In India,nearly 1.75 million cars are being manufactured and sold annually.The amount of used cars sale in India is also the same 1.75 million.The two main organised players in India are Maruti True value and Mahindra First Choice and hence unorganised players become more dominative.It is a tough task to buy an used car as it requires more verifications before purchase.Buying a used car obviously carries a certain degree of risk.The maintenance cost of used cars is higher and old tyres, battery, clutch plate etc., are have to be replaced.They also have low reliability and are exposed to breakdowns often.Here are some useful tips that can be noted before purchasing an used car.
Tips to be followed before buying an used car
Budget
The first important thing that has to be decided is the budget for the car that has to be purchased.You must have a rough idea about the amount you can offer to buy an used car so that you can avoid the budget crossing your estimate.You must also take insurance for the car that you are going to buy.
Choosing the right car
You cannot buy an used car as fast as a new car as there are many things to be checked before buying an used car.You should not be stubborn with one specific model with a particular colour and specifications.This will not lead to a wide range of options of cars for you to choose.Instead consider cars which are similar to your need so that you can have more choices that will make your job easier.
Document Checking
Once you choose the car,the next important thing that has to be done is to check the documents and verify the references of the previous owner.Check thoroughly that whether the documents are not duplicates as many people sell the stolen second hand cars with duplicate documents.The registration paper confirms you about the number of previous owners and if the number is more than two then you have to be alert in buying that car.The following items have to be checked properly in the process of Document checking:
Registration Certificate / RC Book - It shows the date and address of registration and it is issued by the RTO.It also holds the record of the vehicle's owners.You can verify the engine no and chassis no with this RC book for sale cars.You can also note the new chassis no of the car in the RC book if it met with an accident.The state of registration is also very important and hence you ensure that the seller transfers the registration to the state in which you plan to use the car.
Tax Certificate / TC Book - This shows the particulars of the tax that was paid by the previous owner of the cars for sale.Check whether the tax have been paid without any balance or otherwise you will have to suffer by paying the balance amount along with your tax amount.
Insurance - You must demand on the insurance papers as they are mandatory for any transfer by the RTO.You have to check the due date of the premium and also assure transfer of the insurance papers to your name.
Invoice - The original invoice of the car contains the details like engine no,chassis no,date of delivery, delivery dealer and whether the car was financed or not.So you should never forget to get the original invoice of the cars for sale from the original owner.
PUC Certificate - PUC certificate is necessary for a car which is valid for a time period of 1 year and a certificate has to obtained every six months subsequently.
Examine the car thoroughly
Once you fix the car by thoroughly checking the documents,you have to examine each and every feature of the second hand cars as much as possible.The following things are to be kept in mind while checking the car.
The condition of the engine should be good and it should work smoothly without exhausting black smoke during acceleration.
You have to check the condition of the battery.
Check the alignment of the wheels properly.
Check whether all the headlights and indicators are in a good working condition.
Check whether all the body parts are of same colour and also note that whether it has been repainted again and again.
Finally, to know whether the car has met an accident or not you must inspect the chassis of the car and the bodyline will give an indication of the accident.
Test Drive the car
Undergoing test drive will make you sure that whether the car will fit for you or not.While test-driving the car, check the left and right hand steering, brakes, cornering and handling at speed. Also check for the effectiveness of the AC and listen for vibrations.
Look out for the following things while taking a test drive:
Before starting your test drive,you must turn the steering wheel left and right and must note that the wheels should not move before the tyres start to run.
The engine should asleep smoothly without making any noise or unwanted sounds.
Check the condition of clutch plates.
Test the brakes properly and you must note that when putting sudden brakes,the car should stop immediately without any vibration.Also ensure that the pedal feel should be smooth and you should not offer a huge effort to stop the car.
If all the above conditions are satisfied by the car, then there will be no worries to buy the car that you have choosed.
Negotiate and finalize the deal
You can start negotiating with the cheapest possible price.Keep in mind the condition and the performance of the car and if the car requires some immediate repairs such as change of battery, replacement of tyres, wheel alignment, suspension etc then reduce the price of the car accordingly. If the seller does not agree with your price,slightly increase the price of the car.If he is not satisfied again,then you make your final offer and stick on to it.Your final offer must be the price that lies within your budget.If the seller agrees with your final offer,then buy the car.Otherwise go to the next car option by keeping in mind the tips which are mentioned above.