Does The Car Have Unpaid Finance
We strongly recommend paying for a vehicle history check on any car youre planning to buy. These tests are often referred to as HPI checks, as HPI is one of the biggest organisations that offer the service, but others are available.
These checks will tell you whether the car has ever been declared as an insurance write-off or recorded as stolen and whether theres any unpaid finance outstanding against it.
Unpaid finance means the car isnt wholly owned by the seller. If the finance isnt fully settled before you take ownership, it means that the seller wasnt legally entitled to sell it. Theres a possibility the car could later be seized from you by debt collectors operating on behalf of the debtee .
Dealers are responsible for ensuring this settlement is made before the car is transferred to a new keeper. A private seller is also committing an offence if they knowingly sell a car with outstanding finance.
Does The Car Have A Warranty
If the cars age means its still under the manufacturers original warranty, this should transfer to the new keeper automatically. Private sellers have no obligation to provide a warranty but the car must be as described.
Dealers are also under no obligation to provide a warranty but several may offer a third-party used-car warranty. We strongly recommend checking exactly whats covered, as these plans can vary. If an independent garage offers an in-house warranty, ensure that you have the paperwork to confirm your coverage. If the dealer is unwilling to offer a warranty, ask them why.
For more information on warranties, read our guide.
- Cars
Will I Be Able To Drive The Used Car Home
If the car is found to be unroadworthy, the seller has breached the sold as described part of the sales contract.
Car insurance explained
Note that you cant legally drive a car home unless youve paid the VED first. In order to do that, the car needs to have a valid MoT and you need the registration document or new keeper supplement. Youll also need to arrange insurance cover.
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Questions To Ask When Looking At Certified Pre
Buying a certified pre-owned vehicle has many benefits. Often, you get to enjoy several technological features at a lower price. These vehicles are used but in good condition. There are still several questions you can ask the dealer about your potential new car.
- What vehicles are part of the Certified Pre-Owned or CPO program?
- Does the program cover maintenance or roadside assistance?
- What are the other warranty features? The details vary depending on the manufacturer.
Can I See The Maintenance History
Any used car dealership in Regina worth their salt will have no problem with you looking at the maintenance history. This will give you a good look at how well the car has been looked after, including oil changes, wheel alignments, tire changes, and more. Regular maintenance is a good indicator that this car has been looked after.
If youre buying a used car from a dealership, make sure you go armed with the above 11 questions, and even some of your own. A car is not a purchase you should take lightly, so take your time and go prepared!
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About DriveNation
We are about always putting our customers needs first, DriveNation is committed to getting all of our customers approved for financing and driving a quality used car, used truck, or used SUV.
We have a team of auto finance specialists that will work hard to make sure you get the best interest rate your credit will allow. Our promise to you is that if you have questions about our services we will do our very best to make your experience with us as easy and as rewarding as possible. Expect full transparency, great customer service, and a vehicle you can count on.
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If Youre In The Market For A Used Car Buying A Car From A Private Seller Could Be Less Expensive Than Buying A Used Car From A Dealership But It Can Come With Some Risks
You might pay less buying from private sellers because they dont have to meet dealership-set expectations for profit. This can leave more room for negotiation.
But with a private sale, youll also have to handle all of the paperwork associated with the sale and transfer of ownership yourself. You also wont have access to dealer financing and some of the protections that consumers may get when buying a car from a dealership. For example, private car sales may not come with warranties, depending on your agreement with the seller.
And if you live in a state where the lemon law applies only to new cars , you could be out of luck if the car becomes undriveable after you buy it.
If you decide to skip the dealership and buy a car from a private seller, here are a few tips that could help protect you during the car-buying process.
List Of 11 Salient Questions To Ask When Buying A Used Car
To make sure you buy the best-used car out there, you need to get yourself at work. As we all know, a person with the most knowledge wins. You need to enhance your understanding of automobiles to defeat your seller in negotiations.
If you want to buy any item, you sure can ask your family & friends, and the internet. But even they cant tell you better about what to ask when buying a used car. At Locar Deals, we understand this dilemma of the big purchase. This is why we are here today to discuss most important questions to ask when buying a used car, especially for the first time or new drivers.
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Shop Around For Financing
Unless you have enough cash to buy the car outright, youll need financing to cover the cost. Some banks and credit unions offer private-party auto loans, which are designed for consumers who are buying a car from a private seller instead of a dealership.
But keep in mind that not all banks and credit unions offer this type of loan. Among those that do, rates can vary from lender to lender, so take some time to shop around to find the best rate and loan term for you.
What Does The Interior Of The Car Look Like
Now its time to climb in and take a look around. After all, youre going to be spending a lot of time behind the wheel! Are there rips and tears from the family dog or coffee stains on the seats? Does it smell like a giant ash tray? Are there burger wrappers littering the floor? These are all things to think about and will tell you how well the car has been maintained.
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Have There Been Any Aftermarket Modifications
Changes made to your car with parts made by anyone but the manufacturer are called aftermarket modifications and its important to know whether the car youre considering has any. They could be purely cosmetic, like a spoiler, but they could also affect the cars performance, like a raised suspension. Some aftermarket modifications, such as window tints or changes to the exhaust, could affect the cars legal status. Those that affect performance could be dangerous if they were done with low-quality parts or if they werent installed correctly.
Since I Dont Know Anything About Cars How Can I Make Sure I Dont Buy A Piece Of Junk
No one knows all the things to ask when buying a car. You should ask for some additional advice from someone you trust or check a few unbiased sites for owners experiences with the car you are interested in .
A trusted mechanic is another great resource. They can provide basic tips to buying cars in your area and advise you on the best used cars to buy. They may even know a little bit about you and your needs and can help you ask other questions to ask when buying a used car. Cars that cost a lot of money to operate are certainly ones to avoid.
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What Questions To Ask When Buying A Used Car
Below are several questions to ask a car dealer before you officially check the car in person.
- How many miles has the car gone?
The speedometer index on the vehicle is more or less a basis for assessing the condition of the vehicle, as well as the repair cost when there is a breakdown. Vehicles with high mileage are usually vehicles with a lot of worn parts. This question will help you determine the cars value. After receiving the answer from the seller, please refer to the cars advertised online with similar mileage to get the closest price.
However, back in the day, the number of kilometers was an important criterion when choosing a car. But now car players have a way to cheat the speedometer in terms of value in favor of increasing the selling price of used cars. Therefore, this should only be a reference factor. In the case of buying a used car from a friend, relative, or trusted person, the kilometer indicator on the meter will be more reliable.
- Why did the previous owner sell the car?
Sellers will likely give a variety of reasons, but the answers can fall into three main categories:
- What is the cars condition?
There are 3 answers you need to pay attention to:
- Do you need to sell this car urgently?
Car owners always have at least one reason to sell their car. In most cases, this first question gives you a rough estimate of the vehicles overall value. When you use this question, there are three most common types of answers:
What Are The Benefits Of Buying A Used Car Privately
How do you save the MOST amount of money when buying a used car? Well, you buy a pre-owned vehicle that already got whacked with depreciation and cut out the middleman. By middleman, I mean the dealership.
Now, you read about the perks of buying through a dealer and all the peace of mind it brings. So why bother dealing with the hassle and uncertainty of a private party? Well, the significant cost savings, of course! There is no dealer doc prep fee, no markups to pay for payroll or overhead, and no burdensome certification process. Buying a used car privately gives you the best chance of getting a great deal if you ask the right questions.
In simpler times, a handshake and trust were all we had to go off before things like CARFAX reports and AutoCheck. When you find a private seller, you can find out the vehicle history. For example, if they were the original owner, who drove the car, why they bought it, and how its treated them over the years. Also, youll have to make sure they have the title free and clear. Otherwise, youll want to go to the bank and have them call the company that holds the title to make sure the loan gets paid off before any other money changes hands.
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Whats The Cars Service History
When looking for a pre-owned model, its important to know its past. Ask about a cars service history to see if its been regularly serviced and maintained to a good standard. Not all cars with a patchy history will be in bad condition, but vehicles with a full service history are more likely to have been well looked after. This is also a good time to ask when the vehicle was last serviced.
How Does The Listing Price Compare To The Kelley Blue Book Value Or Carfax History
You can obviously look this up yourself, but asking this question may force the seller to rethink the price if it’s high or explain why they’re selling the car for less.
You can check the value of the make and model on Kelley Blue Book , but to get specific information on the car in question, plug the VIN number or license plate number into the Carfax History-Based Value or Kelley Blue Book value calculator. This car-specific report will take into account any damage, special features, and the number of previous owners to give you the car’s exact value.
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What To Ask When Checking The Car In Person
- Where is the vehicle purchased/registered?
This is a pretty important question, especially if the car has a different license plate from your area. If the seller has a different country of origin on the ID card than the one where the vehicle is registered, be careful and do your research. In addition, the climate of different regions can also affect the quality of the vehicle.
- What oil do you use for the car?
Believe it or not, but with this question, you can tell if the car is well maintained or not. A user can respond in three ways:
- Immediately answer after you ask a question: This shows that the car owner cares about the car, even can change the oil himself.
- Pause for a moment before answering: The owner may completely entrust the maintenance to the repair garage, but the car is still well taken care of. Ask more where the car is serviced, how often, how many times has it been serviced.
- A wrong answer or the seller doesnt know the exact answer: Get a mechanic to check your car thoroughly for you.
- Can I test drive the car?
This is a simple but mandatory question in the process of choosing to buy a used car. Most 100% of car owners will let you test drive the car. You should ask for more test drive time, to test drive a variety of terrains and speeds. The more detailed the agreement, the better. With the vehicle owners consent, you can test drive it with your expert advisor.
- What is the vehicle equipped with?
- Has the car ever been involved in an accident?
What Paperwork Do I Need To Sign
If everything looks good, its time to finalize the deal. Make sure you get a Bill of Sale that shows you paid for the vehicle.
Additionally, you will want to fill out any paperwork required by your state. In some cases, you are asked to have the documents notarized, which means both you and the seller must make a trip to a local notary.
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What Questions Should I Ask When Buying A Used Car
Before buying a car, particularly a second-hand car, you should do your best to find out everything you can about the vehicle – a great place to start is by entering your registration plate in our free car check tool. Whether you are buying from a dealer or a private seller, they may not be very forthcoming with all the information you need, especially if it is regarding issues that could devalue the car. Asking questions could make you more aware of what you could be buying, including any faults, to put you in a better position to achieve the best deal possible.
Where Do You Take The Car For Inspections
“If the dealer or seller claims they have inspected the vehicle, ask them where they do that,” says Ricart. “It’s good to actually see where the technicians are working on the car.”
If you’re buying online through sites like Craigslist or Ebay, you can always ask the seller if you can take the car to your local mechanic for an inspection, he says. It’ll cost about $100 for a full inspection of the engine, brakes and transmission, but it’s a good way of making sure the bones of the car are solid.
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Is There Any Warranty Remaining On The Vehicle
Dealerships often supply specific warranty coverage for used vehicles, and many automakers offer transferable new-car warranties that can carry over to future owners. This can also be true if youre buying from a private owner.
Realistically, though, a private seller may not be the best source of information on whether the vehicle you want has any warranty coverage left. You can investigate by talking to someone from a franchise dealership or the auto brand itself. A Carfax Vehicle History Report can also tell you about the cars warranty status.
Is The Car Returnable
Private parties are unlikely to let you return the car if, after a few days, you dont like it, but some dealerships now offer returns. Ask for details on any such program first, of course, and dont treat it like a three-day free rental car. But if theres something you really dont like about the car, a dealership that offers returns can save you a lot of money and headaches.
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