It's possible to get just about anything online these days, and bidding on a car is no exception. There are a few things that you will want to do before bidding on a car you have your eye on, however, according to the experts at We Buy Any Car USA. It's always better to be safe than sorry!
1. Verify Credibility
Make sure that you are buying from someone that is trustworthy and legitimate. Take the extra time to research who is selling the car. If seller ratings are available, take a few moments to check them out. This will give you a good idea as to the seller of the car and what sort of businessman he or she is.
If you are buying a car from an automobile reseller or company, check to see if they are accredited by the Better Business Bureau. If so, any recent complaints filed against the company should be able to be accessed via the BBB website. In addition, you should be able to see what the final outcome of the complaints was, whether they had been addressed or the complaint was dismissed.
2. Get an Auto History Report
If the car you are bidding on is a used car, ask for the VIN so that you can request an auto history report through various venders or on the internet. This will help you weed out cars that have had serious damage in the past, and could save you a lot of money down the road, as well as help to make sure the car is in the best shape possible.
Things to watch out for on the vehicle history report include whether the vehicle has suffered any frame damage, been involved in a flood or a fire. If these things are not disclosed up front by the seller, there is reason to suspect he or she may not be honest about other things as well.
3. Ask for Information
If you have questions about the vehicle, don't be afraid to send the seller questions about the car; after all you are likely to be parting with a significant amount of money for this car. A quality seller that you want to do business with will gladly answer questions or provide additional pictures of the car. If they refuse, unless they have a good reason, you might have good cause to be suspicious that the seller is hiding something.
Online sellers will often take pictures that make the car appear in the best light. Asking for additional pictures of the car from different angles and sides can help you spot if there are any dents or dings that the seller may not have disclosed in his or her description of the vehicle in the auction ad.
Ask to get a picture of what the car has under the hood. This can give you a great idea as to how well the car has been taken care of. If you have the opportunity, you might want to show this picture to a certified mechanic you trust and have him or her examine the picture. Often a mechanic can tell a lot about a car just by how the engine and other components under the hood look.
4. Is the Deposit Refundable?
Find out if the deposit is refundable. If something happens and you change your mind or the car for some reason becomes unavailable, you definitely want to make sure that you can get any money you put down as a deposit back. The alternative is the potential to be out hundreds of dollars with nothing to show for it.
If the deposit is refundable, make sure to print out any documentation to pertaining to the refund of the deposit. When dealing with online traders, it never hurts to be safe and to cover yourself in case push comes to shove and you have to take legal action.
5. An Ounce of Suspicion.
It's your money, and if something doesn't seem right about an offer, the seller or the car itself, you have every right to be suspicious. If the offer seems too good to be true, it possibly is.
For example, if the car you are bidding on seems like a steal you can check the price of the make and model and see how closely it matches up with the Kelley Blue Book value. If the price is far below what the KBB suggests the car is worth, you definitely should be suspicious.
