More than a decade ago, you would automatically turn to local classified ads if you wanted to buy a car. Or you would drive to the local car lots and see what they offer. These may still work until today, but with the dramatic boom of the online marketplace where photos, even videos and listings of cars for sale gives you a convenient view of your dream cars, purchasing the perfect car for you is easier. There is one important thing that everybody should remember though- online convenience can be risky if you don’t follow the rules.
1. Practice safe surfing.
When you are buying a car online, for the primary common sense reason of safety, you have to make sure that you are buying it from a reputable source. Criminals tend to head up lucrative industries by preying on the non-net-savvy innocents out there. Find a good site that offers listings of used car dealerships. You can take advantage on webmaster tools that can help you find the source of the website, the hosting company, address and other details. Useful tools can also help you determine the age of the site and if it is real or not. The web address should begin with ‘https://’. The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’.
2. Be cynical.
Do not buy a vehicle with a salvage title, unless you're looking for a frame-up rebuild. The used car had better be exceptionally rare if the title isn't clean.
When you are buying a car online, for the primary common sense reason of safety, you have to make sure that you are buying it from a reputable source. Criminals tend to head up lucrative industries by preying on the non-net-savvy innocents out there. Find a good site that offers listings of used car dealerships. You can take advantage on webmaster tools that can help you find the source of the website, the hosting company, address and other details. Useful tools can also help you determine the age of the site and if it is real or not. The web address should begin with ‘https://’. The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’.
2. Be cynical.
Do not buy a vehicle with a salvage title, unless you're looking for a frame-up rebuild. The used car had better be exceptionally rare if the title isn't clean.
3. Understand the car’s history.
This has to be the first important step. If the report is negative, you should not go any further with this car. You can acquire vehicle history reports, which are sold by different companies, by the vehicle identification number (VIN) and even by license plate.
4. Get a mechanical report.
Along with checking for the vehicle’s history, it’s also worth employing an expert to the viewing who’ll be able to spot the signs of car modifications or concealed wear and tear. It has to be an independent mechanical report. An honest seller won’t mind if you will do your own inspections. If he won’t permit that, announce that the deal is off.
5. Negotiate
If the history and the mechanical reports are good, ask about the negotiability of the vehicle's price. There’s usually a little room for negotiating a better one. Make use of your initial search tool to your advantage.
This has to be the first important step. If the report is negative, you should not go any further with this car. You can acquire vehicle history reports, which are sold by different companies, by the vehicle identification number (VIN) and even by license plate.
4. Get a mechanical report.
Along with checking for the vehicle’s history, it’s also worth employing an expert to the viewing who’ll be able to spot the signs of car modifications or concealed wear and tear. It has to be an independent mechanical report. An honest seller won’t mind if you will do your own inspections. If he won’t permit that, announce that the deal is off.
5. Negotiate
If the history and the mechanical reports are good, ask about the negotiability of the vehicle's price. There’s usually a little room for negotiating a better one. Make use of your initial search tool to your advantage.