There are more resources than ever to help with the purchase of a vehicle. But when money is tight, buying a car can seem like an impossible task. To avoid a disaster, take the time to learn the pros and cons of buying a car online.
The Marketing Trick
Before you start buying a car online, take a close look at the wording. It’s easy to get lured in with fancy words and promises that have nothing to do with the car. Smart sales tactics are not exclusive traits to car dealerships. A good example is how an online ad will point out multiple good things about the vehicle while sandwiching the bad things in the middle. Online car selling is all about minimizing the shortcomings, so pay close attention to the details.
Finding The Lies
This is the biggest con of buying a car online, and it is unfortunately a bigger deal with private sellers. It’s easy enough to navigate the marketing tactics, but outright lies are in their own category. Unless you’re a mechanic, it is impossible to find some of the sneakier things that previous owners hide about the car. This is why an inspection should be mandatory for any used car that you want to purchase. This, of course, puts the cost in the buyer’s lap, and that leads to a purchase without getting a mechanic’s approval. This can be offset by asking for access to the vehicle history report. The pro of buying a car online is that you will get an unbeatable low price. The con is that in order to get a safe deal, you may have to spend a little money upfront.
Price And Financing
Private buyers offer the lowest prices, but used car dealerships offer financing. It is an interesting pro-con scenario that leaves out one other key element – dealerships have a reputation to protect, so are less likely to screw around. The small amount of extra money you spend at a dealership nothing compared to the headache of buying a lemon from a private seller. As a bonus, you can lower the price even further by using a trade-in. Unless you get an absolute steal of a deal from someone you trust, a dealership remains the best choice.
Recalls
This one is a bit of a headache that can be resolved with a simple Google search. There are plenty of cars sold online that have current recalls still in motion. With the VIN, you can search the NHTSA so that an expensive surprise doesn’t wreck your bank account. The con here is that depending on the state, some dealerships can sell used vehicles under a current recall. This is of course disclosed before purchase, but the same rules don’t apply to private sellers. More than one seller has gotten away with feigning ignorance about a recall.
Buy It Your Way
With some creative thinking, you can come out on top of any vehicle purchase. You don’t need a hundred-page guide to recognize a good deal! Trust yourself, and buying a car online will be like a walk in the park.
