|
The Indian car market is flooded with a variety of pre-owned models and for many, these make sense due to high depreciation of most cars in India. You can get a great deal on a less used car of your choice but then again, the whole ordeal of purchasing a pre-owned car can usually drain you mentally. Here is our checklist on what you should keep in mind before investing into a used car. 1. Set a budget: To lessen the confusion while going through various pre-owned cars, set yourself a budget first. Remember, used car loans are available from various banks, but the rate of interest is much higher. 2. Set a model list: Once you have set yourself a pre-defined budget, short-list a few models that you might want to consider seriously. This way, you can be more specific on what you are looking for. 3. Online research: The world’s markets are online and same holds true for the pre-owned car space as well. Websites like Gaadi.com offer an inventory of more than a thousand cars in various metro cities at any given point of time and researching through the site can save you a lot of time and ground work 4. Service history: If you like a car based on its sticker price and looks, wait, and don’t get carried away. Insist of seeing a service history – this can be procured from any authorized workshop for most cars that are under 5-7 years old. This way you can know if there have been any major part changes. 5. Look closer: Always inspect a car in daytime wherein you can see the panels closely and in most cases, also notice change in paint color / quality incase body panels have been changed or re-painted. Likewise, major denting work can also be made out by looking at the door / panel beadings. 6. Modifications is a NO: Don’t go for cars that have major modification work. These are usually not done properly and can damage the car in one way or other. Further, it also hints at the car being driven rashly for a prolonged period of time 7. Warranty issues: Most manufacturers now give optional 3-5 year warranties and if the car is relatively new, do check if extended warranty has been taken for the model – it simply adds to the peace of mind factor 8. Paper work: Always see the original RC and make sure all other papers are in place. Make sure to transfer the ownership of the car once you have bought it and clear the confusion as to who pays for it – the buyer or the seller. 9. Re-sale: Models that have a poor market demand come with a poor re-sale value too. Hence, bargain hard for these cars as when you sell the car after a few years, its re-sale value in the market will be peanuts, literally. 10. Certified cars: There is a growing industry of certified used cars in India. While these do come with 3-12 months warranty and free service coupons, the average market price of a certified used car is 5-10% higher than the open market used car 11. Test Drive: If you are really convinced with a car, do take it for a spin. The test drive ideally should be atleast 3-5km so that you can drive the car across all the gears. Check out for suspension noise, behavior under hard braking, engine noise etc. 12. Mechanics: If you know any expert mechanic, there is no harm in taking him along for a check- up of the car. These chaps can easily spot hidden secrets which we usually overlook. 13. Commission: If you are buying a pre-owned car from an agent, do clarify the commission before making any deal. The commission can vary from 1-2% of the vehicle’s cost or in some cases, a flat rate too. 14. Complete service: Once you have finally bought your set of wheels, don’t forget to give it a complete service including various oil changes and ofcourse a wash.
About The Company Gaadi.com is the leading online automotive marketplace bringing together car buyers and car sellers. New car buyers can research their car purchase while used car buyers can browse through the largest collection of inventory online. It is the best resource for new car research in India, providing users with information, opinions & tools to ease the process of finding a suitable car.
Related Articles -
car, seller,
| 
