How do you buy a great used car? Great tricks to buy a great used car!

Buying a used car it can be an odyssey of sorts. The traps we can fall into are extraordinary. That is also why it applies at buying a used car follow certain steps that will ensure you have as many chances as possible to buy really great car. This is also why we have selected more important steps to consider when purchasing.

SECRETS THAT CAR DEALERS WON'T TELL YOU

Deciding on the brand and model of a used car

People buy all too often only with eyes and emotions. This is especially true for used cars, where they are often brand and appearance of the car what he decides. In doing so, we forget that certain brand and car series are considered more perishable or more expensive to repair and own. If you have already decided to buy a used vehicle, you are already thinking pragmatically and do not want to pay the relatively high value of a new vehicle. This is also why we advise you to think a little more deeply about buying an old vehicle. So what do we suggest? To assemble list of candidates, i.e. vehicles you like. Then check out how on various websites do these vehicles perform in practice, what are the maintenance costs and where are the typical or known problems on the vehicles.

There are quite a few websites where statistical data is kept on the breakdowns of a particular model of vehicle and the satisfaction of the owners. Such "projects" were created because of extended warranty market for Used Cars. And since insurance companies leave nothing to chance, this kind of information about the model of the car is very important, as it will allow you to see where there are trouble spots or typical breakdowns. In this way, among potential candidates for purchase, you will be able to choose the one you can most easily rely on or the best general reliability and customer satisfaction, or you will know what to do you have to pay attention when inspecting the car. So what are the typical breakdowns of the car you would like to buy and have they been fixed in the past. Of course, if you don't give in to your emotions and simply buy the one that is close to your heart.

Once you've chosen the make and model of your vehicle, it's time to research the market.

You have selected a candidate, the car you like. The car you really want. And now it's time for market research, analysis of price and lost values. Here we suggest that you use local "markets" as they are car Net, as can be the larger platform as it is mobile.de.

Or, among other things, use the service Used first, to find out the average loss in value of a vehicle of a particular make and model.

Car prices they can vary enormously from market to market. That easy a certain brand or you buy a model in Germany with an extraordinary price difference compared to domestic Slovenian offer. On the other hand, it happens that the prices of certain brands are the same or even lower here. So depending on the brand, type of vehicle, volume, prices can vary considerably. When you get it approximate average values (also using a service like Usedfirst), you can calculate whether it is worthwhile to import the car through an intermediary or whether it is better to buy the car from a local dealer (many used vehicle dealers allow you to import a used vehicle). Some brands make huge losses in the first years - we are talking here mainly about premium brands. Certain vehicles up to At 5 years of age, they lose up to 70 percent or more of their purchase value - especially vehicles from the premium class. It is still about vehicles that are technologically completely up-to-date and in many ways (safety, consumption, accessories) extremely competitive with new vehicles. Also because premium car classes they get all the "sweets" of normal vehicles - even up to five years ahead of conventional mid-range vehicles.

First viewing of the car - take a friend with you.

You have chosen used car  and decided that you also want to see it live. At that moment, promise yourself that you will not take the car away the same day. Namely, as far as you want to implement safe purchase, there are simply too many things to check to ultimately make sure the car is good. A good used car you just can't buy spontaneously. The latter represents a complete lottery. Also bring an extra pair of eyes, a friend, who will possibly notice shortcomings that you could quickly miss. Go with him on a test drive, where he should drive part of the drive behind you and observe the vehicle and its behavior (does it smoke strangely from the exhaust, how do the wheels behave, what is the condition of the lights). We also suggest the following mandatory steps before purchase!

Use a "check list" - a check list.

Online and on the links we share in this article you will find a list for a thorough inspection of the used car. The latter will help you to answer for yourself what is the matter with the used car and create a true impression of it. This list will systematically guide you through critical points of the car, which will tell you a story about the reality of mileage, maintenance and all other matters that you won't even think about when viewing. That's why it's imperative that you are you print the latter and also fill it out physically during the actual viewing and test drive.

Always check the basics on your first visit:

– All service history, which must be logical and printed by an authorized service technician (electronic service book).

The visual appearance of the vehicle will tell you immediately whether the car is in the right condition. However, pay special attention to these points:
– the condition of the front headlights and the year and week of manufacture (signs of major wear, stone marks, may indicate high kilometers);
– the condition of the front windshield (without spots and damage) – year of manufacture;
– the condition of the A-pillar next to the windshield and the upper part of the roof above the windshield. (In the case of accidents and collisions, this part is mostly undamaged. From the latter, you can see the exact wear and mileage, as the pebbles from the road cannot escape. If this part is practically like new, the car has no more than 100,000 kilometers.);
– condition of the refrigerator and cooling elements (look through the radiator vents - significant wear can mean high miles);
– the condition of the brake discs – as an indicator of mileage and the question of whether they are original or have already been replaced. Brake discs generally require replacement at an average of around 100,000 kilometers or two brake lining service intervals. This means that if you buy a car that has less than 100,000 kilometers, the discs may be in poor condition or have just been replaced;
– wear on the steering wheel, pedals and seats – they can be extremely good indicators of how many kilometers a used vehicle has. Under 100,000 kilometers, wear on the steering wheel should mostly not be visible, or the latter should only have minor signs of wear (more shiny material). Also, the pedals should be like new and the seats practically free of signs of wear. For cars that are more than 5 years old, you must also take into account the "time" factor, which strongly affects the materials. Garaged vehicles are at a great advantage here, as they are not exposed to the sun and large temperature differences. Their interior is definitely much better preserved.

The above are just basic steps and the first inspection points are indicators of what is going on with the vehicle and if things match.

Before buying, take the car to an authorized repairer or a good mechanic.

Be sure to check before buying to an authorized repairer or a good mechanic. At an authorized repairer, they will give you correct information about the car, including and on based on the electronically managed service history. If you have certain concerns and concerns definitely trust the service representative. So you can ask whether the brake discs are installed (first installation and other similar questions) or clearly express doubt about mileage and related indicators. Also ask an authorized repairer estimate for the first planned regular service. That way, you'll know exactly what awaits you when you visit them for the first time. Even better than the first, but only if an authorized service technician confirms that the service history is used take the vehicle to a good mechanic, which is not necessarily authorized. The latter should behave as as if you were buying a vehicle for yourself and reveals to you all the little things that concern him. Before leaving for both, be sure to check what are the typical problems of the model, which you have chosen and ask them to check it especially carefully at the service "critical points" model and determine their status.

Even in Slovenia there are specialists such as – Autoanalitica.si, who realistically assess and find all the potential bottlenecks of your future purchase and provide you with a certificate on the condition of your "future" purchase.

Was the car heavily damaged or involved in an accident?!

The first rule to follow here is to check if they are headlights of the same year and week, especially the year when the vehicle was manufactured. Of course, you can check many other little things. As it is the year and week of manufacture of the windshield and other little things. Many times it is indicator, that the car was also repaired with the remains of certain "parts", such as visible body polishing, which can be seen near the seals and spots of clear varnish, which can be seen on the windows of the vehicle. The ideal scenario is that the vehicle has not been "polished", because this way the differences between the already repaired and unfinished parts of the bodywork are visible. You can often use your mobile phone and its flash to determine the condition of the paint. But there is no better examination than to examine someone, who deals with vehicles and their damage on a daily basis. Of course they are here the best makeup artists, who will immediately notice, which part of the body is damaged. This is also why you can vehicle inspection also order a measurement and inspection of the bodywork for past injuries and major interventions that may not have occurred managed electronically - in the electronic service book itself.

Trick: You can use a simple test with a magnet, which shows on the metal parts whether the vehicle has been extensively "wrung out" at the time of damage. The magnet won't hold there.

Reason for sale - ask why the car is being sold!

Extremely good the psychological question for the car seller is also the question of why the car is being sold. You will from the seller's story quickly realized whether the story was true or almost unbelievable. Often the best story is to trade in an old vehicle for a new one, at a dealer of the same brand.

The seller is a car dealer or a natural person.

Definitely we recommend purchasing from a vehicle dealer, as most frauds occur precisely in the segment of sales to natural persons. Legal entities and major car dealers are bound by a multitude of laws - as ZGD (Act on Commercial Companies) and OR (Code of Obligations), the latter regulate the rights and obligations of companies towards their customers and are, in principle, above contracts that may also be in conflict with the law and thus invalid. You certainly can the used vehicle dealer provides an extended used vehicle warranty, which is highly recommended element of your responses with the merchant. The latter can cover major defects even up to a year after the purchase of the vehicle, which is otherwise outside the manufacturer's warranty period.

A touch of luck and common sense, as with everything in life.

When buying a used vehicle you definitely have to have a bit of luck too. Even if do all the ticks, you may have a breakdown around the next bend. But it's the same with new vehicles, where there are no rules as to whether you will buy a car that will serve you perfectly or a car that was built in the night shift with a lot of problems. But here the factory warranty will serve you perfectly. When buying a used vehicle, we also put your trust in us a thorough cost of ownership review and spare parts. You can do this with an application like AutoDoc, where you enter the vehicle's data and you can already check the prices of all spare parts over the counter.

You will also find out what awaits you upon ownership, at the same time you will could check the prices of authorized repairers, which often parts are charged at a multiple of their market value. Therefore, for major interventions, always request an estimate and check the items with prices online. But this is already the content of another record entitled: "How to service a used premium vehicle", which is already being created and will be published shortly.

In conclusion, we can write that there is no exact recipe for buying a used vehicle, the above points are only rough guidelines. In any case, we strongly recommend that you visit a mechanic or service such as it is before purchasing Autoanalitika.si, where they will be for you estimate the "real" value of your future purchase and prevent possible a bigger hole in the wallet. At the same time, it definitely is worth insuring your new purchase with an extended warranty, which will cover all major vehicle breakdowns, and you will drive your car as worry-free as a new one.