Whether you need a new set of wheels or you need to get your kid something safe before they head off to college, finding cheap car dealers of repute can be the difference between great value and a real lemon. Luckily, thanks to the rise of the internet, finding cheap car dealers is easier than ever before, what with Ebay and all the rest offering a huge selection at a low price.
Of course, as you probably know, even if you are able to find cheap sellers specializing in used or new car sales online, you’ll still need to be careful. The last thing you want to do is put a few thousand into a vehicle, only to have it die when you need it the most. Here are four tips for buying a vehicle from second hand car dealers online safely.
Four Straightforward Tips for Safely Buying a Car Online
- Confirm That New or Used Car Dealers Online Are Real
- Don’t Ignore the Rankings of Sellers
- Ask the Vendor for a Copy of the Auto History
- Research the Vehicle Before You Buy
For BankRate.com, the first step to buying a car online safely is checking to make sure the vendor is actually, you know, a real person. There have been too many horror stories where a buyer puts all of their money into a car, only to find the seller used a fake name and some stock photos of an old car. Asking to talk to the seller over the phone or asking if you can come see the car in person will help you avoid this issue.
Whether you’re buying on Ebay, Cars.com, or some other popular site, it really is in your best interest to pay attention to their seller ranking. As USA Today writes, no deal is worth trying to work with someone with a terrible reputation. You’re likely just setting yourself up for trouble.
Just like you’d do if you were going to local car dealers, suggests Investopedia, you’ll want to ask for a copy of the car’s history before you buy it. You can either get this in the form of a CarFax report or by getting the VIN number and going to the DMV for detailed history. Regardless of how you do it, this is a crucial step in avoiding a ticking time bomb of a car.
According to Ebay, once you spot a vehicle you’re thinking of buying online, you should go to Kelley Blue Book or Edmund’s True Value guide to better research the make, model, and year of the vehicle. How much should you spending on that vehicle with that type of mileage? This is a short step, but it’s crucial to avoiding a ripoff job.
Were you able to take advantage of cheap car dealers online? What tips would you give others looking to buy car online at a great deal? Let us know in the comment section below! Learn more.