Five tips to help you buy a used car online

While there is no shortage of used cars for sale online, it can be tricky to find the best car for you. In fact the large choice of cars, large number of websites, and large number of buyers, make for fierce competition not to mention if you are choosing to buy a car privately or from a dealership.

Shop for Cars has put together five tips that will help you get the best deal when buying a used car online. Enjoy!

Tip 1: Do your research

The Internet is an amazing thing. What used to take hours of physical research at many different dealerships is now available to you instantly at your fingertips. Research the average price of the car you are looking to purchase, look at any mechanical problems the car is prone to and check online car reviews.

Tip 2: Always do physical inspections

Never buy a car without physically inspecting it. Simple advice, we know but it could save you thousands. Remember, while a car may have good reviews, it might not be a good fit for you. Only a physical inspection and a test drive will tell you this information.

In a used car inspection, the first thing you would want to do is inspect the exterior of the car for any damage to the body panels. Have a look under the hood and assess the engine condition. Lastly you want to inspect the inside of the car. Test the air conditioning, cameras, speakers etc. 

Tip 3: Third party inspection

One of the biggest things that many car buyers avoid is having a third party mechanic inspect the cars condition. As a driver you always want to protect yourself. Spending money on a third-party inspection could save you thousands!

You may find an expensive problem such as a gear box issue that the seller didn't even realise. The average cost of underlying engine issues are between $3,000 and $5,000. So yes, it costs money to get a third-party inspection but not even a fraction of some underlying issues, so it is money well spent.

Tip 4: Never transfer funds via third party money transfers

Legitimate used car dealers don’t use third party money transfers - Period! They accept a variety of payment methods such as cash, cheque, direct deposit or finance...but third-party transfers aren't one of them. You will want to make sure your transaction is safe, so, if someone asks you to use these services, don’t waste your time or money.

Tip 5: Ask as many questions as you can

The quickest way you will learn about the vehicle is to ask questions. Ask about the vehicles service history, major accidents and especially if it has been part of the recent Takata airbag recall. Alternatively you can obtain this information yourself.

Final Word,

While buying a car online offers financial and time saving benefits, you still need to do your research and physically inspect the car. When buying online it is always best to go through a dealer. Dealers have to meet strict legislative requirements when selling vehicles. 

Happy car hunting!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. To read more articles like this, please visit the Shop for Cars latest news page here.

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Shop for Cars is a fast growing online classified that simplifies the way buyers connect with reputable car dealerships across Australia. Using Shop for Cars buyers can connect with hundreds of car dealerships that offer additional buying protections, trade-ins and finance options.

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