How to Buy a Used Car Online

July 4, 2008 by admin
Filed under Automotive & Mechanical

The Budget

The second thing to consider is what your budget is. If you establish in your mind exactly why you are looking for a car and what you want from a car, and on top of that you know exactly how much you can afford – including how much you can afford to pay for any tax or insurance, then you will be far less likely to be tempted by things which aren’t exactly what you need, or which are more costly than you had budgeted for. If you merely need a car for transport, or for any purely functional reason, then make a list of the features you need or want and make a corresponding list of the kind of cars and models which would fit this list of features. Only focus on one make of car if it happens to be the only one which satisfies all your criteria.

Ebay Motors is a great place to buy, and sell, cars; but it is not the only place. You can also check out classified sites like cars.com, carsoup.com and tradersonline.com; or another auction site like the one at Yahoo. Once you have your list and budget on paper, now go online and make a list of the cars which fit your criteria. Don’t pick one or two and focus on them; to begin with you need to look at everything on offer and create a list with the purpose of breaking it down into a smaller one.

Grade each used car

Grade each car you see according to ‘yes’ it’s a possibility, ‘maybe’ it’s a possibility and ‘no chance’. Fro every car you look at decide which category it goes into and make a list of all the ‘yes’ and ‘maybe’ cars – don’t worry, if you have done your list properly this shouldn’t be too big a list but it will certainly be in double figures.

By making a list to begin with, and setting a budget, then grading cars according to these preset parameters, you keep your mind focused upon your goals. The problem with buying cars, and many other things, is it is very easy to get sidetracked. It is very easy to become emotional about what you are doing and instead of choosing to buy something based upon need, you begin to want something based upon ‘want’.

You begin to fantasize about having the nest class up or the newer model. You reassess your budget in your head and decide you can afford a few hundred more. You forget the functions and begin to fantasize about the appearance or the presentation. If you are buying for other reasons than functionality then maybe you’ll argue that these lists aren’t necessary – but they are. Even if you are looking to buy a sports car you will have a budget and you will have criteria for choosing one car above another.

Most important factors

The three most important factors of a car being sold online are its pictures, its description, and the communication of the seller. I read a remark by someone on another site about buying cars online, and they said – ‘you’re not buying the car, you are buying the seller’. I thought that was a pretty good way of looking at it. The attitude of the seller towards the car, towards the advert, and towards you are all signs of how genuine is the seller, and the car.

When you have your list of advertised cars you either are, or are ‘maybe’ interested in, begin to look more closely at the advertisements. First the photos, unless they are detailed and many then there is area for concern. The pictures should be good and clear and taken in a good light. You need to be able to see the car properly and you cannot assume that the seller is just a bad photographer – taking a picture in the shade might be a ploy to hide something. Make sure you can see the car from all sides, front, side and rear. Ensure there are interior shots, especially of the condition of the seats and dashboard. You will also want to see inside the trunk and there should be some close up pictures of the engine compartment and engine. If there are any special features, such as a soft top, then that should also be displayed – and look for photos of areas prone to rust or damage. A good clear photo of a wheel arch might not make for an attractive image but it will tell you a lot about the way the car has been stored and looked after.

Next, the description. Check the specifications of the car against how it is described and ensure the two match up. Does the car in the photos match the car in the description? It is better to ignore any emotional or descriptive language and rely upon the details only. Look to see if the description tells you essential details such as how long the owner has had the car and whether they know its history prior to ownership. Has the car ever been in an accident of any kind? Is it the original engine and what sort of work, replacements or resprays have been done? What’s the mileage and when was its last service? You should have a list of all the major details you need to know and check it against the description. If the photos and description encourage you then get in touch with the seller to find out how willing they are to communicate with you. Have some additional questions ready to ask, and see if the way they present the car is consistent with the advert.

When buying a car online it is always safer to buy from a dealer or at least buy within an area you are able to visit personally. All the rules of offline buying apply when buying online but when looking for cars online you can save yourself a lot of time and trouble if you check the photos and descriptions thoroughly before making a personal visit to inspect the car yourself. Always open up communications with a seller by email just to test them out and see if they are able to communicate with you. Don’t assume the rules are any different online, they aren’t you must still apply good judgment and be safe, but you will certainly save time in the process and find the choices available to you are far greater.