Know How to Buy Used Car From Private Owner

Purchasing cars nowadays has become a very common task. One can purchase cars and other vehicles even by just sitting at home.

But people today have realized that buying a new car from showrooms or recognized dealers’ costs more than buying a second–hand car. Yes, some people do have that need to buy a first–hand vehicle only but most people have realized that a second–hand vehicle bought with care is worth buying versus a new car straight from a showroom.

Unlike two-wheelers, a second-hand car or a four-wheeler needs more inspection before it is purchased. This is because a lot of its parts and compositions are hidden under its body. One must have very good knowledge about how to buy used car from a private owner before entering into a deal because such deals can’t be reversed easily.

Steps to purchase a car from a private owner

Purchasing a car from a private owner is a simple and an easy process if carried out properly. It avoids unnecessary dealer charges and service charges. It also avoids registration charges and processing. For those who do not know how to buy a used car from a private owner one can go through the following steps:

• Step 1: Know the private owner

The first and foremost task of the buyer is to know about the owner. It’s always safer if the owner is a friend of the buyer. But if not, the owner’s background must be investigated well before thinking to buy their car. The owner must be an honest and just person. The buyer can enquire about the private owner from his friends, neighbors or his acquaintances. Things like whether the person is honest, whether he has bought the car legally, whether he is trying to cover any frauds, the reason why he wants to sell the car etc. such facts about the owner must be clarified before starting the deal.

• Step 2: Know the car to be bought

The obvious thing about a contract of buying and selling is knowing all about the product. Before one buys a car, one must know the details of the car. Before buying a second-hand car, the person must know every detail about the car. These details might be about the model of the car, the year of manufacturing, the year of purchase of the car, the pros and cons of the car, whether the car was bought first hand or second hand etc. One should only proceed after knowing all about the vehicle one desires to purchase.

• Step 3: Check the market value of the car

Private owners have no responsibility regarding the price at which they must sell the vehicle. If they desire, they can sell their vehicle either at a lower price incurring loss themselves or at a higher price by incurring profit on the vehicle. It all depends upon the buyer and the price at which they agree to buy the vehicle. A person who knows how to buy a used car from a private owner will check the market value of the car.  There are several apps available nowadays which provide the required details and can show the current market price of the vehicle. To evaluate it, the buyer has the right to ask the seller details of the car which include current mileage and kilometers traveled.

• Step 4: Check out the documents of the car

A person who doesn’t know how to check the documents of the car they are buying doesn’t know how to buy a used car from a private owner. It is the most important task to be done prior to buying a second-hand car. One must properly go through all the documents of the car and make sure all documents are true and genuine. Along with checking the documents one must also make sure that the name in the documents match the person from whom the car is to be bought. They must make sure that the documents are all up to date and there are no issues regarding them.

• Step 5: Personally inspect the parts of the car

Another thing a person has to keep in mind before buying the car is to personally inspect the car. The person must visit the private owner and see and check the car by himself. He must thoroughly check various parts of the car to ensure that there is no faulty part or duplicate. Tires, brakes, glass, battery, seats, body condition etc. must be properly checked and inspected. It is highly recommended to ask a qualified mechanic to assess the car and note any faults.  It is also recommended to do such inspection during the day time as it’s always difficult to analyze things in the dark.  Any faults can be used to either quit the deal or negotiate a price to fix or lower the asking price.

• Step 6: Inquire about the warranty of the car

It may happen that the car which is to be bought is less than 5 years old. In such cases, a person who knows well how to buy a used car from a private owner will contact the manufacturer or dealer of the car from whom it was originally bought and enquire about its warranty. He can find out if the warranty of the car is still available or not and if not, he can get information about how the car lost its warranty. When one buys a second-hand car, it’s one’s own duty to do complete research on the car and then only proceed with the deal.

• Step 7: Request for a test drive of the car

A smart car purchaser will always ask for a test drive. What looks from outside, may not be the same from inside. Even if a car is perfect with its body parts, it may not be that perfect when it is out on the road.  One who knows how to buy a used car from a private owner will undertake a thorough test drive of the car and check whether all the parts do work well rather than just looking well.

• Step 8: Finalize the deal

Now that everything is checked and verified, it’s time for the seller and buyer to negotiate the terms and price of purchase in order to buy the car. The price must be accepted by both parties and based on the current market value, and the terms of the purchase must be very clear. How and when to pay the money is ultimately how to buy a used car from a private owner. A smart person will never pay early and then take the car. They will wait till they get the car properly transferred into the buyer’s name and when they get the keys, it is then they pay the agreed price of the car.

Thus, by following these steps properly, one can buy a second-hand car without being defrauded and buying it to the extent of personal satisfaction. The above steps show how a car is purchased from a private owner.