Buying a used car such as a Mercedes 4×4 can be fraught with pitfalls for the unwary; whether it’s from a private seller or a registered dealer.
A few simple precautions should be borne in mind to avoid disappointment.
Even with registered dealers, unspotted faults that they should have warned about but didn’t disclose can leave you out of pocket after you’ve made the purchase, and this happens all too often.
Check the history
The first thing to check out is the car’s history. Make sure that it isn’t recorded as stolen, has any outstanding finance issues or was at any point written-off.For a nominal sum you can have the entire history of a car checked out by one of the many car history checking companies to put your mind at rest.
Consult price guides
To avoid getting charged more than the car is worth, look through a few price guides, either online or in print, for similar types of vehicle. You need to know the approximate market value of the vehicle you’re looking to buy to avoid being overcharged.
Arrange a viewing
If at all possible, arrange to view the car at the home of the vendor. Defects in a car’s body can be effectively hidden by rain and darkness, so choose a dry day and don’t go to look at it at night. Most cars look better when it rains, and dents and scratches magically disappear only to become painfully obvious later on. Be careful to thoroughly check under the bonnet and under the car itself for any signs of rust or evidence of an accident.
Ask to see documentation
Ask the vendor about the car’s service history and any MOT documentation, because if they don’t appear to know much about these it could be an indicator that the car has been stolen. Take a good look at the car registration document as well. This details previous owners and states who the current owner is supposed to be.
The car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) can be found at the bottom of the windscreen or underneath the bonnet and should be the same as the one in the car’s registration document.
Look at the mileage
If the mileage on the clock seems to be ridiculously low for the age of the car, this could indicate clocking, i.e. tampering with the odometer – a sure sign that the bad lads have been at work. The vendor will ask a much higher price for a car with low mileage, so make sure there’s not been any fiddling going on.
Bear these points in mind and you won’t go far wrong when purchasing a used car.
Photo credit : blog.usedcars.com
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