Smartest way to buy your next car

All that glitters is not gold, as the popular saying goes. So how does not getting the best deals and stay away from scams?

While we all understand that owning a car in today’s society is more of a necessity than a luxury not many are able to buy a spanking brand new car especially in the face of a contracting economy.  Are you looking to buy your next car and have these concerns or fall into this category?

Efritin, Nigeria’s leading online marketplace where you can buy and sell everything has got you covered. We have one of the largest, most dynamic and extensive selection of cars listed on the site including brand new and used cars at very affordable rates.

Look around, how often do you find ten Porsche listed on the same website at the same time? Presently on Efritin, there are over 5,000 cars to choose from, so whatever your budget, there is something for you!

With this sorted, the question is what do you do to ensure that you are get the best deal if you choose to buy a used car? Here are the things you should look out for:

Check the paint: When most of your driving is within a city like Lagos – notorious as it is for reckless drivers and traffic -this may sound like a no brainer. But the reality however, is that there are tell-tale signs about the real condition of the car on a car’s paint.

First of all, confirm if the paint work is original and that the colour on the exterior matches the colour in the hood, trunk and engine bay. Any mismatch points to a repair or an accident.  Ask about them and be satisfied with the answers you get before you proceed.

Though not everyone will be honest to say what really went wrong with their car, by the answers they give and their body language, you can gain insights.

Check the tires: A car without good tires is just as useless. They are your point of contact with the roads and what ensures you will get from point A to B, everything else being equal. So when there are issues, there is cause for concern.

Confirm that they are legal and that tread depth is a minimum of 5mm. This also applies to the spare tire(s). Worn out tires mean that the car is likely going to face difficulties (of varying degrees) getting you about town.

Test-drive the car for yourself: This is if you know how to drive (otherwise delegate this to someone who can and who you trust). These are some of the things you need to watch out for when test driving the car.

Immediately you turn on the car, confirm that all images on the dashboard are lit up before they go off. This way, you should be able to detect any fraudulent masking of the vital warning signs of the car by the seller.

Look out for any obvious vibrations when the car engine has been cranked and is running at idle. If there are any, it means that there’s something wrong and you need to check the engine.

Find out why the owner is selling: Again, people may not be forthright in stating why they are selling of their cars but by the questions you ask and the answers they provide, you should have an idea.

Understand what needs to be fixed, when the car was bought and where, the mileage on the car, and what papers are available for the change of ownership of car, if it is locally used one. These questions will determine if you should go ahead with purchasing the vehicle or not.

Plus ask to see the genuine papers/documents of the car and be certain that they are coming from the real owner.

Service History:

If the car has a fully document franchised dealer service history, it is definitely more valuable than without. If there is none, ask the seller why, and confirm some of the issues the car might have had.

Efritin is a leading online marketplace where you can buy and sell everything including brand new and used cars. Click here to buy your next car. We are committed to ensuring that our users get the best deals every time they buy a car on Efritin. What tips did you find useful? Share with us.

This is a feature by Efritin