Complete Guide: How to Buy a Used Car (2023)

Trio Redo S

3 Mar, 2023

Buying a used car is a perfect alternative if you want to have your first car or look for a car at a low price. If you're wondering how to buy a used car, look no further. This guide will discuss this in full for you.

Everyone must have a dream to own a dream vehicle, especially a car. Whether it's a family-type car or a sports car with a BMW, Toyota, or Ferrari brand.

But,

In fact, there are also many people who cannot afford to buy their dream car because of a number of things, ranging from high prices to low financial budgets.

And a practical solution for this, if you want to own a car, is to buy a used car.

Yes,

Buying a used car is the right way to cut costs if you want a car quickly and permanently.

Buying a used car is like going on a treasure hunt. There are many choices there that can confuse you when trying to find a used car that suits your needs and has an attractive agreement according to your financial budget.

The Benefits of Buying a Used Car

1. Price

If you buy a new car, you have to prepare more money than the original price of the car itself. Whereas if you buy a car that has been used for several years since its debut, of course, you get more savings.

2. Avoid price depreciation

You know, if every new vehicle comes out every year, the vehicle will drop in price from last year.

This may apply to everything.

Imagine if you buy a new car this year and decide to sell it for the next 5 years. You will incur a lot of lowering costs when selling it.

Then, what about buying a used car?

The price of used cars, of course, will also go down every year. But it won't hurt you too much because, at first, you bought it at a low price compared to buying a new car.

3. Don't need too much insurance

In some countries, when buying a new car on credit, the dealer will register you for various insurances, ranging from accident insurance, loss, and others. Of course, these means will secure your vehicle in the future against certain risks.

But what if the premium to be paid is big?

If you buy a used car, you can choose certain types of insurance; this will save your budget.

4. It is still a new car

Even if you buy a used car that has been used, when you buy it and bring it home, the car becomes the new car that you have and that you will use.

Where Can I Buy a Used Car?

To buy a used car, you can find it here:

1. Buy from an authorized dealer or private dealer.

Advantages:

The cars they sell have been examined as well as possible from the engine, body, and others
The services you will get from insurance range from mechanical services to damage services
More payment options

Deficiency:

Dealers offer slightly expensive prices. (It could be due to free services in the future.)
Prices have been determined, and it is difficult to negotiate lower prices
The price of payment offered is slightly different between purchasing credits and cash

2. Buy from direct vehicle owners

Advantages:

When they sell cars and advertise on sites, the price offered is quite tempting, especially with excellent car conditions
You can negotiate prices with a mutual agreement

Deficiency:

Owners don't always keep promises, they may sell tomorrow to someone else when they promised today to sell to you
Protection and guarantee that there is no vehicle
If you do not have personal mechanical expertise, you can only know whether the car is good or not from the story of the vehicle owner
The vehicle owner also sells memories with his car

3. Check car sales online

There are many car sales sites. You can find them and buy used cars online via the Internet.
Below are some used car sales sites:

Advantages:

You might find the appropriate price and type of car
There is no need to go out of the house to find a car seller
Vehicle reviews are very complete

Deficiency:

The seller of the car can be anyone, whether it's a dealer or a private person
Images sometimes do not match the original shape

Apart from these 3 things, there are still some things you should pay attention to when buying a used car.

Because the seller could have done a dirty trick when selling a car to get a big profit, don't let the used car you choose be a mistake in the future.

To help you, you can read this: Buy a used car from a dealer or private seller?

And here is a complete guide on how to buy a used car that you can use when starting, checking, and deciding to buy a used car.

How to Buy a Used Car

When starting a plan to buy a used car:

1. Prepare funds for purchasing used cars

If you want to buy a vehicle like a car, even though the car is used, of course, the thing you have to prepare for the first time is your finances. There are 2 ways for you to make a car purchase. Pay with cash or credit.

If you paid with cash, make sure you don't spend your savings budget. Remember that you need to prepare more money for insurance, maintenance, and taxes when you own a car.

If you buy a car with a car loan, make sure you choose a loan with interest rates that are not too high and make sure you don't have another loan that can refuse your application for a car loan. The lender will usually see your credit history before deciding whether to accept or reject it.

If you have prepared your funds well and have decided how to pay, then next:

2. Make a list of used car brands that you want

Even if you buy a used car, that does not mean you cannot buy a car with a well-known brand or a car with a good brand name, such as BMW, Mazda, Honda, or Toyota, that already have a good name for used cars.

It is important for you to make at least a few brand lists as a consideration if you want to buy a vehicle according to your needs or budget.

Choose a car as needed.

What do you want from a car? Wide luggage? Great engine power? Or a fuel-efficient car?

It is important to take the time to think about what you need from the car you want to buy. Narrow down all your needs and compare the features of the vehicle to get the right car.

For example, if you want to buy a family car, of course, you want one that has a large trunk and cargo space that can store a lot of goods.

If you want a fuel-efficient car, of course, you will look for a car with a small engine that is fuel-efficient.

3. Check the price of the car

After you make a list of brands and needs, check the prices of used cars. The easiest thing you can do to find out the price of a car is to search online. But all the prices of used cars are not the same, this can be influenced by the year of manufacture, models, features, mileage, taxes, damage, and so on.

Year of manufacture and model: The longer the year the car is made, the lower the price will be given to you. But you must know that there are cars with the same brand and the same year of manufacture that have different prices. This is because they have different models, whether it's the striker, the fuel used, and so on
Features: The better the features installed on the car, the higher the price. Car features can be in the form of security systems, navigation systems, and others
Mileage: Usually the mileage of a car per year is 12,000 miles. If you get a car with more or less distance, the price of the car will be adjusted
Taxes: In many countries, many car owners avoid paying annual taxes imposed by the government. And used cars like this tend to have lower prices. But the tax on duty will also apply to new car buyers
Damage: Cars that have had accidents, body and engine damage, dents, and chipped car colors, will have a cheaper price

Tips:

Each used car's market price may be different, between a dealer and a private seller. If you want to buy a used car from a dealer, you can see the retail dealer's price. But if you bought from a private seller, you can see the price of "private parties".

4. Look for used cars near you

If you have checked the price and decided to buy a car, search for used cars around you first. It could be that your friend wants to sell his vehicle and will offer you the best price. And by buying cars around the area you live in, you are more guaranteed to make transactions.

Checking Used Cars

When buying a used car, it is important to check whether the vehicle is good or not. Do not buy until you only like the price offered, it is important if you buy at the dealer. If you have a trusted car repair shop, please take it there and let it be checked for every part of the car. If you don't have a car repair shop, invite your friends who understand mechanics.

Or you can check it yourself using the method below:

1. Car inspection

a. Check the vehicle history

This is the first step when you want to buy a used car. It is important to know the history of the car that you will buy. Has the car ever been in an accident that is at risk, or has it experienced other obstacles? How far has it ever run? If the car offered has a bad history, of course, you have to reject it.

In some countries, people looking for information about the history of a vehicle can use the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or they can search on Carfax or Autocheck. This is the fastest way to find out the history of the vehicle.

2. Check the car parts

a. Check the body and car paint

A dented, rusty, or scratched body indicates that the car is not maintained or may have experienced collisions or other accidents. And usually, to cover up damage, many do it by repainting it, so it doesn't look right.

Although not all sellers do this, if you find a used car like this, it's good to be careful.

b. Check the wheels and velg

Look for used cars with tires that are still good, and do not experience uneven wear. If you see this, there is a possibility that the car's wheels or suspension are not parallel. And also note that the car is still in good condition or has been damaged.

Of course, you don't want to spend more money on repairs, right?

c. Check the interior of the car

When you finish checking the outside of the car, check the inside of the car. It could be that the car he wants to buy is good on the outside but bad on the inside. You have to check the odometer section to see how far the vehicle has moved and also check the gas, brake, and clutch to see if they work when pressed on the floor of the car; if yes, you have to replace the cylinder.

Then check the transmission to see how well it works, and also check the seat and car seat belt.

d. Check the bottom of the tent

If you check the bottom, check for spark plugs, radiators, batteries, and other things that might be damaged or corroded. And if you find any missing nuts or bolts, this is an indication of poor repair work on the car.

3. Test the car with a test drive

a. Check the control sections

Before testing the vehicle, you have to make sure these work properly, such as the steering wheel, wiper, radio, lights, turn signal, side glass, and AC. If there are obstacles, at least they are not too severe.

b. Check the transmission

Cars with manual transmissions should shift smoothly from 1 to R. If you find it difficult to move gears and listen to loud sounds, there are obstacles in the car. And a car with an automatic transmission should not hesitate or sound loud.

c. Check the brakes

This is the most important safety factor in driving. A functioning car's brakes certainly have sensitivity. So you have to try well when testing. Try sliding at a speed of 50 mph on a quiet road and braking hard, if the car goes left and right, the brake caliper is loose, and if you feel vibration, the brakes are curved.

d. The road on the ground waves

Don't just carry it on a smooth road; drive it on a bumpy road to feel the shocks that occur. If the car is still in good condition, the shock does not feel strong.

e. Listen

When you drive, listen carefully. There could be sounds of rattling. That could indicate damage to the car.

Negotiating Used Car Prices

If you have thoroughly examined it, taken a test drive, and now wish to purchase the vehicle, It's time for negotiations.

Negotiations don't have to impose will, but you can do it well.

Negotiate prices and buy used cars from dealers

Don't tell them about your budget.
If you bought the car in cash, do not tell them that you will pay for the car in cash. There is no need to lie, but try to keep all of that information to yourself, You can say you will decide on the payment option if you have found the appropriate car. If they know that you will pay in cash, they will try to make money in other ways, such as through insurance and other fees
If you get an approved car loan or monthly payment don't negotiate the size of the monthly payment; negotiate the price of the car as a whole. This is to avoid the trap of buyers made by salesmen, who convince buyers to pay monthly so that they can make prices higher
Even if you want a car, don't get caught in a dealer's trap. Try to go to another dealer if their price or offer doesn't suit you
Check costs before making an agreement, because many dealers add fake costs, such as sticker prices and insurance costs, to benefit from other failed negotiations. If there are additional costs, ask the dealer to provide a detailed fee before agreeing to the transaction

Buy a used car from a dealer or private party

If you bought the car from the dealer in cash, of course, you will get the proof documents for the car you purchased. If you buy in installments from a private party, the seller may give you a little vehicle document, and the other part will guarantee the vehicle when you pay it off.

In essence, there is still a need to review the contents of the sales contract; take your time for a moment before signing the document because the dealer will still explain the additional costs in the contract.

Contracts usually involve:

Country sales tax: This tax is a percentage of car sales to buyers
Registration fee: The dealer will register your car for protection
Document fees: In some countries, every vehicle purchase will have a document fee charged to the car buyer. Even these costs range from $400 to $700

Important tips:

If you get a dealer charging a document fee that is not needed, you can ask them to delete it. Or you can say that you won't pay for it.

Negotiate prices and buy used cars with private sellers

Open the first offer at a price lower than the seller's request, personal sellers have different calculations than dealers when selling cars. So you can offer a slightly lower price according to your budget. If the car seller offers a price of $15,000, you can offer a price of $12,000
Bid prices according to the market price of used cars and the current state of the car when you check it out and test drive it. If a private seller sells for $15,000 and you know that the market price of a used car is $13,500, You can do the trick by showing concern about the condition of the car after you check and test it. And mention what you have to change after buying the car. So you are only willing to buy the car for $12,000, according to the condition of the car.
Don't deal with prices that exceed the financial budget or the condition of the car that is not appropriate. You can search for used cars elsewhere. Now it's all up to the car owner whether or not you want to close the agreement. If you still get a high enough price quote, you can go and find another one. Your only purchase will be based on your budget and the condition of the vehicle
Get the document, and make sure your vehicle documents are complete at the time of the transaction before money changes hands. You have to know what letters to have when buying a car.

Trio Redo S

Pria yang menyukai game ini memulai karir sebagai freelance content writer niche game. Dan kini banyak menulis artikel yang berkaitan dengan gaming, laptop, dan smartphone.

Complete Guide: How to Buy a Used Car (2023)