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Vital used car buying tips Noticeably, there is a rapidly blooming market of used cars in India today. Buying a pre-owned or used car is practically a sensible decision even though it isn t that simple as buying a new car. While purchasing a used car, peace of mind is quite difficult to find as there are higher chances of getting defrauded. Let us go through certain vital tips on exactly what things you need to know while searching for a used car: Step-1 Homework and research Decide your budget! Keeping in mind your current financial status, choose your budget wisely. Which car to buy? Once you decide your budget, what type of car will best meet your needs, depends upon the number of members in your family. With emerging choices of brands and models you may possibly find numerous cars fitting in your budget. Before you pick on a car, first analyze your exact needs. Which model to choose? A slight research will tell the brands and models that suit your budget. According to a research, Japanese cars benefit from the excellent lasting resale value since they are reliable, but diesel cars equally sell fine on the used car

markets. So, remember reliability must be preferred first on your checklist, do research on it by having a look on the quality ratings given on each car. If a new car that wasn t reliable, won t be reliable on use. Through what source do I get good deals? The used car dealers like Kaka Motors, authorized dealers, brokers, internet, newspaper ads and personal references can lead you on car availabilities. Generally, it s a great idea to connect openly with former owner of the car therefore the newspaper classifieds and internet are best sources of great deals on the used cars. Which finance is better? Cash is always best, though many financial companies offer loans for buying your used car. The interest rates are higher on used loans compared to new cars. Step-2 Things to consider Car history Choosing a car that is totally maintained at a single authorized service station preferably must score higher on your rating. The best method to discover about the previous accidental damage is to communicate with the seller s fixed service station or his car insurance company.

Certified used cars Selected car manufacturers and dealers deal in certified used cars. These used cars undergo detailed inspections where a replacement is done for faulty and worn-out parts. The well renewed certified car might raise extra value for money, though a few certified car dealers merely do fraudulent work and famously commit marginal frauds such as odometer tampering. Warranties Try gaining the possible information on the warranties some dealerships offer on their pre-owned cars and about warranty coverage, time and other terms and conditions. Say no to what type of cars Modified cars- These cars don t generate profit as the quality of the modifications done maybe unclear. Discontinued models- Avoid using discontinued car models as they go through irregular supply of spare parts, higher maintenance costs and awful resale value. Repossessed cars-if a car is repossessed by a finance company, it would be difficult to get the Certificate of Registration also the original owner may create problems although you acquire the car transfer on your name hence it isn t a good buy.

Repainted cars- A car lesser than five years old that is repainted must prompt questions like-was it painted due to an accident or for cosmetic reasons only? Lighter used cars- With only 25,000kms on the odometer for a car lesser than 10 years old isn t a good buy as they are manufactured to run and longer inactive periods may trigger many problems. Step -3 Inspect the car Expert friend will help Bring an experienced friend or a mechanic with you. They will detect problems that you may be unaware of also a second opinion can help. Call before leaving Clear all the necessary details regarding the car before you travel to see it. This will save your valuable time if you find the car isn t significant examining. Daylight Inspect a car in daylight always as darkness can hide evident damage. Cold engine start Be firm to start out the engine from cold and also let the engine work by yourself. In comparison to the engine touched operating temperatures, a cold engine will give out further extra.

Odometer tampered Tampering a car s odometer by fake lowering is a usual malpractice in the preowned car market. Many cars sold by unorganized dealers have their odometers clocked backwards. Do evaluate the service records irregularity. Call the dealer/ workshop (where the car was being maintained) to get historical data of the car s odometer readings on each visit (these records are always maintained by dealers). Data of tyre manufacture can specify the exact mileage travelled by the car. Authenticate the engine size Various smaller engine variations rebadging is happening and being sold off as larger engines in the used market. Make sure that the car in fact is the variation you want to purchase. Verify the manufacturing date Nearly all cars have a Vehicle Identification Number stated at many places on the car body. Note down this VIN and decode it online. This decoded information will say you about the car, containing the manufacturing year.

Be calm and check the car flaws Don t get excited even though you feel the car is a good buy as there is more than what you see. Complete test drive Try driving the car in various conditions possible such as bumper-to-bumper traffic, slopes and dives and open highways. Mechanic s judgment A mechanic will give you the most valuable information. Let your trusted mechanic inspect the car for accidental damage and the overall condition of the car. Put in a small amount of money to get an authorized dealership go through an entire check of the car. Documentation Cautiously check the car s original documents for inconsistencies. Also, this is a great time to scan the car s service history to see its maintenance service records are most important. Certain documents you need to check include: 1. R.T.O tax receipt- Currently a single time tax which the original owner should be paying.

2. Car registration- Do check the state of registration, also see if the letters DRC become visible on it somewhere. DRC is Duplicate Registration Certificate. 3. Insurance- Check if the insurance is complete or basic third-party and the expiry of insurance. 4. Original invoice- Have a look at the car s original invoice in which the details like chassis and the engine numbers can be found in. 5. Finance NOC- If you are searching a financed car, ensure a NOC is on hand. It is a good idea to cross-check directly with the finance company to ensure that NOC is real and no loan is outstanding on the car. Step-4 Once the car check is done Commitment Verbal agreements do not have any value. Ensure the seller places all his commitments in written. Say NO to pressure Remember you are a buyer and possess luxury of rejecting a car that you do not wish to buy. Never let the car seller pressurize you to agree in exactly what you don t want to. Surprisingly, there are many people who give up on to quarrelsome salespersons.

Negotiations No pre-owned cars have a fixed price. Hence, depending on your negotiation skills you will get the price. If you aren t contented negotiating all alone, ask help from a friend or relative. Bogus owners Be watchful for those sellers who just purchased a car to rapidly earn the resale value. If the form is signed by now (or if the owner is unwilling to sign on the delivery note) it is an indication that it s the broker whom you are dealing with. Duplicate keys Demand on a duplicate key with the delivery of car. Insurance An extremely important point to remember! It is advisable to get the insurance transferred to your name on delivery. Numerous people tend to forget about actually transferring the insurance coverage (with the RC book entry) and confront issues whenever an accident or theft happens. No coverage (on paper) is complete until the insurance is transferred to your name. Brokerage Although maximum brokers charge 2% of the sales cost, it s easier to lower down the fee to half of it, as you can barter on the brokerage fees.

Transfer Papers and Delivery Note While you take the delivery of the car, note down the date, time and the odometer reading on the Delivery Note, ensuring any unsettled liabilities on the car earlier than that date will be entirely the seller s responsibility. Complete Car Service We suggest that at the time of delivery get the car fully serviced along with all fluids/ filters/ belts replaced if necessary. Happy car hunting and all the best!