What are the things you must know while buying a car from a car dealer?
Buying a used car could prove to be a great financial move because obviously, you get the car way cheaper than the market price. But it comes with a lot of things that should be considered so that you don’t have to pay extra for repairs, tires, batteries and worn out parts. Make sure you keep the following points at the top of your mind while buying a used car.
Car Dealer Genuine or Not
The first thing to do while buying a used car is to check whether the car dealer is genuine or not. In many cases, dealers try to fake out their identity, so it is better to check whether all the original documents of the car is in the name of a car dealer or not. So this way you’ll get the surety that the car dealer is genuine and not fooling you out.
Test Drive
You must take a test drive because it is the most important factor before shopping for a used car. A test drive will definitely help you to get on the decision faster of buying that used car or not. Test the car on different road conditions, also check if the brakes and clutch respond in a positive way.
Paperwork
Make sure the car has all the paperwork done because there could be a possibility that it is a stolen vehicle. Paperwork would give you a surety that the vehicle is legally verified and will save you from the problems that would have occurred if you had not asked for paperwork.
Pre-Purchase Inspection
A pre-purchase inspection is a to-go option while buying a used car because obviously, you are investing a huge amount so self-satisfaction is a must. Consult a trained mechanic so that he can inspect every little part of the car. Also, ask for a service booklet as that will show you if proper maintenance of the car has been performed or not.
Mileage
A buyer always wishes to find a car that has been used less and is in good condition. Not everyone sells the car because its old, some people also sell good condition cars in want of cash for cars due to financial problems. The good condition of a car can be measured by a factor known as mileage. On an average, A car will rack up approximately 20,000 km a year. If the mileage crosses this value you need to rethink your decision of buying that used car.
Vehicle history report
Vehicle history report could save you from buying the wrong automobile. There may be evidence of the serious fault in the car which would have been a problem for you in the future. Vehicle history report gives you all the information about the accidents car has faced, title status, car ownership, and mileage.
Car insurance
Car insurance plays a major role while buying a used car. You need to make sure that seller transfer car ownership to you within 2 months of selling otherwise you would have to take the risk of rejection of the claim. Also, the insurance claims are not settled if insurance and registration are not having the same name and address.
Exterior Inspection
Make sure you check the condition of the car so that you would not have to face problems in the future.
- Glass: Check whether the glass of car has any crack or not, whether there are any scratches or not. These things are not going to affect the working of the car but will definitely affect the overall amount you pay.
- Suspension: Check the suspension of the car and make sure that it doesn’t ride roughly or drifting or pulling during turns.
- Tire Condition: While buying a used car it is advisable to inspect the overall condition of the car because tires affect a vehicle’s braking, handling, comfort, and fuel economy.
- Light & lenses: The lenses and headlights should be in full working condition because they play an important role in terms of safety.
Interior Electronics
- Seats: Check the date of manufacture and model number of the used car seats. Check all the parts of the seat because compromises cannot be done when it comes to traveling.
- Pedals: Check the three pedals thoroughly that are brake, accelerator, and clutch because they play a very important role in terms of safety.
- Instruments and controls: Instruments like temperature, fuel gauge, and speedometer gauge should be in full working condition.
- Sound system: Volume button, speakers, base and all the functions of the music system’s buttons should be perfectly tested.
- Roof: Check whether the roof does not contain any dents or scratches or any mark because these things prove that it was an accidental car.
Under the hood
- Hoses and belts: Pinch, squeeze, twist and look if it has any cracks, fraying, splits or brittle places.
- Fluids: Check all the different fluids of the used car like clutch fluid, brake fluid or power steering fluid because they play an important role in the functioning of the car
- Radiator: Check the functionality of radiator that whether it is passing coolant through thin metal fins or not.
- Battery: If the engine takes a long time to start it means its battery is not working well and it needs to be replaced, so take care of this thing.
Take The Car to Mechanic if you have less knowledge about engines:
If you want to be sure from every end then take the used car to a mechanic for inspection because mechanics know every little part of the car, even the hidden ones. They will give you more clarity on your decision of buying a used car or not.
A used car could prove to be the right choice if bought by following all these points. Shopping for a used car takes the same amount of time and effort as that of a new car. Consider these points before, and they’ll definitely benefit you later.
