What to Watch Out for When Buying a Car Online

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The internet is full of information about everything, not everything is accurate though. The internet is full of stories of people buying a car online, only to find the ownership documents had been switched, the seller and the buyer did not speak the same language or the seller told the buyer the car had not been serviced or repaired.

I am not saying that this is the case for every website, just too many of these stories arise and it gets people’s confidence down. It just seems like there is always someone or some website to miss out on.

So what should you look out for when you are buying a car online?

Research the website
This is the first and foremost thing you need to do. Spend some time researching the website before you put money in it. If you do not want to buy a car and the website makes it seem like you do, then think twice. If a website is professional, then they usually have to be.

Also, different websites have different policies, so pay attention to what they are offering. Some sites try to sell you products by showing you pictures of other makes and models. The site will ask you some questions then forward your details to an auto trader to sell you the car. This is alright if the car looks exactly like the one shown but if it does not, then you can pretty much assume that it may be a completely different model.

Be wary of who you sell to
This is a point that is easy to forget but should never be forgotten. If the seller asks a lot of questions about you and what you do for a living, this suggests that they either do this sort of work themselves, or they have someone that they know who does. This means that this person/people might be trying to learn more about you.

Generally, car dealerships will know that you are rich and can afford to buy a vehicle. Therefore, they will put you through more scrutiny. If you meet someone at a car meet and they ask you very personal questions, then you might want to rethink buying from them.

Research the car
If you do find a car you like and meet the specifications you need, then do the research. Check that it is free of faults and that it matches the paperwork. After the paperwork and inspection, ask for the car to be inspected by a mechanic you trust. Ask them to check the servicing history and also report any faults that are there.

Buy from a dealer
Online car selling sites are fine, but you are almost guaranteed to lose money when you pay online. Car dealers generally accept trade-ins and if you have one then it is worth getting it assessed. With modern cars, a car may be worth 40% to 50% of its original value. Getting a trade-in value is generally free of charge, but you should always read the small print. For example, some dealerships can assess a car for 3 months only. Other websites can offer to send the car to a garage so the car can be inspected (free of charge). Always ask, find out what your options are.

Research before you buy
Researching vehicles before you commit money is always a good idea. Know the cost check here of the vehicle you are interested in, the service history, mileage and the make. Having this information will make it a lot easier for you to walk away from the deal.

Check out Trustpilot
Trustpilot, although probably better known in the UK than the US, is a great tool. They allow you to see customer reviews about any website or company. This is a great way to find out if the customer was happy and how easy it was for them to contact them after the transaction.

Not all cars are created equally, but all vehicles are not made equally. Those that are built well, looked after, serviced regularly and have never ever been in an accident will generally be better vehicles than those that have been through a scrapyard and gone through a car wash at least once.

If you follow these steps, then you are much more likely to be successful when buying a car online.

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