The team here at AutoTrader aims to make your car buying journey as pleasant as possible by providing a world-class marketplace that also serves as an information portal for buyers and sellers. Today we have 10 top tips to ensure that you get the best possible deal on a used car.
1. Shop around- Once you have decided what car you are after, make sure that you look at multiple examples of the same vehicle to gauge what sort of mileage, price, and condition is optimal.
2. Research- Make use of online tools such as owner forums, websites such as AutoTrader, and other independent sources that provide objective reviews of vehicles to see which variants of a particular model are a better buy as well as the potential pitfalls of a specific model.
3. Haggle- There is almost always wiggle room in a car deal, so ask for a discount, perhaps the dealer will throw in a different incentive, but either way, you will always get a better deal than if you had never asked in the first place.
4. Research the seller- If you are buying from a dealer, do some homework on the establishment to see if they are known to sell lemons. In the case of a private seller, see if you can establish if they are legitimate by looking for their social media profiles or simply by having a conversion with them to gauge if the deal seems off.
5. Avoid too good to be true- There are always vehicles listed that appear to be too good to be true. Whether this is a low price, low mileage, condition, or a combination of the three, in almost all cases, if it looks too good to be true, it very probably is.
6. Demand a thorough inspection- Most finance houses now require that a car be tested for faults before the deal can go through, but if this is not the case, insist that this is carried out. These inspections, if done properly, can point out potential problems, prior accident damage, and maintenance items that may cost you down the line. These reports can then be used as a negotiation tool with the seller.
7. Be willing to walk away- Make it known to the seller that you are not desperate for the vehicle and have other options, leaving room for negotiation while also making it clear that you are willing to walk away from the deal.
8. Take someone with you- As much as we think a car purchase is done with the head, the heart plays a role too, so having someone who knows a bit about cars or even a person who can be the voice of reason with you when looking at the vehicle can help you either go through with the deal or will encourage you to walk away.
9. Stick to your budget- A popular tactic from salespeople is to talk clients into purchasing a more expensive vehicle by promoting the virtues of the product, whether it's more features, space or performance, just remember that you have a budget and must stick to it to avoid buyers' remorse.
10. Give the seller a lower price- When discussing the price of the vehicle, be sure to ask the seller what the price of the vehicle is, but before they can answer give them an amount that is lower than the price it is listed for. They may correct you, but psychologically you have set a target price for the deal and will likely get the price you have mentioned, provided it is not significantly lower than the list price, of course.
