This article is brought you by ClickAutos, a leading online car portal that provides everyday Australians the best cars for sale, directly from our hand-picked dealerships with finance included.
For many Aussies, buying a vehicle is an exciting experience, however it can be daunting and time-consuming given the large amount of money being spent on a single purchase. Therefore, it is very important that you do your careful research and make a well-informed decision before buying the car for you.
To avoid a disaster and regretting your purchase, we suggest you take extra care and precaution when selecting a car that’s right for you as some facts may be hidden from the buyer or tampered with to make the car look more appealing for the sale. In this article, the ClickAutos team will discuss the traps to avoid and the precautions to take when buying a used vehicle.
1. Validate the market value and price
The first step is to pick the right car model for you. This is a personal choice and be aware of what’s most important to you? Is it safety, functionality, reliability or sheer performance? Fortunately, at ClickAutos we have plenty of high-quality, affordable cars that have been hand-picked from reputable dealerships.
Once you’ve picked the right car brand and model for you do your research and be an informed buyer buy comparing the prices and market value of the model you like with others on our website.
This way you have an estimated figure in mind when you meet the dealer, or the buyer and you can negotiate with that reference figure. If you are going with a dealership, check out different dealerships before you settle on anyone. That way you don’t end up paying a higher price for your car.
In general, if it’s too good to be true, the chances are it probably is. Don’t be fooled by cheap pricing and let it be the only deciding factor when you buy the car. It also is important that the car be well maintained, and all the other quality factors check out otherwise you will land up spending more on maintaining the car than you did buying it.
2. Always check the odometer
Once you’ve settled on the car model and make, the first thing you would want to do is check the distance on the odometer.
Cars with higher kilometres are prone to faster depreciation and the usage impacts the performance of the engine. Another factor you may want to inspect more closely is odometer tampering which is illegal in Australia but unfortunately still happens.
If a car shows low kilometres yet you feel the wear and tear of the vehicle be careful as the odometer may have been tampered with. Excessive wear and tear in the interior, regardless of what the odometer says, is a clue that the car has seen significant kilometres. Look out for:
- Brake pedal pad worn through the metal beneath
- Driver’s seat outer edge is worn through.
- Water leaking directly under the floor mats
Also check for Odometer Rollback – this is when the car seller manipulates the mileage to make the car seem newer than it is. The first way to detect odometer rollback fraud is to compare the mileage on the odometer with the mileage number on the vehicle maintenance or inspection records. Check for any evidence of sabotage (scratches, cracks) in and around the odometer.
It may be wise to bring an independent car inspector or mechanic to the car showing as this may very well be worth doing to avoid buyer’s remorse later on the track. Please contact us if you would like to be referred to a trusted car inspector.
3. Research about the car dealer
When buying from a car dealer investigate their background and reputation. Check the size of their inventory and notice if there are any scrapped cars lying around. It could be that the dealer refurbishes the cars to hide cuts and major defects and then sells them for a profit (such as serious car accidents). Always check the dealer’s license to ascertain the authenticity of the dealer.
Luckily, for you ClickAutos has already hand-picked and pre-selected a trusted panel of reputable car dealers in the Australian market. Please check out our current inventory from reputable dealerships using this link.
4. Check the car’s vehicle history report and documentation
One of the most important factors to thoroughly check is the car’s documentation. You want to make sure that you haven’t been fooled into buying a stolen vehicle. Therefore, it’s so important to ensure that all the proper paperwork is in place before you finalize the deal. Check that the seller’s name and address match up with the owner info on the vehicle registration form.
Also watch out for VIN cloning which happens especially for reconditioned vehicles. Stolen vehicles are often sold with vehicle identification numbers (VINs) that have been swiped from legally registered cars. One way to avoid being a victim of this scam is to verify that all the VINs on a vehicle match, including those on the dashboard, the driver’s side door sticker, the car’s frame and the paperwork for the vehicle.
It’s also very important to look at the service history of the car, that way you will be aware of how often the car has been serviced. This will also give you an indication of any major repairs or damages and how well the vehicle has been maintained.
5. Double check the condition of the car
When you’ve found the right model and make, double check the condition of the car and try before you buy and take it for a test drive. The engine should work smoothly and should accelerate from a standstill without much resistance. The chassis of the car will also indicate whether the car has met with an accident or not. As discussed in the first point, it may be wise to bring an independent car inspector or mechanic to the car showing to assess the quality of the vehicle.
When inspecting the car be aware of these potential traps:
- Damp, musty odours are indications of leaks in the windshield, weather stripping or heater core.
- Cars that ride lower in the front as compared to the back indicate worn springs.
- Vehicles that bounce when pushed on indicate worn shocks and struts.
- Tyres with worn outer edges from the front end represent the need for an alignment.
- Clanking noises when the vehicle is in gear point towards a problem with the drive shaft universal joints.
- Repainted body panels. Check this by looking at the colours of adjoining panels to see if they match the front fender.
- Motor oil that is not full indicates that the engine may be leaking or burning oil.
- Knocking and ticking sounds that increase as the engine speed increases represent major problems and costly repairs.
- Transmission fluid that is black or brown may indicate internal damage.
We hope you found this article useful and this will help you pick the right car for sale using the criteria discussed in this article. On behalf of the ClickAutos team we wish you all the best in finding your next dream car for sale in Australia.
