-term ownership expenses for each option you’re evaluating.
3. Compare Market Prices – Use resources like AutoTrader, Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and CarGurus to understand fair market values for the vehicles you’re considering. This research provides crucial leverage during negotiations.
4. Verify Specific Vehicle Pricing – Once you’ve found potential cars, check their individual pricing against market standards. Look for vehicles priced fairly or slightly below market value to ensure you’re getting good value.
5. Pay Cash or Obtain Pre-Approved Financing – Cash is King! If you dont have cash then get pre-approved loan from banks, credit unions, or online lenders before shopping. Having financing ready gives you negotiating power and helps you avoid dealer markup on interest rates.
6. Contact Sellers Strategically – Reach out to dealers or private sellers with specific questions about the vehicle’s condition, maintenance history, and reason for selling. This initial contact helps you prioritize which cars to see first.
7. Obtain a Comprehensive Vehicle History Report – Purchase reports from Carfax or AutoCheck using the vehicle’s VIN number. These reports reveal crucial information about accidents, flood damage, previous owners, and maintenance records.
8. Conduct Thorough Inspection and Test Drive – Examine the exterior, interior, engine, and undercarriage for signs of damage or excessive wear. Test drive in various conditions including city streets, highways, and parking situations.
9. Negotiate and ‘haggle’ the Purchase Price – Use your market research and any discovered issues as negotiation points. Be prepared to walk away if the seller won’t meet your reasonable offer based on the vehicle’s true condition and value. Use the ‘Good Cop—Bad Cop’ strategy. For example, you and your wife or husband really like the vehicle. She’s making the argument in front of the seller, and you find issues explaining why the vehicle isn’t right for you. Maybe you don’t like the color? Maybe it doesn’t have a sunroof? Maybe the interior is cloth and you both really want leather? Maybe the Carfax or AutoCheck shows a minor accident? Well…you get my point.
10. Complete All Required Paperwork – Ensure proper title transfer, registration, and any lien documentation is handled correctly. Verify all information is accurate before signing, and obtain copies of all documents for your records.
11. Arrange Insurance and Final Details – Contact your insurance company to add the vehicle to your policy before driving it home. Schedule any immediate maintenance needs and familiarize yourself with the owner’s manual and vehicle features.
If I can ever be of service feel free to email me at MikeSparksTn@gmail.com or call my office 615-741-6829
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