5 Essential Things You Need To Do When Buying a Used Car Online

by Mutimba Musonda in Zambia

While thanks to modern technology and a range of available services buying a used car online has become very easy, one of the most important things to do first is to check the reliability of the car dealer that is offering a particular model to you. Most of the people that have lost huge sums of money have had it occur due to lack of security precautions and proper research on their part. In order to avoid this situation, here are 5 essential things you should do, ask, and request when buying a used car online.

1. Do Your Research

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Whenever you intend to buy a car online, do some background research to see what other people have to say about them. If reviews are primarily positive,  you can rest assured that the service is trustworthy and your car should safely reach your destination. Other things to check include the address of the company, as well as their banking details. If someone is telling you to deposit funds into another company or individual account, the best you can do for yourself is to stop the transaction as soon as possible, as this is a clear indication of fraud.

2. Closely Check the Interior and Exterior Features

Check Interior & Exterior - BE FORWARD

The state of condition of the vehicle is also another area of concern. Always check the interior and exterior of the unit before you buy it, as that is very important. It’s not uncommon to see only one photo displayed on the unit with the rest of them not fully displayed. Always ask for more pictures if that is the case, and thoroughly go through them to check if there are any dents or scratches on the exterior or damage to the interior. Some vehicles come without any radio or CD player, speakers, spare tire, fire extinguisher, etc., so be sure to check what is and isn’t included.

3. Confirm the Car’s Specifications

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Whenever you are about to purchase a car, it is only logical to fully understand the specifications of the vehicle that you are considering to buy. The specifications table should clearly highlight certain things such as the engine capacity of the model, engine number, chassis number, engine capacity, and other important specs. These are very important as they are very much needed for car registration, and also tell you something about the consumption rate of the vehicle.

4. Check the Condition of the Tires

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This is very necessary, and as a safety precaution always get a unit that has neat and good-quality tires as that can really help you to save money, considering the fact that you would have spent a lot when importing the vehicle itself to your country. Good tires should have enough grip, and should not have cracks either on the sides or in between the grip lines.

5. Request Images of the Car’s Suspension and Springs

Request Images of Suspension - BE FORWARD

Though it’s pretty hard to see how well the suspension and springs of the vehicles are, a good photo taken by a professional should be able to clearly show a third of these and at least highlight the state of condition. However, certain car dealers also do make mention of any certain replacements and changes that they might have carried out prior to being put up for sale. So do ask for some additional information on any changes to parts. One more thing to check is the list of extra features that are indicated on the main display for the unit. These can also be compared with the actual photos just to ensure that what is mentioned is also what appears in reality.

Ready to find your next ideal used car with a reputable and trusted used car exporter? Click or tap the button below to browse BE FORWARD‘s stock of high-quality used cars across hundreds of categories and price ranges.

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This article is written by BE FORWARD Supporters ID 235466 Mutimba Musonda in Zambia. What is BE FORWARD Supporters? Click here to join!

3 thoughts on “5 Essential Things You Need To Do When Buying a Used Car Online”

  1. Thanks for information given I whish we will not falls in wrong hand and most people compalence of buying cars in hand and send it to wrong country why and is that happen I need more explains on that thanks

    Reply

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