For many people, buying a new car remains a dream, so the way out of the situation may be to buy a car with the mileage. How to find a nice used car, and at the same time not get into trouble? We have studied the records from national and private registries, insurance companies, and databases of stolen cars from European countries, and found that one of the main problems was that buyers cannot quickly detect fraudulent schemes with used cars. Old cars can look great, but a thorough inspection reveals many hidden defects that will suddenly but inevitably lead to expensive repairs. Here are five scam schemes that you need to keep in your mind before buying a car:
1) Stolen Car:
Buying a stolen car is probably the worst thing that can happen to a car buyer. Usually, the vehicles are then confiscated from the unfortunate new owners, but it can be difficult, and often unrealistic to return the money. Fortunately, there is a clear solution for future owners — check the vehicle in the stolen car database.
2) The Car Was Used As A Taxi
Some drivers do not even suspect that their car has previously been used as a taxi. Such cars typically have huge mileage. As a result of an operation mainly in urban conditions (where traffic jams and congestion are more common) — such vehicles can be quite worn out. Besides, they are often not very well serviced, and previous owners probably try to save on spare parts and consumables.
3) Twisted Mileage
Every sixth car (16.7%) on the secondary market has a twisted mileage. Mileage fraud is very common among unscrupulous dealers who import used cars and try to sell them with low odometer readings. Twisting mileage is especially common in diesel cars. One-time odometer correction is a cheap service on the “black market”, but it can increase the cost of the car by 25%. However, such corrections are usually easy to detect. The wearout of some elements such as the seat, steering wheel, or gearbox look very worn, but the mileage is low, this is one of the first signs that you should look for another car.
4) The Car Was Damaged In An Accident
Almost a third (31%) of all cars tested through the VIN platforms were damaged in accidents. Therefore, when choosing a car, it is recommended to check the gaps between the body elements. If they are very different, it may indicate damage to parts or very cheap body repair. Unscrupulous sellers and fraudsters try to hide such defects, so the buyer must carefully examine the elements of the body before the purchase.
5) The Price Of The Car Is Too Low
Buyers of used cars should avoid suspiciously cheap cars, although for many it is quite a temptation. If the price is too good to be true, the buyer should be especially careful to check the car, also comparing it with similar options in other car dealerships. At first glance, this option may look very attractive, but in practice, it may turn out that the car was driven from abroad and has a twisted mileage, or has serious hidden defects. As a result, the buyer should look for another car.
With 6 years of experience, I bring to the table captivating and informative writing in the world news category. My expertise covers a range of industries, including tourism, technology, forex and stocks. From brief social media posts to in-depth articles, I am dedicated to creating compelling content for various platforms.
