Newbie question for Buying Used Car

yjun355 on 08/04/2024 - 13:15

Looking to buy a used car. Probably that has done around max 20,000 - 30,000 km and still under original manufacturer warranty (has some years left ideally).
Still trying to work out which one but would be one of the hyundai - kona, kia - seltos type compact suv.

A. Is carsales.com.au the go-to-source and get one of dealer ones?
B. is it pretty much advertised price or can ask for some extra discount (like when buying new car)?
C. Main concern is to be sure it hasn't been in any accident. For that you just need to take to your mechanic to verify? Not sure how it works logistically.

Not sure if there is anything else i should be looking out for.

Yeah i understand if the second is too high, makes sense to spend a bit more and just get a new 2024 model.

Automotive

Comments

  • Duckie2hh on 08/04/2024 - 13:16
    -1

    ask for some extra discount

    Yes

    Main concern is to be sure it hasn't been in any accident

    Yes

  • altomic on 08/04/2024 - 13:31
    +4

    A. Is carsales.com.au the go-to-source and get one of dealer ones? - no, there are private. if you're looking for a car with such low KMs then you could go private as some people like to upgrade every 2 years. or they need to sell a "near new" car because they have cash issues, or the car no longer suits their requirements (e.g. they need a kid friendly car - I sold a 2 year old mazda 3 when our 2nd baby came along -it just wasn't practicable. ).

    B. is it pretty much advertised price or can ask for some extra discount (like when buying new car)? negotiatate, negotiate, negotiate. you have nothing to lose by haggling (there are plenty of cars left in the market - this is not 2020/2021).

    C. Main concern is to be sure it hasn't been in any accident. For that you just need to take to your mechanic to verify? Not sure how it works logistically. -you can get 5 Free PPSR Car History Checks with Budget direct. . that will tell you if -
    (a) Financing owing: If you buy a car that’s secured against an outstanding loan and the previous owner stops repaying the loan, the lender could repossess your car.
    (b)Reported as stolen: While you won’t be charged for unknowingly buying a stolen car, the car may be repossessed and returned to its owner or their insurance or finance company.
    (c) Has been written off: Some repairable write-offs are fixed, inspected, re-registered and re-sold - but the standard of the repairs may be poor, putting you at risk.
    (d)Takata airbag recall: If the vehicle is listed as affected, you can confirm its recall status by visiting ismyairbagsafe.com.au

    whether it has been in accident- look for unequal gaps between panels. see if there is fresh respray/overspray. bolts for panels are scratched (loosened and tightened - i.e. removed to replace parts)

    • Bignudge on 08/04/2024 - 13:44

      Lol I spent a whole bunch of time typing and you wrote it better than me ahaha

    • kerfuffle on 08/04/2024 - 14:03

      There's some used cars from dealers on Carsales but yes, the majority will be private listings

    • yjun355 on 08/04/2024 - 18:33

      Thanks a lot. Extremely helpful.
      In terms of private sale, it is still through car sales.com.au right? Other listings you see on gumtree and Facebook. However, car sales should cover all private as well right?

      • sumyungguy on 09/04/2024 - 09:24

        Private sellers select an advertising portal, either CarSales (which charges a listing fee); GumtreeCars (zero to minimal cost); FB Marketplace (no cost). Your transaction will be with the seller, not the listing website. Consider that not every private seller is trying to scam you, they're often just trying to get a better return compared with trade-in value and in many cases aren't upgrading. You can get private seller cars at good prices, just be prepared to negotiate as private seller listing prices are typically wildly optimistic. I've bought and sold privately at least 13 times so far, PM me if you want more detailed tips.

  • Bignudge on 08/04/2024 - 13:43
    +1

    Okay, buying a used car. I'm not going to comment anything about checking the quality and condition of the car… but I will mention a few things so you don't get scammed.

    Assuming you're from NSW(idk what the rules are in other states)

    Buying from dealer:
    I have no idea how original manufacturers warranty transfers or what the rules are… but if you're buying from a dealer, you will get 3 months or 5,000km statutory warranty from the date of sale (whichever occurs first). Legally they must disclose if a car has been a repairable writte off (badly damaged but not bad enough to scrap for parts/materials).

    Private sale:
    If you are buying privately, there's a whole bunch of other things to watch out for.

    • Check that the car's VIN number and number plate matches what the rego paper says.

    • Under no circumstances you send a payment/deposit over first unless the car, owner, and rego papers are infront of you ready to transfer titles. (There are so many scams going around with cheaply listed vehicles… and the seller asks for a deposit and dissapears).

    • When you view the car and best before you transfer the funds over, use the government's PPSR website to enter the car's VIN and pay a $2 fee. This will give you a PPSR report. It tells you if you car is listed as stolen, under finance, and if it's been a repairable write off.

    [If it's under finance and you send over money and transfer titles, the original owner could just stop paying the loan… and as the financing company technically owns the car, they will take/steal/repossess it from you]

    [If it's a repairable write off, it means that it was badly damaged and repaired. It may be a safety issue if you get into another accident. Also, the car also wont be worth as much as others in the same year/model].

  • kerfuffle on 08/04/2024 - 14:04
    +2

    Redriven has some great resources on buying a used car. Start with this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZapr0Xc0Ww

    • yjun355 on 08/04/2024 - 18:31

      Thanks

  • mini2 on 08/04/2024 - 14:59
    +1

    Please remember to get insurance.

    • Euphemistic on 08/04/2024 - 15:23
      +2

      Before you drive it away. Plenty if people have been in a crash before they get home.

      Get quotes before you get to the purchase stage so you know exactly which insurer you are going to sign up with and can purchase quickly.

  • bazingaa on 08/04/2024 - 15:09
    +1

    remember to do $2 PPSR check before even visiting for a test drive

    https://transact.ppsr.gov.au/ppsr/QuickVINSearch

  • Boioioioi on 08/04/2024 - 17:57

    Get a mechanic to do an inspection on the vehicle, RWC or safety certificate is NOT an inspection, just means the car will roll down the road and stop. You need an inspection to check for any issues

    • yjun355 on 08/04/2024 - 18:31

      Thanks

  • kenzstar on 09/04/2024 - 01:04

    Most used cars around 2-3 year mark and less than 50,000km are nearly priced the same as a new car, if you can wait might as well get a brand new car, otherwise the latter

    • Sinnerator on 09/04/2024 - 08:48
      +1

      I still do not understand why so many idiots are paying these insane prices for 2nd hand cars (there must be a sanity limit to supply and demand)

      • kenzstar on 09/04/2024 - 10:20

        It’s because of the long wait time of getting a new car that causes the prices of cars not to depreciate. Especially Toyota hybrid car, they have a 2 year waiting period for new cars

    • yjun355 on 09/04/2024 - 14:33

      Thanks. For reference, i found this car:

      Hyndai Kono from 2021 done 25,000KM from dealer. Asking price is $25,000.

      For those, would you say better to pay extra $10-$12K and get new one?

  • nahkk on 09/04/2024 - 07:02

    There are a lot of good comments. I would add a few:

    1. Check the service log book and make sure that the car has been serviced in a timely manner. Usually it is every 10k KMs or 12 months whatever comes first.

    2. Inspect all the tyres closely for any visible cracks or damage or bubbles. Even new tyres can have these because of poor driving. A friend bought a 2019 car from a private seller. Both tyres on the passenger side had visible cracks on them which is concerning because that should not have passed RWC. Gladly the dealer agrees to replace those tyres.

    3. Check whats in the boot. Scissor Jack + Wheel Wrench is a must. Some manufacturers also provide other tools.

    4. As @Euphemistic mentioned above, make sure you have insurance before you drive it. Do the research for insurance. Have your best quote ready and just pay it off after you get the keys.

    • yjun355 on 09/04/2024 - 18:26

      Thanks for the tips

  • Sinnerator on 09/04/2024 - 08:50

    and remember when buying a second hand car everything the seller says is a lie until proven otherwise

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