Buying a used car has never been easier. With online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Carsales.com, you can find your new dream ride in no time. It's important to know what you're looking for and how to identify red flags, so you can avoid wasting your money or buying a car that could be unsafe.
Here's our checklist
Set your budget
First things first: work out what you’re happy to spend on a used car. This will help to narrow down what you're looking for and what best suits your needs.
Beyond the cost of the car, there are other costs to keep in mind: registration, insurance, petrol and regular servicing costs.
Consider your needs
Where do you commonly drive? If you mostly drive in the city, a small car could be suitable but if you do a lot of off-road or highway driving, a sedan or 4WD might be a better option.
It’s important to consider the interior as well and whether or not it will suit your needs. Do the seats fold flat? Is the boot big enough? If you carry passengers regularly, does the car have four doors?
Go for a drive
It’s always a smart idea to take the car for a test drive (or two) before buying it. If you’re new to the road, bring an experienced driver with you to get a second opinion. If possible, drive the car up a hill to listen to the engine or even on a highway to test the acceleration.
Inspect for the unexpected
While everything may look good from the outside, it can be more difficult to tell what’s going on under the bonnet. No one wants to buy a car only to find out it needs costly repairs and maintenance. That’s why it’s a good idea to have an experienced mechanic inspect the car before you buy it. You can book a vehicle inspection online with RACT AutoServe.
Vehicle history reports are also a must-read before purchasing a used car. This will give you an idea if the car is under finance or has been previously written off or stolen.
The lower, the better
The odometer can tell you a lot about a used car. If the car has driven a high number of kilometres, it may be cheaper but will have been exposed to more wear and tear. A good reference for the number of kilometres an average car travels in one year is 15,000 kilometres.
Former corporate, government fleet or demo cars may be another option. These can often be found for sale via auction (try Pickles Auctions) or at local dealerships.
Safety first
Checking the ANCAP or used car safety rating is important when buying any car, new or used. The ANCAP safety rating system awards cars with a ranking of between one and five stars depending on their safety performance. You should also look out for curtain airbags, an anti-locking braking system (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC), which help prevent the car from skidding.
Negotiate the price
It can be a daunting experience to get a fair purchase price when buying a used car. Do your research before it's time to haggle and this way you’ll be able to negotiate a fair price with the seller.