If you are looking for a used car buying checklist, odds are, you have already noted down the budget and the car specifications.
And if you are at the initial stage of inspecting a used car, you might be too curious. More than that, you must be anxious to discover the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing a second-hand vehicle.
With that in mind, it is crucial to go for a hands-on inspection before deciding to buy it. And never base your final choice only on the looks.
Sometimes, you may find a car quite stunning and good-looking, but you would want to reconsider your verdict after a thorough self-inspection.
What Should I Check Before Buying a Used Car?
a) Take a 360 view of the car:
Tell the seller to keep the car parked on plain and even ground so it is easier for you to test the straight-line regions best. Rough surfaces make it harder to examine any issues in places like window panes or roof lines.
b) Two-person is always greater than one:
Like a friend, a relative or a known technician or someone who’s an expert in cars will provide additional much-needed wisdom and views for the car of your choice.
c) Take someone who is responsible:
But be sure to take somebody who is at least worried about the task or has a love for cars. As in most cases, if you take someone completely unconcerned with you, that will encourage you to conclude things fast which will result in a bad purchase.
Here are a few things to carry when you go for a physical car inspection –
Before reaching the seller’s place, be sure to have all the items listed below with you:
- A notepad and a pen:
Your phone would also do if you are comfortable storing details in it: the price negotiation, car specifications, noting down identification number, cars mileage given and how much mileage left, and any other things or clues you want to write down.
- A torch or a flashlight:
This Will help a lot to examine unseen spots and the underside, steering wheel, and suspension of the car.
A USB with high bit rate songs: Be sure to take any of these with audio or video of a higher grade. Mostly, the MP3 tracks you have should be of 320 kbps bit rate to check the output of the music system best.
- An app for used cars:
This can be a real blessing when you are puzzled by pricing or other info. There are various apps available that will help you find choices in your locality, and to test and match to provide you with the right bargains.
Why Should You Buy a Used Car?
There are several advantages of buying a used car like your pre-set performance, existing documentation, increased investment value, and much more, which we will discuss here
Advantages of buying a used car:
1. Pre-set performance:
You won’t delay driving your car via the narrow streets. Used cars have a stress-free factor which is of big help specifically for first-time car buyers and folks who are looking for hands-on training drives during high traffic density.
2. More value, yet low-cost:
The greatest advantage that you will have is to upgrade to a higher-priced vehicle at the price similar to what you are paying. Cars are intended to be driven and with improved assessment and clear service history, you can easily get a terrific deal by paying little and taking more with good condition of the car as well.
3. A better investment is one that has less depreciation:
A second-hand or used car depreciates at a slow pace when matched to a brand-new car. This is how it looks like: The depreciation of a car is at its height throughout the first three years of acquisition. While you are buying a used car, you will mostly buy it at a price that has gone through great depreciation early.
4. Thoroughly inspected & certified:
Used car owners can trust certified pre-owned cars to deliver a high-quality, thoroughly tested vehicle that comes a good deal. The manufacturer or certified inspection specialist will inspect, restore, and certify previously owned vehicles, ensuring that they are of excellent quality.
The disadvantage of buying a used car could be:
1. Parts replacement:
When you buy a second-hand car you might have to spend money on a new set of tires, battery, brakes, safety, right type of engine oil, engine cooling, gas emission, car maintenance, or on exchanging some components which are shown rough uses. Although, when buying a new car you can trust that you would not have to spend any cash on the things mentioned above.
2. Mandatory documents:
It is necessary to get specific documents rectified and accepted thoroughly before the transfer of car ownership.
Mandatory documents are under given:
- Registration Certificate transfer,
- Insurance transfer certificate,
- Approval for Form 32 & 35 (needed to test if the early owner took loans and paid all deposits),
- RTO forms 29 and 30
- RC book, insurance papers
- Pollution Under Control certificate (PUC)
- Road tax receipts, original invoice
- Taxes and dual fuel certification ( just in case the car runs on various fuels like petrol or CNG) are all the documents you need to have.
You must never forget to Double-Check the paperwork.
3. Higher Interest Charges:
Getting a further loan to buy an old car can make a big dent in your pocket because the interest rates are greater when matched to interest rates to buy a new car. Interest rates for used cars are regulated by a lot of crucial factors like car model year, car segment, long-lasting terms of the loan as well as other factors like remortgage, etc.
A Few things to keep in mind when buying a used car –
There are some things you should avoid while buying a used car undermentioned:
#Always inspect in daylight
It is best at all times to go for a physical inspection during the day, particularly when there is gleaming sunshine available. You can not test some specific features like paint job and dents while surveying a car in bad light situations. Avoid the first-time inspection If the sunlight doesn’t last long.
#360-degree view
Always be sure to have the car positioned at a place where you can have a total 360-degree view. This will help you to have a look from all workable points of view and to examine the vehicle completely. If it is parked in front of a wall or a rough place, you should ask the seller to keep it in a wide area. Avoid inspecting if there’s only one side available to take notes off. You need to have a total 360-degree view.
The Inspection-
Check out the exteriors :
Before you make the final decision after detecting a roughness or dent on the outside, it’s essential to take a dull walk around the car and check the other details.
Look into every panel of the car carefully and try to spot a distinction. If there is any, among the texture or the glare of the paint.
For instance, a repainted car body will shine more than the rest of the car body if the car is older.
Always keep in mind, the factory-grade paint job has many levels of coating, which makes it quite smooth and even.
If the car is heavily modified that mostly means that it has experienced rough driving, which would involve off-road run, heavy acceleration with high speeds, and an injured engine.
Most importantly, steer away from a car that is heavily modified.
You should not get too nervous if there are small scratches or dents, because they are easily taken care of after you check with the seller.
The important concern here is to not get tricked by a car that has been involved in accidents and parts that have been remade completely.
So you must take a test drive at one point of time during the inspection and you will have a good view of the entirety of the car.
You can also connect to the professionals for a Pre-purchase inspection (PPI) to get precise information of the car. PPI specialists make a thorough inspection of the car and come up with all the underlying issues that owners may not understand.
This should consist of examining specific areas such as the front bumper, headlights, wipers, side indicators, wheels & alignments, suspension, windows, the electricals, and any kind of inconsistencies
How to buy a second-hand car?
The used car buying process is very easy now because there are many websites and apps available online for you to check and buy second-hand cars.
If not then you can always go with the professionals. If you want the pre-purchase inspection to be done with accuracy and impartiality, you must look for a PPI specialist nearby.
Also what you can do is visit trusted car dealerships that offer second-hand cars for interested buyers.
Take away –
Keeping these rules in mind, be practical, and be sure to drive a heavy deal. Now, you can choose the right car that is hassle-free, pocket-friendly, and safe.
