Automotive

Tips to Avoid Auto Dealer Scams

auto-dealerBuying or trading off your car is not an easy task as it involves a lot of paperwork and require information that so many people do not have at their disposal or are not aware. Being duped is the last thing that a car shopper or trader needs as a lot is at stake here. Many have fallen prey of auto dealers scam not because they are not aware but because of their ignorance and not being careful. Here are some of the best tips that you should keep in mind before dealing with an auto dealer.

Deal with a licensed auto dealer

There are so many auto dealers out there and the more you deal with the licensed one the less risky for you. Dealing with licensed auto deal helps you from certain risks such as buying a stolen car, buying cars from people who are not the owners or buying a car which has been used as collateral somewhere and is going to be repossessed.

Be informed

Get as much information as you can on the vehicle you want to purchase or you want to trade. Get to the reviews on the car, manufacturers specifications, the distance it has covered in miles if it is an already used car etc. Go through all the records to ensure that the vehicle is in a stable condition and will serve for quite some time and it is really worth of your cash. Auto- check the history of a vehicle by using car fax and check against things like title washing.

Carefully go through the purchasing contract

Mistakes on the contract are a common phenomenon as the process entails a lot of paper work. These mistakes are always to the dealer’s advantage. Most of the commonly noticeable errors made here include the purchasing price, down payment agreement or even at times mismatch of the real car dvla number and the one written on the paper or log book. This mistake can land you in serious problems if you do not detect them early thus it is advisable that you go through the paper work carefully before getting into a legally binding contract.

Shop your trade in to multiple dealers

When making a trade in of your vehicle, contact as many dealers as possible. Each dealer will a make a quotation of the price they want to purchase your vehicle and would want to take advantage of you by offering you a low quote. Having made contact with several of them will make you knowledgeable of the existing market price thus you will go for the best offer.

Have a thorough check on the odometer

Many cars bought today have their odometer tampered with as it has become very easy nowadays to reprogramme a digital odometer using some latest technological software devices. Research would have that consumers are losing billions of dollars to odometer fraud in a year. What you do here is check and compare the odometer mileage with that of the vehicle maintenance record and take note of the differences. Also you can use a Carfax odometer check and have a true picture of the mileage the vehicle has covered.

One Comment

  1. If you are interested in buying a used car always opt for a authorized dealership. Ask the dealer to provide contact details of people who have purchased cars from him. Taking the feedback from previous clients can tell you a lot about the authenticity of the dealer and you can be rest assured that you will get a good car.

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