Introduction
We are the fourth largest car market in the world by volumes and a significant portion of that comes from the pre-owned market. More and more Indians are buying used cars as they either want a bigger car for a lower price or have enough budget to get into the pre-owned luxury segment. Whatever the choice, the ‘pre-loved’ car market is set to grow and there is going to be no dearth of cars to purchase.
But as with all such opportunities, it comes with its own set of challenges. You have no idea how the car has been used by the previous owner. While service history and mandated inspections can provide you with most of the details, it is better to ensure you have all the information and insights first-hand. Here are some of the things that you can do to ensure that your used car purchase comes out as smoothly as buying a new car.
Inspect the car inside and outside
This is the most crucial step before entering the negotiation process. Inspect the car thoroughly, both inside and out, and take photos of any issues that might be of concern to you, especially if you see contradictions between photos posted online and what you see in real life. It is also good to take along a trusted mechanic or friend with sufficient vehicular knowledge who will spot things that may not come to your attention.
Some of the general things you can check for when completing this process.
- Patches of rust, especially near the doors
- Tampering with the odometer
- Patchwork on seats or seat covers
- Broken plastics
- Oil leak patches in the engine bay
- Quality and life of tyres
- Seals
- Signs of mould or mildew in the cabin and boot
- Functioning of all seatbelts and headrests
- Check engine light is not on constantly
- Make sure the engine oil is topped up. If it's low, do not drive the car until it's fixed.
Acquisition of complete service records
Make sure you get the complete service records in paper form or confirm that they are available online and start from the date of the first service. This way you will have an idea of what’s been changed and what is due post you buying the car. It will also give you leverage in getting down the price if there is major work involved.
Get the original bill of sale
This is to ensure that you are taking ownership of a car that was legally acquired the first time through the right methods and with all mandated processes completed.
Ensure all documents are up to date
All privately owned vehicles (white plate with black numbers sans BH series) get a 15-year registration certificate and subsequently a five-year RC. In addition, ensure that the insurance, PUC (pollution under control), and any other documents are all up to date.
No pending fines or cases on the vehicle
This is connected to the previous point. In addition to ensuring that all your documents are updated, you should also make sure that the car does not have any pending fines or is involved in any kind of legal issues. This is one area you should not compromise at all as the car will get impounded if there are pending cases. The onus falls on the buyer to ensure the title is clean. Nowadays all information about pending fines or cases on a vehicle is available online at various state government portals.
No illegal modifications
On paper, the law does not permit visual or performance modifications and this applicable across the country. However, depending on the clout of the previous owner, the car may have any type of illegal modifications. It’s best to walk away, no matter how good the offer, if the modifications are built too deep into the vehicle.
Take a test drive
Now that you have cleared everything in static mode, get behind the wheel and drive the car. Take the current owner with you and also, if possible, record your test drive on a DVR or mounted smartphone to ensure that no accusations of damage can be made later. During the drive, some of the things that you can look out for are listed below:
- Rattles and squeaks
- Fan belt noise
- Flat spots on the tyres
- The car is sufficiently insulated with the windows rolled up
- Brakes don’t grind when you use them
- The lights/fog lights work properly
- Taillamps and high-mounted stop lamps are fully functional
- Steering is aligned
- The chassis is not bent from impact
- Central locking is functional
- Reverse camera is functional (if enabled)
- If the car has ADAS make sure all elements are functional. This does not include any of the crash avoidance functions.
Compare prices online before
Visit our website for the best comparative prices and you can also download our app for the same to ensure that you get the best possible deal when buying the pre-owned car of your dreams.
