Used Cars Buying Tips - How to Buy a Second Hand Car yourself

The purchase of used car requires a lot of time & research in the market to get a right car in right price as it carries huge amount of risk compared to buying a new car where you are pretty much confident that it has not been driven by any one and moreover it is under warranty which will be taken care by a manufacturer at least for a certain time period.

To save your precious time, narrow down your research and to give the best deal without compromising on any thing we are giving below few main tips which will ensure the best buy.

1. Decide your budget

Before your start searching for a used car, sit back and think what are your earnings, savings, and affordability then decide the budget.

2. Decide which car to buy

Narrow down your wish list mainly based on below 5 factors.

           1. Your Budget.
           2. Pupose of usage of the vehicle
           3. How long do you plan to keep it
           4. Cost of maintenance & availability of spare parts
           5. Service centers

3. Decide where to buy a car

Now a days a buyer has lots of options to buy a used car and you can locate your dream car from any of theses below sources.

Friends & Relatives : it's an age-old practice to buy a used car from someone who is known to you.

Certified & Warranty Cars : Here you will find cars with a limited warranty under which the dealer is obligated to fix problems with the vehicles covered by the warranty. These cars would be marginally more expensive but you at least have the reassurance that the car would not start giving problems.

Used Car Dealers : Please check dealer's reputation and reliability before buying a car from here.

Brokers or Commission agents : These people charge a fixed commission for the deal. Here you will get an opportunity to bargain directly with the seller but be cautious that some times another middleman will enact as a owner.

Classifieds in Newspaper & Internet : Going through Internet or classifieds is an opportunity to find out the market price for your car and this is place where you can directly negotiate with the direct sellers without any intermediaries which is a cost saving benefit for both seller and buyer.

4. Mechanical Inspection 

   It is always better to take a help of the mechanic to whom you or your friend can trust and ensure your mechanic will check below points thoroughly. 

   Body works, Tyres, Doors, Windows, Trunk lid, Tail Pipe, Shock Absorbers, Fluids, Lights and mechanical parts, Interior, Emission etc.

5. Be careful with KMs reading on Odometer 

   In few cars, odometer readings can be tampered with and rolled back. I.e., A high-mileage car is turned into a low-mileage car with the motive to increase the car price. Before finalizing the car, always cross check odometer KM reading with the wear and tear on the below areas to identify whether it is tampered or genuine.

               1. Driver's seat,
               2. Gear Knob 
               3. Brake and Accelerator pedals
               4. Tyre condition, similarity of 4 tyres make and manufacturing dates.

6. Test drive the Car

Take longer test drive for more than 15 to 20 minutes as the car is thoroughly heated by then. In fact, always prefer to stretch the test drive as long as possible and ensure below observations during the drive.

1. Car should start easily without any extra noise.
2. Keep your ears wide open for any unusual sounds from the engine that could indicate major trouble in the future.
3. Any unusual vibrations or odors. 

   After complete check, note down every identified problem in the car, If anything is serious or suspicious do turn up and ask for a repair estimate. If the problem is too complex or expensive, don't buy the car. If the problem is minor and requires some attention use it as a bargaining point for a better price.

7. Do not compromise on the documents

Never get tempted with the vehicle condition, price, discounts etc. Verify thoroughly all the below mentioned documents before finalizing the car. 

1.  RC Book: Name of the owner, No of Owners, Hypothecation/Lease, Place of Regn, Life Tax., Engine & Chasis Number.
2.  Insurance: No Claim bonus (NCB)
3. Service History

8. Know the Market. 
     
   Go through the News paper ads, visit the showrooms and get to know the offers, discounts, schemes etc on a new cars as well as Finance and always campare the savings with used car buy.

9. Negotiate & Buy

Compare the Offers, Discounts, Finance options on New car, consider the Refurbishment cost on used car etc and negotiate the best price and close the deal.