Our useful advice for buying a used car

If, like many people, your first car will be a used one, we recommend that you consider the following points, which will be of great interest to you.

Looking for a used car to buy

When you’re looking for a used car to buy, it’s essential to take the time to find several offers or advertisements. You can do this by using professional ad sites. There are a number of these sites, where you can consult the latest used car advertisements. Prioritize ad sites that give a lot of technical details about the used cars listed there.

Choosing a professional dealer

When it comes to buying a used car, we never stop repeating the same thing. It’s better to pay a little more for a car in good condition than to buy for less and create problems for yourself. When you buy from a professional dealer, you protect yourself to a minimum, since you’ll be covered by consumer protection, unlike if you buy from a private individual who doesn’t have the legal status of dealer or reseller.

We also inform you of the existence of certified pre-owned cars. These cars undergo rigorous inspections by professionals. They cost more to buy, but you’re guaranteed a car in very good condition.

Car history and details

We recommend that you obtain as much information as possible about the car before you visit it, i.e. chassis number, last mileage, insurance status, whether it has ever been involved in an accident, etc. This information will tell you whether or not you should be interested in this used car. This information will already tell you whether or not you should be interested in this used car. This will really save you time. Don’t just rely on pictures on the Internet.

Used vehicle inspection

On the day of the vehicle inspection, whenever possible, we recommend that you are assisted by an independent mechanic. As a professional, he or she will be in a better position to assess the condition of the used car.
If you can’t call on the services of a professional mechanic, consider the following points:

• Look carefully at the used car’s exterior, bodywork, paintwork, panels, glazing and so on. Look out for anything that might catch your eye (small dents, uneven color, etc.). Also look for rust on the wheel wells and sills. These subtle things can tell you a lot.
• The condition of the used car’s interior gives you an idea of its general level of maintenance. Although subjective, it tells you how much care the previous owner took of the car. For our part, we believe that restoring or renovating the interior of a used car is difficult and expensive. The interior is a reflection of comfort. For this reason, we are very careful about the interior.

Hood and engine

When you open the hood, look carefully to see if any recent cleaning has been carried out. Look for oil leaks, or any unusual dirt inside the engine.
Then start the engine and listen for any unusual or suspicious noises.

Once again, we recommend that you seek professional assistance at this stage.

Check documents and purchase

This step is vital to protect you from any risk, and to ensure that the necessary documents are in order. Check the vehicle registration certificate and make sure that the name on the document matches that of the seller. Check the correspondence between Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and it VRC.

If everything matches, you can proceed with the purchase. Use a payment method that can be traced. Never pay in cash.

Insuring your new used car

Before taking to the road with your new used car, always make sure you contact your insurance company to take out an insurance policy. This is a legal requirement.

We hope you find these tips and advice useful in your used car buying process.