How To Buy A Used Car Online Safely

The Internet makes shopping extremely convenient and also makes it very risky. The biggest trouble is that you are buying something sight unseen, meaning that you don’t get a chance to physically look at the product before you purchase. That may not seem like a major difficulty if you are buying a small appliance, but a car is something much different. This is a purchase that is going to cost you thousands of dollars and you have to get it right. Otherwise, you could accidentally be buying a metal disaster. There is a safe way to make an automobile purchase over the Internet.

• • Never, Never, Never Give Out Personal Information. You should not give the seller your credit card number or your Social Security data online. Personal checks or wiring money also is dangerous. You are dealing with a sizable transaction, and the best thing to do is arrange with the seller to meet at a bank for the final transaction. This will be necessary particularly if you are using a loan to finance the car anyway.

• Is It Real? Anybody can put an ad on a platform. You have to be sure that the automobile actually exists and a way to do that is the vehicle registration. The seller should be able to send you a copy of the registration and the VIN number. You can then check the vehicle history, which would also indicate any repair work that has been done. That repair history is important. You are not seeing the car ahead of time and you need the report to better know what you are buying.
• Talk to the Seller Directly. What this means is that a telephone call and/or a face-to-face meeting needs to be arranged. It is the only way that you can be certain that you are not being played for a fool.
• It Pays to be Skeptical. The seller is going to list the automobile at a price that perhaps appears low. It might not be, and no matter what the seller says you cannot assume that you’re getting an amazing bargain. The best thing to do is to find out the model of car and the year it was made. You can check that against the Blue Book value to see whether or not you are in fact getting a great deal.
• Take Advantage of Internet Platforms. You may be dealing with a seller who is several hundred miles away. Both of you want to be sure that fraud doesn’t happen. You can use escrow.com as a middleman for the payments. This website will hold the cash until it is released. There’s also the question of making a transfer of the physical merchandise. You can use Direct Express Public Transport to have the car shipped to you. You understand that there is a cost which can be several thousand dollars. You can reduce that price by allowing for longer shipping time, or having the car shipped in an uncovered truck.

Check the blue book value

Let the buyer beware. It is a market parentage that truly applies to any transaction online. This is especially true when you have decided to purchase a car over the Internet. You can protect yourself by being careful. Escrow.com is a better place to park the money than any escrow agency the seller may suggest. You also have to be ready to check the Blue Book against what the seller is asking as a price. Requesting photographs if they are not already supplied is simply common sense.

Don’t get cheated

Do not hesitate to ask questions in a telephone call. Notice, however, if there is any hesitation in the voice of the seller. It may not be a major issue but it is a red flag. You should double check everything that is said. People will make all kinds of promises or assurances when they are hundreds of miles away. You have to be a cautious buyer whatever you use the Internet as your medium. This is not to say that everybody online is dishonest. Nevertheless, the Internet provides an opportunity to take advantage of someone. That person should not be you. Use a little extra caution and do some investigative on your own. That way, you will be able to get your car online without being cheated.