Snag a Great Deal: 4 Tips in Buying a Used Car Online

    OMAHA, NE, September 15, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In prior generations, buying a used car meant taking a trip down the road to a local car dealership or spending hours reading over the newspaper ads trying to spot that one diamond in the rough. These days, however, most people are turning to the internet to find the used car of their dreams. If you plan on trying the online route to find your next car, here are four tips to make the process easier.

Tip One: Ask the Right Questions

Shopping online for a used car is much like scanning a newspaper ad. You will click from ad to ad quickly, looking for that one that catches your eye. Like the newspaper ad, you will not discern many details from the initial advertisement, which means you need to conduct research before you head out the door for the test drive, using a free VIN check service or a vehicle history reports providers, such as Carfax.com, VINCheckPro.com, or AutoCheck.com. Regardless of whether you call the owner or send an email, here are some questions to help you weed out cars that are not worth your time to go see:

- How many miles does the car have? The mileage not only signals the condition the car may be in, but also gives you an opportunity to compare it against cars with similar mileage. This gives you an accurate range of where to make your offer.
- Why are you selling? Look for selling reasons that sound suspicious. Could the seller be dumping a vehicle before the troubled transmission fails completely? Trust your gut instinct about whether the reason for selling is legitimate.
- What condition is the car in? When you see the car in person, does it match up to the condition described in the ad? Be wary of anyone that claims their car to be in immaculate condition and instead look for those who are realistic. Few pre-owned cars will be in truly excellent condition, which means you will likely be dealing with someone who is trying to drive the price up.

Tip Two: Give It a Thorough Visual Inspection

Never buy a used car online sight unseen. You should always go in person to see a car that you are interested in. If for some reason you cannot go yourself, send someone who is mechanically savvy to look it over for you.

Even someone that is not a certified mechanic can get a generalized idea of what shape the car is in by checking a few key points:

- Tires - Check both the thread and the wear. Low thread tires will need to be replaced soon, to the tune of a couple hundred dollars or more. If the tires are the only fault you find in the car, at the very least, this can be a way to haggle down the price. Uneven wear on the tires can reveal issues like alignment problems that will require additional work on the vehicle as well.
- Leaks - Fluid works best on the inside of the car, and any car that leaves puddles behind could be in need of some serious repairs. Black puddle is indicative of an oil leak, green puddles generally come from anti-freeze, and pink puddles are a result of leaking transmission fluid. Leaks of any kind should be asked about and looked into by a mechanic.
- Scratches, dings, and rips - You already know that you are buying a used car, so expect some normal wear and tear on the vehicle. Cars get bumped by shopping carts, brush against tree branches, and get rocks kicked up at them from the road. However, more than the usual amount of scratches, dings, and rips could be signs of an accident and hidden repair costs. Scratches that have started to rust will need to be taken care of before the damage spreads. Large dings, folds, or wrinkles in the car could indicate an accident that may have led to structural damage to the car. Rips in the upholstery will only get worse with time unless they are professionally repaired.
- Under the hood - If you plan on buying a used car online, then familiarize yourself with a few of the features under the car hood before you go. You will want to be able to check the oil and all fluids and give the engine and battery a once over. This will again give you a generalized idea of how well the car has been cared for.

Tip 3: Take a Test Drive

Just like you should never go about buying a car online sight unseen, you should also never buy a car without taking it for a ride. Even to the average consumer, a simple test drive can give you volumes of information about the condition of the car and its worth.

Take the car for a drive under typical driving conditions. Watch for difficulty steering, shifting, and braking, unusual noises, or indicator lights that come on. Test out everything from the heat to the air to the stereo to make sure it all works. Try driving at both in town and highway speeds when possible. If anything seems unusual or if the car does not drive smoothly, then you will want to get it inspected or walk away from the deal.

Tip 4: Get a Vehicle History Report

Regardless of where you decide to buy your used car from, you should always get a copy of the vehicle history report. This document will give you a detailed insight of the car, including who has owned it, where it has been registered, major accidents and repair work that has been done, and odometer readings throughout the car's lifetime. The history report is linked to the car's VIN number, and it will give you a good idea of whether the car has any serious issues.

However, keep in mind that a clean vehicle history report does not mean that the car is perfect, as some issues may have gone unreported.

Buying a used car online can be a bit of a gamble, but by following these few simple tips, you can make the process simple and easy and even snag a great deal.

VINCheckPro.com is an online service offered to the general public and automobile dealerships. The company has created a method for quickly, accurately and discreetly searching vehicle records based on the VIN. Information includes salvage history, insurance records and accident history. The service is available for both a one-time search and ongoing needs through membership accounts.

# # #