It's prime time for used car buyers who are anticipating tax refunds to buy a newer used vehicle. Used car dealers are waiting for you.

Normally, that's not a good phrase because it implies an almost predatory sense as in vultures posed on desert trees ready to pick over the carrion that can be an uninformed used car buyer. Things are different, though, in March 2013 as this article is being written, because dealers are stocking up on average used cars that can be sold to folks using their tax refunds to buy used cars.

According to Ricky Beggs from Black Book Cars, dealers are buying more average used cars at auction in anticipation of used car buyers coming through the dealership doors waving their tax refund checks. He told AutoRemarketing.com, "We feel the drive in this variation is partly driven by the continued need for more price-conscious cars as we come to the end of the tax season sales," Beggs said.

Now a cautionary note needs to be struck if you are one of those used car buyers planning on using a tax refund to buy a used car. Dealers are buying more average condition used cars but they're probably going to do minor reconditioning to pass them off as products better than they really are. You might end up paying more for a used car than you should.

Our Top 10 Questions to Ask a Dealer article is going to come in handy in this situation. One of the questions is, "Who was the vehicle purchased from?" The article states, "If it was a trade-in to that dealership, ask to see the maintenance records.

Tell them they can black out the owner's name and address. If it was bought at auction, make sure it is gone over with a fine-tooth comb by a mechanic who specializes in inspecting used cars."

Also, if it was bought at auction, consider that it might be an average-condition used car that was bought at a lower price but might be sold at a higher price as if it was a trade-in from a customer. Will a used car dealer tell you if a used car was bought at auction? There's no reason a dealer shouldn't but some won't.

That's when a vehicle history report like CarFax or AutoCheck is going to come in handy. Look at what either report tells you about how recently the car was bought. It will serve as a reminder that it could be an average condition used car if it was recently bought at auction. Another question from the same article asks, "What service has the dealership performed on the used car since acquiring it?" The article's reply is, "This helps you determine what value you're getting for your purchase. Complete overhauls mean you won't be dealing with service repairs anytime soon after purchasing the car."

Complete overhauls also could mean you were purchasing an average condition used car that has now been made above average. If the dealer presents you with a long list of work that has been done on the car, the first thing a buyer needs to do is verify the work has been done. It's easy enough to say that the work has been done. Make sure you have a pre-purchase vehicle inspection like those offered by AiM just to make sure!

Why is all of this so important? What difference can it make if you purchase an average-condition used car vs. one in excellent shape? It's all about the Benjamins as the old saying goes. You're going to end up paying more for a used car if you don't know it was in average shape when purchased at auction. Cosmetic touch ups are going to hide the fact that the car probably wasn't well maintained during its previous ownership. People who care about their cars hate to see them disfigured in any way and will not let problems persist.

That's why you pay less for average used cars. For all intents and purposes, the odds are they are not as well maintained. The theory being let the paint slide and you're probably not doing oil changes on a regular basis.

Be judicious if you're spending your tax return on a newer used car than what's parked in your driveway. Make sure you're not paying more than you should because of a few cosmetic improvements.