2023-06-18 00:33:18
Sunday, June 18, 2023, 00:33
Faced with the still depressed market for new cars, the used vehicle market continues to show signs of strength. Sales of this type of automobile grew by 3.3% in the first quarter of the year, with a total of 467,282 units.
AutoScout24 -Sumauto’s specialist portal for second-hand vehicles- offers a series of tips to guide buyers buying a used car for the first time.
1. Search and compare
As in any other important purchase, when buying a car it is very important to compare between models and prices. A good way to have a good overview of the market is to visit specialized internet portals.
2. How do I know that I have not overpaid?
One of the many doubts that buyers of used vehicles have is whether the price is in line with the market or, on the contrary, it is oversized. AutoScout24 advises “monitoring the market for a few months” before making a decision.
In addition, you must take into account the possible future costs: fuel consumption, road tax, how the purchased model fits in the ZBE (Low Emission Zones), or the insurance policy.
3. Who should we buy from?
The used vehicle buyer has two acquisition channels: professional and private. If you choose the first, “it is likely that an expert has previously checked the condition of the vehicle and that it has even passed through the hands of mechanics to update it.” In addition, a professional seller is obliged to offer at least one year of guarantee, different from the original one of the car.
However, purchasing the vehicle from an individual implies paying only 4% of the Property Transfer Tax, while buying it from a professional implies having to pay 21% VAT. Hence, individuals “probably also offer more competitive sales prices, so the commercial transaction tends to be cheaper,” the AutoScout24 experts clarify.
4. Before signing, ask
Once the model has been chosen, and before signing any sales contract, “make an appointment with the seller” to resolve all the doubts you have about the car. At this appointment, you will have to ask “about the general condition of the vehicle, defects not mentioned in the ad, accidents it may have had, number of previous owners, etc.”.
5. The security of an additional guarantee
Logically, a novice used vehicle buyer will have many more doubts than one with experience in this type of acquisition. Hence, to provide yourself with greater security, you can look for cars with quality certificates.
“Some manufacturers and dealers already provide this type of guarantee that generates greater user confidence”, since the vehicle has been examined “exhaustively” by a specialist, and thoroughly tested before putting it back on the sales window.
6. Be careful with the odometer
One of the biggest fears of the novice buyer of a used vehicle is that the odometer is rigged and indicates less wear than it actually has. However, “with a little attention and common sense”, it is possible to detect symptoms that the figure reflected in the odometer “does not match the state of some elements of the vehicle”.
The experts from the automotive portal recall that from the driver’s seat “you can check at a glance the wear on the steering wheel, the gearshift knob, the buttons on the center console or the seat itself.”
Other points to take into account are the drum where the key is inserted behind the steering wheel or the trunk, “especially the wear of the mat and the plastics of the natural walls.”
7. Check the sheet metal
AutoScout24 advises checking its condition “in daylight and dry weather conditions”. Also, “dents and door condition are best seen from a side angle.” And you have to be wary of stickers, since “sometimes they are used to cover scratches.”
8. The seller profile to avoid
Many times purchase decisions are made -or discarded- due to the confidence that the seller inspires in us. There are some behaviors that can warn us that that person is not trustworthy. “If he avoids questions, he gets irritated quite easily and is in a hurry, these are symptoms that something is wrong,” they warn AutoScout24.
By contrast, a reliable seller will not mind having his car tested, “nor will he be in a hurry to close the deal until both parties agree and a suitable contract is presented.” Once the contract is signed, “the buyer must request the maintenance book and all the keys to the vehicle.”
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