The auto sales industry has earned a somewhat mixed reputation in the United States. On the one hand, many Americans have a love for their vehicles that borders on unhealthy, making the person that sold it to them beloved in their memory. Conversely, there is a popular belief that car salespeople, especially of used cars, will take advantage of people as much as possible, even up to knowingly selling them a faulty vehicle.
While there are certainly some shady characters in auto sales, this image is not universally true. Some of this image results from vehicles developing some sort of fatal flaw quickly after purchase that, while it deserved to be blamed on the distant manufacturer, was more easily lain on the salesperson. Luckily, there are things a person can do to help prevent purchasing a used car or truck that will soon break down. These three tips will drastically reduce the chances of buyer?s remorse.
- Research First: Although these days, many people know to check out any major purchases online before signing on the dotted line. That is a necessary habit and can prevent the success of many scams. Many cars have well-documented issues that only require a search online to discover. However, when people often choose to perform their research not only wastes time, it might waste quite a bit of money as well!
Imagine you had gone to a dealership or met the owner of one of the used cars for sale. You went through the process of test driving and checking every inch of that car whether you knew what you were looking at or not. You took all that time only to run a search on your phone to discover there is a major engine problem recorded in this make and model. That wasted time would be even more galling if you had then discovered, months after finally making a purchase, that you wasted money as well because there is a comparable car to the one you purchased that sells used at a price that is thousands cheaper. - Be Aware Of Major Scams: There are several ways that disreputable used cars dealerships attempt to take advantage of their customers, so it pays to be aware. One of the more well known is odometer fraud. In an effort to sell a vehicle for more, some auto dealers will roll back the odometer, often by approximately 15,000 miles. Lesser known but more nefarious is the VIN cloning scam. This involves the replacement of the VIN on a stolen car or truck with one that has been legally registered. There are others, but most can be discovered easily with a simple search online. Checking available reviews for the car dealerships you plan to visit can also warn which ones to avoid.
- Check The Car!: There are many people that go to inspect a vehicle, pretending to know cars while meanwhile completely ignorant of anything beyond what was in the state driving test. This deception will only cost them money if their unknowing glance misses the sign of a future expense in the car they purchase. Far better to pay a licensed mechanic to inspect a vehicle before the final purchase.
Another check of the car that you should never neglect is that of its background. A number of options exist to pay for a detailed report on a car?s history. This includes maintenance, accidents and other details that give a consumer the ability to make an educated purchase.
The purchase of a used vehicle does not need to hold any significant risk for a buyer. All that buyer needs to do to ensure that their risk from the auto sales industry is minimal is insist on being well informed by following these tips. Never make the foolish decision to purchase a vehicle blind, so start your research now and remove the confusion from auto sales.
