A must read if your buying privately
There are numerous benefits buying a car privately. Basically, they include no dealer fees or charges and no pressure from pushy salesmen. By negotiating directly with the previous owner it’s easier to gauge how the vehicle has been treated. Private sales are one of the best ways to get a really good deal. On the other hand buying a car privately can be extremely risky, there are many “doggie” sellers trying to make a quick dollar. If the vehicle or seller doesn’t seem quite right they probably aren’t, just walk away.
Steps to follow when buying a car privately;
Understanding reason people sell vehicles…
People sell vehicles for different reasons, having a pre conception as to why they sell may help you determine the seller’s real intensions;
a) They are selling the vehicle for a profit
b) They are buying a new car
c) The car is no longer needed
d) The car is giving them mechanical problems
e) The vehicle has been in an accident
a) They are selling the vehicle for a profit
The unfortunate truth is some people sell cars privately to make a profit. They generally do it part time as an extra source of income. These are the vehicles that are going to get you into trouble. Car dealers follow a set of rules regulated by government authorities. These regulations have been put in place to protect the consumer. Generally, these private sellers couldn’t make money legitimately through the right channels so have resorted to lying and cheating to succeed. (harsh but true)
These cars are sourced a variety of different ways
Auctions are an effective way to sell vehicles with problems. They are sold with no warranties, road worthy certificates. The best possible advice is to stay away from auctions unless you really know what you’re doing. Some auctions have good quality cheap cars, for example they might be a fleet of vehicles coming to the end of there lease. Some car broker services purchase vehicles on your behalf from these auctions, they provide all the same government protection and warranties because the sell them to you as a licensed motor car trader.
b) They have bought a new car
If the seller has bought or is buying a new car then this is the best scenario. If they have bought from a dealer, it’s safe to assume they didn’t trade the car in because the dealer didn’t offer enough. An effective way of finding out the trade value of the car is by ringing a dealer and explaining the situation. They will generally give you an idea what its worth to a dealer. Another way is by looking up the redbook value online www.redbook.com.au.
c) The car is no longer needed
The seller may have lost their license or the vehicle belonged to a family member that has deceased for example.
d) The car has mechanical problems
When purchasing its important to remember the following tips. The vehicle may have serious mechanical problems that can’t be fixed. As vehicles age so do the components, ones with less wear and tear generally have fewer problems. Mechanics may decide they are unable to provide a road worthy certificate (RWC) on particular vehicles. It’s not impossible to get a “doggy” road worthy certificate (RWC), fortunately it’s extremely uncommon. If there is a problem with a particular road worthy item and the RWC has not expired, it falls under the responsibility of the mechanic to fix the problem. RWC are valid for 28 days from the time the vehicle is inspected.
e) The vehicle has been in an accident
The local government road authority has a national accident report register for all vehicles. It’s worth the small fee they charge but it’s not 100% accurate. Not all cars are reported as written off or to have been in an accident. The best way to ensure a vehicle has not been in an accident is to take it to a professional panel beater. It’s amazing all the tricks of the trade to see if a car has been in an accident. If a vehicle has been in an accident, walk away.
