Thinking of buying a car privately? Avoid risks and get certified used cars at House of Cars
Buying a car from a private seller can be a time-consuming, stressful experience. Sure, buying a car from a dealer may seem intimidating, but there are certain advantages to buying from dealerships that you don’t get when dealing with private sellers — like reliability and assurance.
Let’s take a closer look at why buying from private sellers may not be the best option for your next purchase.
Time Consuming Processes
When it comes to purchasing cars from private sellers, there are several steps and processes that need to be taken care of before you can drive away in your new (to you) ride. The paperwork alone proves to be an arduous task that requires hours of back-and-forth between buyer and seller just to get everything in order.
Not only that, but if you decide to buy the vehicle without seeing it beforehand, be prepared to get on the phone with numerous strangers multiple times just so you can make sure everything is up to snuff before making the purchase.
Also in charge of lining up your own financing, which is more difficult to secure without the help of a large reputable dealer. You’ll need to remember to register and insure your own vehicle without assistance.
High Risk of Fraud
Let's face it — fraud is everywhere these days and unfortunately, car buyers are not exempt from it. When dealing with private sellers on sites like kijiji or Facebook Marketplace, there's an ever-present risk of getting scammed out of your hard earned money.
If you do decide to buy a car online from someone who isn't willing to meet up in person with you (which they should), make sure all contracts are signed off and all payments have been processed through secure payment systems such as PayPal or Venmo (even then, it's still risky!).
Better yet, avoid paying anyone a single penny without meeting in person, no matter how bad you want the car being advertised. That is the safest way to protect yourself from a person who probably doesn’t even own the car being advertised.
No Warranties or Guarantees
When purchasing from a private seller, there are no warranties or guarantees on any part of the transaction - including whether or not they even own the vehicle outright and therefore have legal right to sell it!
Unless they provide proof that they own the vehicle free and clear (which while possible isn't always true), then there is no guarantee that they actually have permission from any lienholder (like a bank) who may actually own part of the title.
Realistically speaking, most people don’t even know to check for these things, because most people don’t purchase cars everyday. You don’t know what you don’t know, so the best thing to do is either study the how-tos of buying from a private seller, or go to a reputable dealer with experts that will handle it for you.
Hidden Costs
The whole point of buying from a private seller is usually because it's cheaper than going through dealerships; however, don't forget about hidden costs associated with purchasing privately. It is hard to tell if the previous owner did much or any upkeep, which could result in the vehicle having a plethora of problems.
Unless you’re an auto mechanic or have expert knowledge on cars, when buying from an individual seller it can be hard to know what questions to ask or what problems to look out for. On top of this, if there is something wrong with the vehicle after purchase, you may not discover it until later down the line.
Plus, if something goes wrong with the car after purchase (which happens more often than not) then you're left footing the bill for repairs all by yourself since most sellers won't offer warranties on their vehicles… yikes!
Team-up With House of Cars and We’ll Do All the Work
It's no secret that purchasing cars privately can be quite the hassle — especially when compared to buying certified used cars through reputable dealerships like House of Cars, which offer warranties on their vehicles as well as other benefits such as affordable maintenance and the best finance programs regardless of credit history.
While going through the private sale route may save some money upfront, keep in mind that there are numerous risks associated with it such as fraud and hidden costs that could end up costing you more down the line!
Want to have the easiest, safest and most hassle free car buying experience? Click here to find out more.
