When you visit a showroom to purchase a vehicle, you ponder over things like color, brand image, mileage, budget, and so on. But during a second-hand car purchase, there could be additional things to consider as they are used cars. While pre-owned cars are easy on the pocket, a poorly chosen vehicle can skyrocket the maintenance budget.
Hence, here’s a list of parameters to consider while purchasing used cars:
- What’s the budget? A budget is inclusive of the price of the car, maintenance, and service charges. While buying a second-hand car, it’s important to understand these costs well. Trusted dealers like CARS24 provide a 6-month comprehensive warranty that protects buyers from unforeseen repairs and maintenance costs.
- Who’s the seller? A used car can either be purchased from an owner or through a used car dealer. But, before making the final purchase – it’s advisable to get the car inspected by a trusted mechanic to ensure its reliability. This could also help in negotiating the price. Used car dealers like CARS24, sell cars that have undergone 140-point quality checks and are fully refurbished before being sold.
- How old is the car? As cars are susceptible to wear and tear – it’s not advisable to buy cars that have been discontinued in the market or that are more than 5-year-old. As tempting as it may seem, the cost of its maintenance will be much higher as compared to a lower-end model that’s only a couple of years old.
- Is mileage a factor? While a low mileage seems appealing, the plastic and rubber parts of a car that’s driven infrequently can get brittle. This could mean a lot of repairs and reconditioning in the long run. Hence, while mileage is an important factor, it’s important to check how well the car has been maintained.
- Should you dig into the car’s ownership history? Yes, because a car that has changed multiple hands indicates rough use or recurring defect. Such vehicles come with the burden of high maintenance costs.
- Service History: This is another crucial factor to consider during a second-hand car purchase. A sneak peek into the car’s service history may shine some light on facts like the number of services done, a record of accidents, major repairs, recurring issues, or permanent damage inflicted, and so on.
- Insurance History: Insurance papers provide insights into any accident histories and insurance claims. if any, it’s best to avoid vehicles with large insurance claims.
- Paperwork: Ensure that your car’s paperwork is in order to avoid any legal issues. Important documents include car’ registration certificate, insurance papers, original purchase invoice, road tax receipt, pollution certificate, and so on.
- Interiors and exteriors: Although the car may look shiny and new from the outside, it’s better to get its interiors and the exteriors checked by an experienced mechanic to avoid any surprises.
- Test drive: A test drive draws attention to any kind of vibrations, noises, or alignment issues that may have gone unnoticed by the mechanic.
Conclusion
While the mentioned parameters could help you make an informed decision, expert dealers like CARS24 take care of all the above-mentioned parameters and offer you a deal that’s value for money.
