It’s fair to say the used car market can be a perilous one at the best of times. When buying a used car, there’s no doubt you’ll encounter a few pitfalls. But, with a few lessons learnt, and hopefully with the tips below, you’ll be on your way to tracking down the perfect ride.
Potential buyer? Hire an independent professional.
Generally, once someone decides to sell their car, they’re keen to make it happen quickly. This can sometimes lead to sales going ahead under pressure, without the buyer always taking the right steps to ensure it’s a smart purchase. Book a pre-purchase inspection through My Auto Shop to ensure the vehicle is up to scratch.
REVS/PPSR checks are essential
You can head to the New Zealand Companies Office and search for the vehicle you’re interested in. This will give you certainty if there’s any money left owing on the vehicle by the person selling the car.
Transactions are usually final
This seems obvious, but keep it front of mind. If you’re buying the car, don’t send money until you’re in possession of the car. Never buy a vehicle online before checking it out in person. Naturally, many common scams can occur online.
Take photos before you make the purchase
After being bitten once or twice, I now take photos of everything before dropping it off at the repair shop, buying or selling the car. There are simply too many cowboys out there to risk it. That goes for everything on the interior too, including the odometer, not just dents on the exterior.
As well as getting the other person’s phone number, be sure to take a photo of the person selling the car’s driver’s licence too, as this is a reliable form of ID.
Homework, homework, homework
These days, with everything that’s online, there are no excuses for not doing your homework on any cars for sale, or that you’re thinking about buying. Learn about common problems with the car, try to take the car for a test drive, read up on the vehicle history and remember, when it comes to buying used cars, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.