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Check out craigslist or pinkbike for bikes or DH bikes. you can find people who are selling DH bikes for wicked cheap prices. if you find some that interest you, ask to see the bike and look it up and its reviews online. If you can get the bike into a shop to get it assessed before you decide to buy it that always helps a ton. Then you will know if the bike is in good condition or what will need to be done to it. Some good brandnames to look for: Santa Cruz, Rocky Mountain, Transition, specialized.... etc.
Go to your local bike shops, find the one with the best mechanics and knowledgeable staff, if you have the cash pick up one of their bikes, since they are so specific dh bikes tend to sit longer and you can get a good deal on them although it is now a little late in the season to do so
with 27.5" wheels being the hot new thing, i'm guessing pinkbike will have a flood of perfectly good 26" wheeled DH bikes in a few months as people start to build up new rigs. I paid $1200 for my DH bike, which has a 7 year old frame, but all the other components were brand new. It was a calculated gamble which, I think, should pay off well by being able to snag a much newer used frame for pretty cheap. I'd argue that it's tough to get a "bad" DH frame. Sure, different brands use different suspension setups, which all ride differently, but one isn't really worse than another. Wheels and brakes are the two areas where I'd say it's worth making sure you've got solid components. Your wheels will take a bunch of abuse, and especially while you're new to the sport, a set of XC or AM wheels is not going to stand up to the abuse. As for brakes, you want to be able to stop as quickly and safely as possible when needed. Saints, Zees, Codes, or really any other 4-piston brake would be something I'd definitely look for in a DH bike. Without knowing more about your riding style or preferences, it's pretty hard to recommend any sort of suspension setup or brand.
