The idea of buying a new car can thrill you. While it’s an exciting thing to do, it comes with a certain responsibility. A car is a pricey article to own and you can’t just put your hard-earned money on a faulty object.
Being extra attentive and paying attention to certain attributes is always crucial whether you’re buying a new car or a used one.
Top 6 Questions to Ask Before You Buy a Used Car
In this post, we’re going to tell you certain questions to ask before you sign the final deal for a used car. Pay attention to them if you want to buy lemons at the price of diamonds. So, let’s get started.
Question #1- What’s the VIN of the car
The very first question a prospective used car buyer should ask is about the VIN of the car. Thereafter, visit a site to buy VIN check to decode it.
VIN or Vehicle Identification Number is that magical number, which when decoded accurately, is going to tell you every hidden detail about the used car.
It’s very common to hide the actual mileage, water damage, structural damage, accidental loss, or any other kind of information to hide during the deal of a used car. Poor performance of a car at all these parameters discards it from the race as no seller would like to place a bet on such a bad choice. So, the seller hides or tempers these details.
Also, parts and equipment forgery is not a new thing with used cars. We won’t be shocked if you say all of the original parts of the car were replaced.
Knowing the truth about all these and many other things will become easier than ever if you know the VIN and decode it using a reliable online VIN checker like BMW VIN Checker. VIN is actually a 17-character long alpha-numeric code, holding information like manufacturer details, model year, engine type, car model, manufacturing sequence, and many more.
Decoding VIN and getting a detailed VIN report will allow one to have an exact and real picture of the used car. No matter how hard the seller tries, hiding crucial things won’t be possible. So, do not forget to inquire about the VIN of the aimed used car and decode it using the reliable VIN decoder. This simple step will save you from tons of hassles.
Question # 2- Who is the past owner
Though decoding VIN will bring this detail to your disposal, you must inquire thoroughly about the past owner of the car. Cars owned illegally or involved in illegal tasks can create a lot of chaos for you. Other than knowing the owners, one must get the details about ownership.
For instance, how many people have owned the car before you, and for how long the car was owned by one person? Having this knowledge lets the prospective buyer make the right choice.
A car owned by too many buyers can be a little headache as it will have a long history. Also, the more owners a car has, the less it’s worth becomes. So, if you don’t have the exact idea of previous ownership, you might end up paying extra.
Question # 3- Has the car been involved in an accident
Cars, involved in accidents, are nothing less than a headache. Firstly, such cars have high odds of having tempered parts. Secondly, cars involved in accidents will force you to pay higher insurance premiums. So, before you sign a deal, make sure that you’re gathering details about the previous accident of a used car.
Question # 4- Is the car available for independent inspection or test-drive?
No matter what the seller tells, having a personal encounter is the only thing that will make you understand the actual situation. A prospective buyer needs to take the aimed car to a mechanic and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection. Doing so will help you have an expert opinion and figure out what’s the actual picture.
A test drive is also a great way to find out the ground-level performance of the car. With its help, one can know the exact situation. If the seller hesitates in the offering, these two facilities then understand that something is fishy.
Question # 5- Is free servicing or any kind of guarantee offered?
If you don’t get involved in a serious mess after the purchase of a used car, make sure that the seller is offering a few free servicing or guarantees of some sort. Free servicing ensures that any undetected issues, which will surface after some time of car usage, will be well taken care of.
Guaranteeing on the engine for a certain period or on accessories is also a great way to have ultimate peace of mind in a pre-owned car purchase.
Question # 6- Who is responsible for ownership transfer?
Ownership transfer is a key task to perform for a pre-owned car purchase. If not done on time or with full compliances then a lot of hassle can be caused.
If the seller is taking care of all the documentation work, related to ownership transfer then it will be a great relief for the buyer.
If not, the buyer needs to take care of this. So, look into this aspect as well while you’re going to buy a second-hand car.
Closing Notes
Buying a used car is a great move towards cost-cutting and sustainability. However, it can only be proved right if you’re a little aware and making the right purchase. One has to be a little more aware than others are while dealing with a pre-owned car. Ask the above-mentioned questions, keep your all wits together, and make the right bet.
If you want to know every hidden detail then knowing the correct VIN and decoding it using the reliable VIN decoder platform like BMW VIN Decoder is the only viable solution.
With this one single step, one can figure out hidden details like previous ownership, accident records, water damage, and others. This is a magic number spilling every bean about the used car details. So, don’t ignore it, decode it accurately, and make a wise choice.