Regretfully, we have witnessed numerous cases of customers being duped when purchasing a used car, and the majority of these cases involved online purchases. Because of our years of practical experience and witnessing individuals lose their hard-earned cash, we have compiled a few general advice for you.
Ways to Avoid Scams
Used car dealerships in Calgary Alberta can be the best option to avoid any scams.
- Don’t buy the car online
Don’t buy the car online without physically inspecting it. Be advised that buying a car based only on a few phone conversations, a few images, and an inspection report is still perilous, even if you live interstate and can’t visit the car in person. Professional con artists are more cunning than you may realize; they arrange everything beforehand!
2. Registered Dealers
Scams involving registered dealers are common and can occur at any time. Dealers have been observed switching out car parts even after an inspection, altering the color of a vehicle without having to declare it legally, and doing many other things. You can come to regret it greatly throughout the court battle!
3. Save Your Money
Have a professional car inspection; do not waste your money on a lemon that may turn into your nightmare in a short while. You will see the value of automobile inspections after going through that experience and having a defective vehicle that nobody wants to buy for pennies on the dollar. A win-win scenario exists. If the car is a lemon, you either walk away with no regrets or you get a discount on the minor flaws.
4. Car’s Inspection
If you know how to fix things, save money, and do the car’s inspection. To make sure there are no hidden problems and the car does not leak fluid, make sure you have an OBD2 scanner and a jack. To make things easier, you can utilize our instructions if you wish to inspect the car yourself. Please see the Free Used Car Inspection Checklist for additional information.
Authentic Car
5. To make sure the car is authentic, run a PPSR vehicle history report. You’ll be able to see whether the vehicle is currently financed or has ever been reported stolen or written off. You have nothing to lose, so just avoid the situation if there are any warning signs.
6. Financed Vehicle
Never purchase a vehicle that is financed. Even if an automobile is transferred into your name, you are not the owner if you buy one that is still in debt. This is because the finance remains on the vehicle, not the owner. The vehicle may be seized at any time by the financing company.
7. Market Value
Try not to purchase as many totaled vehicles as you can. Because written-off cars have a substantially lower market value than regular cars and because many insurers do not insure them, many individuals steer clear of purchasing them. Be very careful because it can be quite difficult to sell a written-off car later on.
8. PPSR Report
Don’t assume that just because your PPSR report is clear, your car is authentic. We have observed vendors replacing the complete engine block without notifying the authorities of the new engine number or repainting the engine with the new number. Additionally, we have seen VIN altercations that are occasionally very difficult to verify. Modern laser technologies enable the VIN to be replicated exactly on metal, just like the original. Although they are uncommon, if you have any suspicions, get the car examined by a legal professional who can locate and verify the engine number and VIN for you.
9. Don’t Buy from Second Person
Avoid purchasing a car from a seller who is doing so on someone else’s behalf. Make sure you are just dealing with the owner because we have witnessed people selling rental cars, stolen automobiles, and even selling their partners’ or parents’ vehicles without their knowledge.
10. Private Seller
If you are purchasing from a private seller, be sure you have a witness to the deal. It’ll be very beneficial if a dispute arises later. Car Finder Calgary Alberta is not a private seller.
11. Mobile Deposits
Watch out for phony mobile deposits. Numerous smartphone apps currently deceive users in this way. Make sure the money is in your account—especially if it’s a used automobile sale.
12. Average Cost
Use caution while negotiating lower-than-average costs. If this is the case, it must be your first warning sign. Even if they are in dire need of money, no respectable individual wants to sell their car for significantly less than the market value. Keep an eye out because they can sell their automobile to any dealer and receive a higher price than what they list online.
Conclusion
Steer clear of customized vehicles while they are still covered by warranties. The majority of modifications will nullify the warranty, so even if your automobile is still technically covered, you won’t be covered if something goes wrong. To be sure the modifications haven’t impacted the warranty, at the very least, check with the manufacturer. Get a written response rather than an oral one.
It can be a scam if the seller’s phone number is unreachable or disconnected. Sincere merchants desire to communicate with their clients, they will never offer a disconnected phone. Verify the address is real if you receive one. Verify the map to make sure you haven’t been assigned an incorrect location.
